Executive Director, Social Development, City of Toronto

Denise Andrea Campbell is a purpose-driven executive leader with a successful history of delivering transformational change on social justice issues. A seasoned public servant, in 2019, Denise became the Executive Director of the Social Development, Finance and Administration Division at the City of Toronto where she leads a passionate team of community developers, funders, youth workers, researchers and policy writers to help make Toronto a safer, more equitable and just city. Among leading social equity work like the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism and the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy, Denise and her team just launched the ground-breaking Toronto Community Crisis Service for people experiencing mental health crises as part of Toronto’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan, SafeTO.

Before joining the City of Toronto, Denise worked internationally on race and gender policies in numerous United National Forums and the African Union, and nationally, developing equity and community investment strategies. She’s received numerous awards for these efforts, including Who’s Who in Black Canada, Women of Distinction and Harry Jerome Awards for leadership and service and in 2021, being named one of Toronto Life’s most influential Torontonians. Denise is an avid media spokesperson, a former TV host, and an author and photographer. Her most challenging role came in 2018 with the birth of her twin boys, Zander and Zion with her husband, His Worship, Justice of the Peace, Bentley Springer.

Denise holds a Masters of Voluntary Sector Management from McGill University and completed her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies at the University of Ottawa and University of Toronto.