Biography

Kate Stevenson

Chair of the Board

CIBC

Kate Stevenson has extensive corporate governance experience having served on numerous public company and not-for-profit boards in Canada and the US over the past two decades, where she has consistently assumed leadership roles. Previously, she was a financial executive in the telecommunications and banking sectors.

Kate is chair of the board of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce where she has served on the board since 2011. She also serves as a director of the bank’s USA board. In addition, Kate serves on the boards of Open Text Corporation and Capital Power Corporation (audit committee chair), both publicly traded companies. In the past, Kate has served on corporate boards in the aerospace, pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

Kate’s service to her community is currently centered on her directorship on the board of Unity Health, a Toronto based hospital network providing compassionate care to all in need. She formerly served on the board of St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, its executive committee, and continues to serve on the hospital’s Research Innovation Council.

Formerly, Kate’s not-for-profit experience has been focused on education. At the University of Guelph, she was vice-chair of the board of governors, and she also served as chair of the board of The Bishop Strachan School. She was formerly co-chair of the Duke University parent committee.

In 2018, Kate was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. Kate passionately supports girls and women pursuing their dreams, contributing to a better world.

She graduated from Harvard University magna cum laude and holds the professional designation ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Kate is a citizen of both Canada and the United States. She and her husband, John, live in Toronto, but her soul lives in the Thousand Islands where they have a family cottage. They have 2 grown children in the US. Kate enjoys cooking and is an avid runner.