Our Team
The Helix Foundation team is small, but mighty! We’re dedicated to ensuring our work makes a difference in the lives of children and youth.
Kate Butler, PhD
President
An expert in children’s rights with 20 years of experience in the field of human rights. Throughout her career, she has worked to advance social justice initiatives, advise organizations on impactful program development, and shape policies that promote equity and inclusion. Her work reflects a deep commitment to human dignity, evidence-based practice, and sustainable change across diverse communities. Kate is a graduate of Queen’s University (BaH), TMU (M.A.), and the University of Victoria (Ph.D). She has served on many boards, including serving as Chair of the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children and the International Institute for Child Rights & Development.
Sam Broadbent
Board Director
The Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Advantage Capital Strategies Group and serves as a Dealing Representative for the firm. He has 20 years of finance experience in both the public and private sector. Sam has dedicated his career to sustainable investment and co-founded Advantage Capital Strategies Group to advance this work. He serves on several boards, including Maytree and the Massey College Finance and Audit Committee, with past service including Fresh City Farms, St. Jude’s Community Homes and the Open Democracy Project. Sam is a graduate of Queen’s University (BaH) and the University of Victoria (MPA) and holds the Chartered Professional Accountant designation and the Chartered Investment Manager designation. Sam is our board director and treasurer and has been an unwavering supporter.
We believe all young people should be empowered to realize their rights to a happy and healthy life
Take a look at our initiatives
Our initiatives provide valuable insights into the development and implementation of effective programs and policies, and we actively foster spaces for youth engagement, ensuring that young people are not just beneficiaries but co-creators in the change-making process.
Pursue
We pursue our mission through a multifaceted approach that includes: strategic philanthropic investments, evidence-informed grantmaking collaboration with key stakeholders across sectors.
We target a variety of leverage points in the child and youth resiliency picture, including policy, community resilience, and youth leadership. We believe this will lead to long-term societal shifts in terms of resilient systems and increased supports for children and youth, including economic, familial, community, cultural and educational ones.
Support
The Helix Foundation’s Youth Advisory Team (YAT) came together in the spring of 2025 with the purpose of working together on advocacy and research related to at-risk youth and mental health and well-being. The Youth Advisory Team was chosen for their lived experiences with homelessness, racism, homophobia, and more.
The YAT received honoraria, met regularly with Helix staff, and created a project called the Youth Resiliency Hub.