Our people

A team passionate about the work we do to help create a better world for children.

Together, we have built one of Canada’s Most Admired Cultures*.  We believe in the power of global citizenship and passionately deliver on our mission of advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. We take a collaborative approach in our work and respect each other's uniqueness. Together, we have created a climate of trust and inclusivity – where diversity in people, ideas and approaches is not only respected, it’s encouraged, at every level of the organization. We are passionate, ambitious, and seize opportunities to advance our mission with purpose, relevance and impact.

Waterstone Human Capital

Operations

Our team is dedicated to enabling the passionate people who work at Plan International Canada. Our Talent & Culture team is accountable for recruiting people with diverse backgrounds and whose values align with ours, while delivering people-centric programs to drive the best possible employee experience. Our Information Technology team enables our staff with access to reliable tools to remain productive, always looking ahead to what’s next. Our Finance team effectively and efficiently manages our financial strategy, ensuring responsible spending of every dollar from our donors.

International programs

Our Programs team is a direct link with the communities we serve. They collaborate with global colleagues and communities to provide expert guidance and proven solutions for complex challenges, helping create a more just and equal world for all children. They also work with the Government of Canada to promote policies that advance children's rights around the world, foster youth advocacy efforts and lead programs that help achieve equality for girls everywhere. Their work also includes rigorous evaluations to measure and ensure the compliance and effectiveness of all programs.

Marketing and development

Our Marketing, Communications and Philanthropy teams bring awareness of global issues, share stories of impact, and connect communities – all while engaging supporters to join our movement and help advance children’s rights and equality for girls.

Leadership team

Lindsay Glassco

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LINDSAY GLASSCO

President & CEO

Lindsay Glassco is a dynamic leader with 25+ years of experience developing and managing social policies and programs in diverse environments worldwide. Driven by a passion to make a meaningful contribution to sustainable development and social change, her work has spanned across sectors, including not-for-profit, government, the UN, and the private sector.

Before joining Plan, Lindsay was based in Geneva, Switzerland, acting as Secretary General of CARE International. Prior to her time at CARE, she held executive roles, including Director of International Cooperation and Development for the International Olympic Committee, President and CEO of Special Olympics Canada, and Global Director of Policy and Strategy for Right to Play (RTP). Her experience reflects a successful track record in areas such as organizational leadership, strategic planning, operational management, government and stakeholder relations, and fundraising, among others.

Earlier in her career, Lindsay spent close to a decade working for the Government of Canada, including at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (now Global Affairs Canada). She also worked as a food security consultant for UN organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Volunteers, and the UN Development Programme.

Lindsay has developed a wide breadth of knowledge, acquiring subject matter expertise in global health, early childhood and youth development, education, gender equality, food security, human rights, and disability. With a strong interest in people and a desire to deepen her understanding of the common threads that bind us as global citizens, Lindsay’s work has taken her around the world. Since first beginning her international career teaching at a high school in rural Lesotho, she has lived and worked globally – visiting over 60 countries. This has enabled her to establish a strong sense of her place in the world, strengthen her appreciation for cultural differences, and further recognize the importance of human dignity, equality, and inclusion.

Throughout her career, Lindsay has garnered recognition for her people-oriented and collaborative management skills. In 2013, she was honoured with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her significant contributions to community development in Canada. In 2023, Lindsay received McGill’s Distinguished Leader Award. Under her leadership, Plan International Canada achieved a place in Waterstone Human Capital Canada's Most Admired Cultures Hall of Fame, making history as the first non-profit to do so. Additionally, the organization was named one of Greater Toronto’s Top 100 Employers for 2024. Lindsay's impactful leadership was further underscored when she was named the 2024 Top 25 Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient by Women of Influence and recognized as one of Canada's Most Powerful CEOs by Women's Executive Network (WXN) as part of the 2024 Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards. These accolades highlight her profound influence, leadership, and lasting contributions to society.

Lindsay seeks to bring this people-centric and community-focused approach to all facets of her life and is guided dutifully by her North Star – making an impactful contribution to social change.

Rona Ambrose.jpg

Board of directors

The Honourable Rona Ambrose is a national leader. She is the former Leader of Canada’s Official Opposition and an outspoken global champion for the rights of women and girls. She led Canada’s efforts to create the International Day of the Girl at the United Nations, a global movement that advocates for the rights of girls.

Meet the board members