Working together towards
a thriving Canada.
Among Canada’s most contributing private philanthropic organizations, the Northpine Foundation works with a vision to propel outcome-centered innovation in Canada.
Northpine provides catalytic funding through tailored financing (donations, grants, loans, equity, or blend), along with expertise, networks and other non-financial supports to help underinvested and underserved communities thrive and flourish.
We believe in the kindness of everyone and find ways to build bridges to the society we envision. With a focus on this core value, the Northpine Foundation designs, funds, and collaborates on ventures that combine best practices with new, untried approaches to drive scalable change towards a thriving Canada.
Our Mission
To catalyze scalable outcomes for underserved and underinvested communities in Canada.
What makes us (one of a) Kind?
John and Cathy Phillips
Founders, Funders and Directors
of the Northpine Foundation
Cathy (centre) and John (right) at the Scarborough Health Network Foundation.
Your Team
A group of relentless optimists, we are a nation-wide, remote-first team in love with building a better Canada.
Aatif Baskanderi
CEO
Bayan Khatib
Impact Manager – Refugees
Mark Lane
Impact Manager – Rural Newfoundland & Labrador
Michael Sacke
VP Finance
Namendra Anand
Impact Manager – Climate
Naomi Gichungu
Impact Manager – Special Initiatives
Nkem Kalu
Product Manager
Sammia Malik
Operations Lead
Sara Tessier
Impact Manager – Formerly Incarcerated Persons
Viren Fernandes
Communications Specialist
Northpine’s Founders
John and Cathy Phillips founded the Northpine Foundation over twenty years ago.
John is a retired angel investor, and Cathy is a retired psychologist who specialized in helping cancer patients manage stress and live meaningfully.
After recently acquiring unanticipated wealth due to their early investment in Shopify, the couple felt a great sense of responsibility to use this wealth strategically as a force for good and redirected Northpine for that purpose.
They hired a diverse team tasked to make riskier investments that lead to sustainable and scalable impact in the lives of selected cohorts who face significant barriers in Canada. “We chose to keep our focus within Canada because there’s a lot to do right here. Many people find themselves in circumstances where they don’t stand a chance,” John says. “We want to reach the people that are hard to reach,” Cathy adds.
Married nearly 50 years, John and Cathy’s shared values and complementary styles guide Northpine’s culture and style of operation. Cathy emphasizes kindness and trust as root values to allow the foundation and the people it serves to thrive. John stresses the need to be innovative and strategic: to take risks and to find effective ways of measuring impact.
“Anyone who knows John well knows how hard and diligently he works behind the scenes at everything he does,” Cathy says. “He is the silent architect behind it all and in retirement can now focus on using his considerable experience and knowledge to guide Aatif and the management team.” John emphasizes, “I don’t want Northpine to do what is easy. I want to remain ambitious, dynamic, and never stop caring.”
“John and Cathy act with conviction and generosity. They do not entertain virtue signalling. They are mentors to our incredible team serving with humility and kindness.”
Michael
“It is an absolute dream to work with John and Cathy on their vision to catalyze what Northpine can be to exponentially grow the value of kindness through supporting leaders on the journey to achieve a grand vision of creating a positive difference in the lives of the underserved and underinvested across Canada. Their humility and ongoing rigor to be accountable to that dream is a constant inspiration.”
Aatif
“One thing we all share with John and Cathy is big ambition for what Northpine can do and the excitement and dedication to make it happen. We’re deeply grateful for the trust they put in us and for the warm and supportive environment they’ve created for our team.”
Bayan
Aatif Baskanderi
CEO
What is your favourite quote?
Be kind for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. ― Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Which book or podcast do you recommend?
Podcast: 20VC by Harry Stebbings
Book: The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley
Musical: The Phantom of the Opera
Where do you call home?
Where people and nature empower me to be my most authentic and best self.
“Aatif’s unique leadership style is grounded in kindness. His passion to make the world a better place for people from all walks of life is admirable and contagious.”
Mark
“Aatif is one of the most inspiring people I know. He embeds kindness in everything he does. Our team is better because we have a leader who is vulnerable and leads by example. We are better because of you Aatif!”
Naomi
“Aatif is gentle and compassionate and simultaneously drives us to excellence in all that we do.”
Bayan
Bayan Khatib
Impact Manager – Refugee Newcomers
What is your favourite quote?
We have made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. ― Quran, 49:13
I love this verse because it speaks to the beauty of diversity and the importance of cross-cultural connection. When we get to know someone, we are less likely to fear them and more likely to care for them.
What drives you?
I want to pay forward the kindness friends and strangers showed my family when we arrived in Canada as refugees over 30 years ago.
What are you grateful for?
