Breaking Bread & Raising Dough (At Home)

Approaching her 20th year in the charitable sector, Marilyn is continually inspired by the donors she works with to achieve tremendous impact through their philanthropy in support of important projects and causes. She has led high-performing integrated fundraising teams and comprehensive campaigns for Kids Help Phone, Canadian Cancer Society and Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation. She began her career in fundraising at the University of Toronto based in her alma mater, the Faculty of Music during the “Great Minds Campaign”. Marilyn has served on the Board of the AFP Greater Toronto Chapter with a focus on Membership, and has served on the Boards of Toronto Summer Music and Women’s Musical Club of Toronto.

Closing in on thirty years in the non-profit sector, Simone Hicken is currently Vice President, Resource Development with Trans Canada Trail – part of an amazing team responsible for the creation of the world’s longest network of recreational, multi-use trails spanning over 27,000km and connecting 15,000 communities, and reputed to be the greatest modern day nation building project ever!  

Simone is driven to succeed at fundraising by the passionate dedication of the volunteers in the organizations that she has served. Prior to joining Trans Canada Trail, Simone held senior fundraising positions at the David Suzuki Foundation, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, McMaster University, the University of British Columbia and the BC Wildlife Federation. Simone has a BA from the University of Toronto in International Relations, Public Policy and Administration. She has served on a number of boards and been engaged in many volunteer activities throughout her life, ranging from coaching U12 girls soccer and managing Pee Wee rep hockey teams to assisting in the preservation of the Haida language. 

When she is not in the service of others, including her lovely family, she is eating  – most recently in the process of earning her Professional Fromager Certificate from George Brown College.  She hopes one day to display her charcuterie talents at a future AFP Toronto Conference.