Print Page

Anne Golden


Anne Golden Anne Golden
President and CEO

Anne Golden, Ph.D., C.M., has long been recognized for her leadership in public policy, her academic work and her varied leadership experience in business, not-for-profit and government sectors.

Since 2001, she has been President and CEO of The Conference Board of Canada, the country’s foremost independent not-for-profit applied research organization. Previously, she was President of United Way of Greater Toronto for 14 years. She earned national profile for her work as Chair of both the Homelessness Action Task Force (1998) and of the Greater Toronto Area Task Force (1996). Also noteworthy is her work on The Canada Project, the largest public policy project undertaken by The Conference Board of Canada, for which she co-authored Volume III: Mission Possible: Successful Canadian Cities (2007).

The author of numerous publications on public policy issues, Golden was director of Policy Research for the Ontario Liberal Party (1981–82), special advisor to the Ontario provincial leader of the Opposition (1978–81) and research coordinator for the Toronto Bureau of Municipal Research (1973–78). She has also taught at Newark College of Engineering, the University of Toronto and York University.

In 2002 and 2003, the National Post’s annual ranking of Canada's brightest and best women executives named Golden among the elite of Canada's businesswomen. In 1999, she received the Public Education Award from Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank; and in 2004, the Canadian Urban Institute’s Urban Leadership Award for City Engagement.

Golden was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada in 2003. She has received honorary doctorates from McMaster University (2011), University of Calgary (2011), University of Western Ontario (2008), Royal Roads University (2005), University of Toronto (2002), York University (2000) and Ryerson Polytechnic University (1997), as well as an honorary diploma from Loyalist College (2005).

In July 2011, Dr. Golden announced her intention to step down as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conference Board of Canada in June 2012.