Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) announced Emily Foster as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective August 17, 2026. Following a comprehensive search, Foster was selected to lead CMHO during a critical time for Ontario’s child and youth mental health sector. Her role will involve strengthening the sector, advancing system change, and ensuring children, youth, and families access necessary mental health care.
Foster brings over 25 years of leadership experience across healthcare and social services, notably as General Manager at AccessOAP (Ontario Autism Program). Her expertise spans provincial system leadership, community health, and complex system transformation. CMHO Board Chair Bashar Alrehany expressed confidence in Foster’s leadership. Cindy Prins was also thanked for her outstanding interim CEO leadership.
July 9, 2026 – The Board of Directors of Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) is pleased to announce the appointment of Emily Foster as CMHO’s next Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective August 17, 2026.
Following a comprehensive search, the Board selected Emily to lead CMHO at an important time for Ontario’s community child and youth mental health sector. As CEO, she will lead the organization into its next chapter, working with CMHO’s members and partners to strengthen the sector, advance system change, and help ensure that children, youth, and families across Ontario can access the mental health care they need.
Emily brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across healthcare and social services. She joins CMHO from AccessOAP, the Independent Intake Organization for the Ontario Autism Program, where she served as General Manager and led provincial funding, system governance, ministry partnerships, and service planning for a program supporting more than 80,000 children and families across Ontario.
Throughout her career, Emily has held leadership roles across the breadth of Ontario’s children’s and health services systems, including at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Regent Park Community Health Centre, and ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development. Her experience spans provincial system leadership, community health, academic health sciences, and direct clinical services.
Emily has a strong track record of leading complex system transformation, building partnerships across government and the community services sector, and bringing organizations together around shared goals. Her deep understanding of Ontario’s publicly funded systems and her collaborative, relationship-focused approach to leadership will be tremendous assets to CMHO and our members.
“Emily brings an excellent combination of strategic leadership, system expertise, and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for children, youth, and families,” said Bashar Alrehany, Chair of CMHO’s Board of Directors. “The Board has every confidence that she is the right leader to guide CMHO into its next chapter and expand on the organization’s role as a strong and trusted voice for Ontario’s community child and youth mental health sector.”
On behalf of the Board and CMHO’s membership, I would also like to recognize and sincerely thank Cindy Prins for her outstanding leadership as Interim CEO. Cindy has guided CMHO with steadiness, care, and commitment during this period of transition, and we are pleased that she will continue to support the organization in her role as Director of Operations and Member Relations.
Please join us in thanking Cindy and welcoming Emily to CMHO as she prepares to begin her new role on August 17.
Bashar Alrehany
Board Chair
Children’s Mental Health Ontario
About Children’s Mental Health Ontario
Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) is a member-based organization representing Ontario’s publicly funded child and youth mental health centres. We advocate for investments, policies, and programs that ensure infants, children, youth, and families can access the mental health services they need within a coordinated, equitable, and high-performing system of care.
CMHO works collaboratively with members, government, youth, families, and partners across the mental health, health, education, and social services sectors to strengthen community-based care and improve outcomes for children and youth across Ontario.
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