Celebrating Talent:
Michelle LeDonne

As Canada’s leading consultancy to the non-profit sector, at KCI we measure our success through the success of our clients. It’s energizing to look back at 20 years of KCI Search + Talent candidate ‘placements’ to see what the leaders we’ve placed have accomplished for organizations all across our country.

It’s also gratifying to see that many people ‘placed’ by KCI have stayed and thrived in their roles long past the average tenure that we see in the sector. These are people whose loyalty, expertise, and passion for the mission drives long-term impact for their organizations, and the people and communities they serve.

We are celebrating these individuals through this ‘Celebrating Talent’ series of short profiles and interviews. We hope you enjoy reading about these inspiring sector leaders and celebrating their success along with us!

Celebrating Michelle LeDonne, Executive Director, Pathy Family Foundation

Why did you originally consider joining the Pathy Family Foundation?

I was fortunate to first encounter and interact with the Pathy Family Foundation (PFF) as a grant recipient. I was in a development role (that I loved) at one of PFF’s Montreal-based partner organizations. Even 10+ years ago, PFF’s approach to grantmaking stood out, by offering multi-year flexible grants, wrap-around supports, close relationships, etc. These methods would go on to become trendy and much more widely practiced in our sector, but at that time, and to this young fundraiser, they were a diamond in the rough – they were my funder “crush”! So, years later, when I came across the job posting, I took the plunge and applied. I could never have imagined the richness of the journey that would follow, and how much I’ve been able to learn and grow at PFF.

What’s kept you at the Foundation for 6+ years?

There is truly never a dull moment. Our team works closely with organizations who are trying to tackle some of our society’s most challenging and pressing social issues – there is always so much to do and learn about. And because our work is so relational, I have the honour and privilege of building relationships with tirelessly compassionate and creative people all around the world, who are an endless source of motivation. Their trust feeds our team’s desire to be the best partners we can be – it sounds cliché, but it’s genuine. In terms of the workplace, the Pathys are also incredible employers who invest in their staff’s development and wellbeing, and I feel that commitment day-to-day as a single mom, and in my family’s quality of life over the long term.

What are you most proud of accomplishing during your time there?

As I mentioned, PFF has been an innovative (and discreet), relational grantmaker for decades. When I came into the leadership role 3 years ago, we were building from a strong foundation – we’re proud of every partner organization whose work has been made easier, healthier, or more sustainable because of our support. In recent years, I am deeply proud of the team we’ve built. As individuals and collectively, we’ve been able to reflect on our approach and our values and put those into action in meaningful ways that benefit our partners, nourish new connections and learning, and help shift away from harmful norms and practices in philanthropy.

What’s Next for the Pathy Family Foundation? What do you want people to know about the work of the Pathy Family Foundation?

2026 is shaping up to be another busy, exciting year. The word that comes to mind is alignment – in my nearly 7 years with PFF, I feel certain that our Board and team have never been more aligned and focused on the how, what and why of our grantmaking approach. In practice, it means community-driven, consultative research forming the basis for our strategy in each of our granting areas. It means transforming our organizational approach to center and celebrate learning with intention, and curating spaces for partner connection and wellness. We keep a low-profile, which is important and intentional, but we take our role as resource-holders very seriously. This is crucially important as our world faces unprecedented geopolitical and climate crises, and the demand for philanthropy to act and respond has never been greater.

One piece of career advice you’d give to others?

I would say be open to surprises and doors that open when they open, even if they lead where you might not expect. My career path has been quite unexpected in many ways and my current role – which feels like my dream job now – is not something I was consciously working towards or aiming for. So, don’t self-limit, accept help when it’s given, and trust the process. Finally, I would mention the importance of building strong supports around you, especially in leadership roles – mentors, coaches, trusted peers – make a huge difference when things get hard and in helping you grow as a person and as a professional.