REBECCA

SHIELDS

President and CEO, Kids Help Phone

A highly respected leader in Canada’s mental health sector,
Rebecca Shields brings more than 25 years of executive
experience rooted in impact, scale, and equity to Kids Help
Phone (KHP) and young people across Canada. Before
joining KHP in March 2026, Rebecca served as CEO of the
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) York Region
and South Simcoe for 13 years. During that time, she
significantly scaled the organization’s impact, improved
mental health access, and led the development of Ontario’s
first community-led integrated crisis centre. Her work
strengthened access to specialized services for youth,
newcomers, people experiencing homelessness, and
2SLGBTQI+ communities. As an authentic, values-driven
leader with deep operational expertise, experience scaling
impact, and a strong equity lens, Rebecca’s award-winning
work is grounded in youth mental health, community, and
continuous innovation.