I am grateful for my father who taught me independence and problem solving. I am grateful for my mother who taught me compassion and acceptance. She taught me to look beneath the surface and gain a deeper understanding of people’s journeys.
“Bayan has amazing work ethic. She is pleasant, positive, and respectful. Bayan is brave, and her willingness to learn and ask questions makes her a valuable problem solver.”
Sara
“Bayan balances deep thinking with learning on the fly. She is the person who will ask ‘why’ and use the answer to build actionable solutions. She does this in a way that aligns our team and the organizations we work with. It’s no surprise that everyone around her feels uplifted.”
Aatif
“Bayan is diligent and conscientious in her work. Her passion and commitment to her community shines through her approach to impact investing. She also has the best food recommendations.”
Nkem
Mark Lane
Impact Manager – Rural Newfoundland & Labrador
What is your favourite quote?
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. ― Benjamin Franklin
What drives you?
Collective problem solving.
What is kindness?
To understand and accept all people through an empathetic lens.
“Mark is a champion of his home province of Newfoundland and Labrador. You will see Mark jump on Google or Wikipedia midway through a conversation to build knowledge on an unfamiliar topic. This shows his enthusiasm to understand people and the world better, so he can serve better.”
Aatif
“Mark is a selfless person! He is generous, curious, kind, and inclusive. Mark always asks questions and actively listens to responses to understand others with an open heart.”
Naomi
“You know that person that you can call for help? That person who will always pick up? Then, rally the troops and help you figure things out? That is Mark. An inquisitive lifelong learner, he is quick to find synergy and collaboration in every situation.”
Nkem
Michael Sacke
Vice President – Finance
What is your favourite book, music or media?
Book: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Movie: Wounded by the Wind
What drives you?
When I shut my computer down for the day, I know I have tried my best to make a difference in the world.
What are you grateful for?
I am grateful for the abundance of love and humanity in my community and workspaces. I am grateful for access to resources.
Why did you choose to work at Northpine?
I chose Northpine because it is an opportunity to be part of a team, a movement, that embraces kindness and collaborative leadership. I feel great knowing when I step into work, I get to learn from my extraordinary team members and about their unique lived experiences. I get to be the change.
“Michael is a deep listener. He will sit and absorb a conversation with many different voices and then find a way to capture unique elements to unlock opportunities.”
Aatif
“There are people’s people and then there are PEOPLE’S people. Michael is a PEOPLE’S people. His quiet and gentle approach to leadership makes room at the table for everyone and every voice heard.”
Nkem
“Since joining the team, Michael has worked diligently to transfer his knowledge and expertise of innovative social financial instruments and frameworks to the Northpine team, to enhance sustainability, scalability and accountability.”
Mark
Naomi Gichungu
Impact Manager – Special Initiatives
Where do you call home?
It’s challenging to define what home means to a person who moved to a new country. Once, I was on a flight from Kenya to Canada. I wondered if it was appropriate to say, “I am leaving home and I am going home.” Home is where I have family. I have a community that is like family to me in Nairobi and Winnipeg. These are the places I call home.
What are you grateful for?
Our team builds a culture of gratitude and kindness in all that we do and in each space we are invited to. Every day, we take the time to share what we are grateful for. I am thankful to work in a role that blends with my values and inspires my best self.
What’s the best part about working at Northpine?
Hands down, the people! Each team member is authentic and brings their true self to work. We have a unique opportunity to serve underserved communities. It is a privilege to work with transformative leaders and the people we support.
What is kindness?
Kindness means being selfless, sincere, caring, compassionate and graceful, even when it is challenging to do so. Kindness is empathy for all and not just those perceived as worthy.
“Naomi is a breath of fresh air for our team. She is focused with excellent analytical skills. If you want to learn how to give meaningful science to ideas, contact Naomi. She is brilliant.”
Sammia
“Naomi’s approach to learning is amazingly enthusiastic and sincere. She is built for her complex role at Northpine. Her ability to connect authentically with diverse communities by carefully listening makes her a leader in a role that requires a lot of relationship building.”
Aatif
”Naomi is effervescent because of her big heart. She is a brilliant facilitator whose welcoming demeanor and assiduousness builds impactful relationships across communities.”
Nkem
Namendra Anand
Impact Manager – Climate
What is your favourite quote?
Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
What does kindness mean to you?
Kindness is a gesture of selflessness. When someone witnesses an act of kindness they fall in love with the giver as much as the receiver. It’s the most human of all gestures. Kindness is contagious.
Why did you choose to work at Northpine?
I choose my passions – mitigating effects of climate change and focusing on human development. Climate conservation and community development has challenges that are directly tied to achieving climate targets. Our team leads human development and plays a catalytic role in climate action by unlocking human potential.
