Kinark’s CEO Transition
After nearly 15 years of dedicated leadership, Cathy Paul will conclude her tenure as President and CEO of Kinark Child and Family Services on April 24, 2026.
The Kinark Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Cynthia Weaver as President and CEO, effective April 24, 2026. Cynthia’s appointment is the result of a succession plan built on deep organizational knowledge and demonstrated leadership that will support continued stability and strength for the organization. Cynthia is a senior executive leader with more than 23 years of progressive experience across hospital and community-based children and youth services.
As a member of Kinark’s Executive team since 2015 and Chief Operating Officer over the past seven years, Cynthia has provided executive oversight to clinical quality, service delivery, and key organizational partnerships and to Kinark’s capacity to effectively treat some of the most complex children and youth in Ontario. Cynthia knows this organization’s programs, people, partners, and mission from the inside. Cynthia has demonstrated her commitment to the organization, our staff and the children, youth, and families that Kinark supports time and time again. The Board feels fortunate to benefit from her leadership in the time ahead.
Under Cathy’s leadership, Kinark has become a valued leader in the delivery of critical treatment services across Children’s Mental Health, Autism and Forensic Mental Health Services. Cathy is responsible for the introduction of Kinark’s first Quality Framework, the implementation of evidence-based practice standards, the introduction of a fee-for-service program for children with autism and their families, the development and publication of two landmark policy papers, the first highlighting critical success factors for Live-In Treatment programs within the CYMH sector and the second identifying the need for the integration of Autism and Mental Health services to support complex children and youth and the development of Kinark’s capacity as a Lead Agency for child and youth mental health.
Cathy very ably shepherded the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping services open and staff and clients safe. Through Cathy’s leadership, Kinark has grown to serve more than 9,000 children and youth annually across three program streams. She has been a tireless advocate for children, youth, and families with complex needs, and her contributions to this organization and to the broader sectors Kinark serves are lasting. Over the last several years, Cathy has been instrumental in the development of the Ontario Intensive Treatment Pathway for children and youth with complex mental health needs and she will be leaving Kinark to focus more directly on that exciting new initiative.
Kinark’s mission, its strategic direction, and its unwavering commitment to children, youth, and families with complex needs remain unchanged. Under Cynthia’s leadership, Kinark will continue to pursue its five strategic goals: being the best treatment provider, a leader and partner in the sectors we serve, an employer of choice, an organization with strong enabling infrastructure, and one where quality is the foundation of everything we do.