Inspirit Foundation appoints Chris Lee as Chief Program and Operating Officer 

TORONTO, September 8, 2026 — Inspirit Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Lee as Chief Program and Operating Officer.  

In this new leadership role, Chris will continue to lead Inspirit’s grantmaking and social impact programs while taking on additional responsibility in operations and financial management. 

“I am looking forward to working with Chris in this expanded capacity as we continue to adapt and build on our strengths,” said Sadia Zaman, CEO of Inspirit Foundation. “Chris’ many skillsets and character traits are pivotal as the Foundation supports grantees and other stakeholders navigating complex issues.” 

Chris has been with Inspirit for more than 10 years. During that time, he has progressively taken on more responsibility, led new initiatives, and strengthened the Foundation’s work in granting and programming.

He has also been a strong advocate for Inspirit’s priority communities, building trust across the sector and with the many organizations Inspirit collaborates with, and has helped the Foundation deploy over $20M to partners working to build a pluralist Canada. 

In 2024-25, Chris played a pivotal role on the team that helped secure Canada’s first cultural land trust purchase, and in 2022-23 he was a Fellow with the Just Economy Institute.