The Judges

Craig Keilburger, Founder of Free The Children

Craig Kielburger is an accomplished child rights advocate and leadership specialist, an award-winning author and a popular speaker. He is founder of Free The Children, the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, and the co-founder of Leaders Today, the world’s top youth leadership training organization. Craig has received many awards for his work, including the Order of Canada, the Nelson Mandela Human Rights Award, the World Economic Forum GLT Award, the Roosevelt Freedom Medal, the Governor General’s Medal of Meritorious Service, the Human Rights Award from the World Association of Non- Governmental Organizations and the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, also known as the Children’s Nobel Prize. He is the youngest person ever to be selected as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, an award that recognizes leadership, community involvement and contribution. He has a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Toronto and is the recipient of two honorary doctorates. Under Craig’s leadership, Free The Children has now changed the lives of more than one million young people around the world. His work has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, BBC, CBC, 60 Minutes and profiled in The Economist, Time and People magazines and numerous newspapers.

Jane Wu, 2008 Winner of Canada's Top Teen Philanthropist

Jane Wu, 2008 Mackenzie Investments’ Canada’s Top Teen Philanthropist, is passionate about equal opportunity, particularly gender and age equity, running numerous community events, serving on local and national committees, and founding the Beauty and Brains Conference in Calgary, Alberta. She is still exploring our world and her niche within it, as she pursues a dual degree in business and environmental science at Queen’s University.

Monica Patten, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundations of Canada

Monica Patten has presided over a period of unprecedented growth in Canada's community foundation movement. In May 2005, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lawson Foundation in recognition of her "extraordinary accomplishments and leadership." Monica was also honoured by the Public Policy Forum in April 2002 for her contribution to public policy and Canada's voluntary sector.

Carlos Bustamante, Host, YTV’s The Zone

Bustamante uses his dynamic personality to reach millions of young Canadians, including teens, each week as host of YTV’s The Zone, a popular after school program for youths. The Zone provides a daily opportunity for youths to get interactive on-air and online, and features celebrity interviews, contests and sketch comedy.

Danielle Silverstein, Executive Director, Jays Care Foundation

Established in 1992, the Jays Care Foundation has been working to ensure children in need have the opportunity to make positive choices in life by providing programs that support physical activity, education, and life-skill development. Since its inception, the Foundation has committed resources to the success of youth baseball initiatives such as Rookie League Baseball and Field of Dreams and provides grants to charities serving youth in our communities.

Brad Offman, Vice President, Strategic Philanthropy at Mackenzie Investments

Offman is also Managing Director of the Mackenzie Charitable Giving Fund; a donor-advised giving program that offers Canadians a chance to create the equivalent of a private foundation in their name to support their favourite charities over time. Last year Offman wrote a children’s book to help parents teach their kids about the value of giving, entitled The Charity Glove. He is past Chair of the Leave A Legacy Program for the Greater Toronto Area and served on the Executive of the Toronto Roundtable of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners.