About me
Kathryn Anthonisen was appointed CANARIE’s President and CEO in July 2023, after having served as Vice President, External Relations with the organization for 11 years. Since joining CANARIE as Director of Communications in 2010, Kathryn led the team responsible for marketing and communications, stakeholder engagement, international relations, in addition to leading the strategic development of CANARIE’s mandate renewal.
During her tenure as Vice President, External Relations, Kathryn worked to promote the impact of digital research infrastructure on Canada’s innovation capacity. Kathryn successfully reshaped the perception of the CANARIE brand from that of solely a network operator to an organization focussed on delivering a range of relevant and impactful digital infrastructure tools and services, and worked with partners in Canada’s National Research and Education Network to increase the visibility of this mission-critical infrastructure.
Prior to joining CANARIE, Kathryn held a variety of senior roles in marketing, communications, and client management in the academic and private sectors, including at the Institute of Canadian Bankers, Humber College, and Canadian travel management pioneer, Rider Travel. At Humber College, Kathryn was an instructor and program administrator in the School of Business, and led or participated in several international projects, including a small business development project for women in Bangladesh, a lifelong learning project in China, and a capacity-building project for the educational sector in Guyana. During her time at Rider Travel, Kathryn held progressively senior roles in marketing communications, sales support, and client management.
Kathryn earned her BA in English and History at McGill University and her MBA, with a focus on Marketing and International Business, from Schulich School of Business at York University, and spent a year studying French language and culture at the Sorbonne in Paris. Kathryn’s favourite place is outside, so she takes advantage of Ottawa’s extensive bike paths to commute to work until the snow flies, when she switches to skates and glides to the office and home again on the Rideau Canal.