“There are no dull moments with Namendra; he is kind, curious, fun and engaging. He is highly accomplished in his engineering career. Namendra is humble, a lifelong learner and always searches for a better way.”
Naomi
“Namendra combines insatiable curiosity with a drive for action, which results in him learning and doing. His easy optimism and warm smile make him easy to connect with.”
Aatif
Namendra’s passion is impossible to miss. The fire he brings to the team sparks innovation. His commitment to service and excellence, always from a human-centered approach, makes him a vital part of the Northpine team.”
Nkem
Sara Tessier
Impact Manager – Formerly Incarcerated Persons
What is your favourite quote?
There’s a new reality born every minute. Unless one is a believer in predestination (in which case I’ll call the prestidigitator). Or other puppet-like restraints on our powers, one is free to imagine and effect changes on the world. And if enough people do it, there are big changes. These things happen. Anything can. ― Neil Peart
What are you grateful for?
I am grateful for my amazing family. They support and encourage me to be a better person in all I do, every day.
What is the best part about working at Northpine?
I get to live my passion and help those impacted by the criminal justice system. As a formerly incarcerated person, I know the barriers and stigma that stop successful reintegration into our communities. Northpine gave me an avenue to help break those barriers.
“Sara is not only a great colleague, but model of courage, positivity, success, and trust. She is unstoppable, strong on the outside and sweet on the inside. She is our hero and we love her.”
Sammia
“Sara is the embodiment of courage. She is relentlessly kind and optimistic. She is smart. We see this in her experiences in international business and amazing legal understanding. She sticks up for others. This is exemplified by her successful leadership of a ground-breaking class action lawsuit against a corrections officer on behalf of herself and countless other women.”
Aatif
“Sara is passionate about building innovative impact for our communities! She advocates every day for formerly incarcerated people. I can’t wait to see the amazing things she will do.”
Naomi
Nkem Kalu
Product Manager
What is your favourite quote?
What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead. ― Nelson Mandela
What drives you?
The synergy between people, opportunity and innovation. I love to help people achieve their goals. I enjoy the mental, and at times physical, exercise of unlocking potential. Particularly when it helps people accomplish more than they thought possible.
Where do you call home?
I moved around a lot as a kid, so home is a feeling more than a place. Home is listening to greetings between neighbors in my father’s hometown. Home is the smell of red African earth after the first rain. Home is a long embrace. Home is biltong and pepper soup and abacha and green bean casserole. Home is my people.
“Nkem’s my go to person for talking out complex issues. She asks the right questions that lead us to where we need to go, a valuable practice in a startup environment. Nkem also exemplifies kindness in so many beautiful ways.”
Bayan
“Nkem is a brilliant leader that always encourages and facilitates thought-provoking conversations and discussions to arrive at the best solution.”
Mark
“She is the secret ingredient in the Northpine sauce. Brilliant and compassionate – she is quick to remind us the path we want to take when we stray. If you want to learn how to be a great team player and transformational leader, contact Nkem.”
Sammia
Sammia Malik
Operations Lead
What is your favourite quote?
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. ― Mahatma Gandhi
What are you grateful for?
I am grateful that my career is more than a job description. My work allows me to cherish peace and feel fulfillment. Every day I contribute to building a more a resilient and prosperous society of the world. What else could one imagine being grateful for?
What is the best part about working at Northpine?
It is a community of bold leaders. We are start-up innovators of new ways to achieve lasting social impacts. Our private philanthropic foundation remains relevant by investing in solutions that best serve the end-users.
“Sammia is a powerful woman. She is humble, selfless, compassionate, and kind. She demonstrates true thoughtfulness.”
Sara
“Sammia brings a world of skills to the team. Her experience in social innovation, across multiple regions and communities, brings a trove of ideas and wise practices to our processes. She is an invaluable asset to the success of our investments.”
Nkem
“Sammia is a talented problem solver who makes all of our lives better.”
Bayan
Viren Fernandes
Communications Specialist
What is your favourite quote?
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops. ― Stephen Jay Gould
What does kindness mean to you?
Kindness is love in action. It is sharing time, skills, and resources ― working to use our lives for good. Kindness is a catalyst for positive change.
What is the best part about working at Northpine?
Being able to see a connection between my efforts and a positive impact for people and planet.
“Viren joined the team with multi-dimensional skills and experience across the globe. His high level of focus and creativity allows him to bring out the best from the team.”
Namendra
“Viren isn’t the loudest person on our team, but his creative abilities make him stand out. He has a gift in capturing all our thoughts and ideas to help define our work at Northpine. I am grateful he chose to come on this worthwhile ride with all of us!”
Naomi
“Viren is someone with many layers and diverse experiences, all of which coalesce into someone with the ability to use his creative vision to blow everyone away. All this while carrying his smooth laidback demeanor.”