Getting Comfortable with Discomfort: Building a Brand That Stands for Something

Kate Torrance is an award-winning brand and marketing leader with more than 25 years of experience turning bold creative ideas into transformational revenue and category-defining brands. She recently joined CAMH Foundation (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) as its new Chief Brand & Growth Officer. In this new role, Kate leads the Foundation’s integrated brand, marketing, communications and growth strategy, helping CAMH connect with new and diverse audiences, expand its community of supporters and grow the mental health movement. Prior to CAMH, Kate spent a decade leading brand, content & communications at SickKids Foundation. Kate was a core architect of the globally recognized SickKids VS brand platform, widely credited with redefining non-profit marketing in Canada and beyond. She also led the public launch of Precision Child Health, a seismic shift in how SickKids is practicing medicine, generating more than 300 million earned media impressions and helping secure more than $700 million in early campaign commitments. During her tenure, SickKids Foundation became the most recognized charity brand in Canada, while its brand and marketing work helped support the delivery of $1.7 billion against a $1.5 billion campaign goal and earned more than 400 global creative awards. Before joining SickKids Foundation, Kate spent 20 years at leading Canadian advertising agencies, including Zulu Alpha Kilo and BBDO, where she led national campaigns for brands such as Bell, Corona, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Budweiser. She is a 2026 Cannes Lions Jury member, a past Co-Chair of Effie Awards Canada and a frequent keynote speaker at global marketing and non-profit gatherings, including events hosted by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Copenhagen, IFC Amsterdam, The Gathering in Banff and CICLOPE Berlin.