United Way Greater Toronto announces CIBC President and CEO, Victor Dodig, as 2024 Campaign Chair and Lenczner Slaght's Monique Jilesen as UWGT's Major Individual Giving Cabinet Chair

TORONTO, May 14, 2024 /CNW/ - United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) is thrilled to welcome CIBC President and CEO Victor Dodig as the 2024 Community Campaign Chair. UWGT is also pleased to announce Monique Jilesen, Managing Partner at Lenczner Slaght, as this year's Major Individual Giving Cabinet Chair.

With a proven track record of leadership and a passion for UWGT's mission, Victor brings a wealth of experience and insights that will undoubtedly take this year's Campaign to new heights.

"Strong communities are critical to a strong nation, and with many in our communities experiencing hardship, it's never been more important to invest in the fabric of the neighbourhoods where we live and work. I have seen firsthand the incredible work United Way Greater Toronto does to empower and enable the most vulnerable members of our communities throughout Peel, Toronto and York regions, and I am honoured to lend my support to this year's campaign."
- Victor Dodig, CIBC President and CEO, and United Way 2024 Community Campaign Chair

Over the past 25 years, Monique Jilesen has increasingly dedicated her time, resources, and influence to support United Way, particularly its programs empowering and supporting women and children.

"A long time ago, someone told me that they saw United Way as a 'giving concierge' for what's most important in the community and I like to think of it that way, too. I have confidence in the work that United Way does, the research they do, and the support they offer to their community partners. As this year's Chair of United Way's Major Individual Giving Cabinet, I'm honoured to take their mission and message forward, and give back to the community in which I live."
- Monique Jilesen, Managing Partner, Lenczner Slaght and United Way 2024 Major Individual Giving Cabinet Chair

"I am truly grateful that two United Way long-time champions are joining us to play a crucial role in leading this year's Campaign, by cultivating partnerships and mobilizing resources that will support our mission. United Way's priority will always be to meet the basic, urgent needs of our communities across the GTA – building more inclusive communities where everyone has access to the building blocks they need for a good life: safe housing; stable income and employment; local services, recreation and opportunities for engagement."
- Daniele Zanotti, President & CEO, United Way Greater Toronto 

Last year's campaign, amid a challenging economic climate, raised an extraordinary $111 million, which was the result of 800 workplaces, a network of over 300 agencies, 80,000 donors and 2,000 volunteers driving the GTA's largest movement of volunteerism and philanthropy.  

United Way Greater Toronto extends beyond providing essential services such as food and shelter through a network of nonprofit agencies. Our approach combines cutting-edge research, local advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration to drive meaningful change. UWGT builds partnerships with corporate, government, and community organizations to launch innovative initiatives designed to build resilient neighborhoods where prosperity is accessible to all.

To join United Way and help communities across the GTA meet basic needs and improve social conditions, click here to contribute to this year's campaign. 

About Victor Dodig, United Way 2024 Community Campaign Chair: Victor Dodig leads a team of over 47,000 team members globally who live CIBC's purpose every day – helping make ambitions a reality. Under Victor's tenure, CIBC has transformed into a modern relationship-oriented bank, with a North American platform for growth and a commitment to enable a more sustainable future for all stakeholders. Victor is a strong advocate for Canada on the world stage, and a proponent of creating a more prosperous and inclusive future. He serves as the current Chair of the Business Council of Canada. Victor is committed to inclusion, both to strengthen our social fabric and as an economic imperative. He serves as Chair of CIBC's Inclusion Leadership council and is Past Co-Chair of the Black North Initiative. He is a recipient of the 2017 Catalyst Canada Honours (Company Leader) Champion award, is Past Chair of the Catalyst Canada Advisory Board and Past Chair of the 30% Club Canada. Victor resides in Toronto with his wife, Maureen. They are the proud parents of four children.

About Monique Jilesen, United Way Major Individual Giving Cabinet Chair: Monique Jilesen is Managing Partner at Lenczner Slaght and one of Canada's leading litigators who clients turn to for their most complex commercial disputes. She is known as a powerful and fearless advocate, unafraid to take on tough, notable, and high-profile cases, even at a moment's notice. Her recent cases are a particularly noteworthy example of her practice. Highlights include acting as counsel to the Ukrainian World Congress in an application for judicial review of Canada's decision to allow the delivery of turbines to Germany for use by a sanctioned Russian company, and successfully securing an unprecedented Mareva order freezing up to $20 million of assets and cryptocurrency of Freedom Convoy leaders in Li v Barber. She has also previously represented Douglas Cardinal in an injunction to restrain the use in Canada of the Cleveland baseball team's racist name and logo on human rights grounds. Consistently recognized for her exceptional work, Monique was awarded The Advocates' Society's prestigious Douglas K. Laidlaw Award for Excellence in Advocacy, named Litigator of the Year at the Canadian Law Awards, and recognized as "Canada's top litigator" in Toronto Life's prestigious Top 50 Most Influential of 2023 list, an exclusive ranking of the people who represent Toronto on a world stage and whose bravery, smarts and influence are changing the world.

About United Way: As the largest non-government funder of community services in the GTA, United Way Greater Toronto reinforces a crucial community safety net to support people living in poverty. United Way's network of agencies and initiatives in neighbourhoods across Peel, Toronto and York Region works to ensure that everyone has access to the programs and services they need to thrive today. Mobilizing community support, United Way's work is rooted in ground-breaking research, strategic leadership, local advocacy and cross-sectoral partnerships committed to building a more equitable region and lasting solutions to the GTA's greatest challenges. 

SOURCE United Way Greater Toronto

Media contact: Meetu Madahar, Manager, Communications, United Way Greater Toronto, Tel. [phone], [email protected]