FST welcomes Chris Brillinger
August 1, 2019
Family Service Toronto welcomes Chris Brillinger as its new Executive Director on Aug. 6.
Chris comes to FST after 31 years of exemplary leadership and dedication to Toronto public service as the city’s Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration (SDFA).
He moves into the role following the July departure of Margaret Hancock, who led FST for 12 years.
“I have always been driven by two key passions: a love of Toronto and a core belief in social justice/equity,” Chris said on his decision to join FST. “I believe these passions align with the core purpose of Family Service Toronto. Joining the FST team provides an opportunity to continue to contribute my skills and energies to both.”
Chris has been instrumental in leading the development and successful implementation of numerous important city building and social development initiatives including but not limited to: Tenants’ First (involving the transformation of Toronto Community Housing), TO Prosperity (City Council’s poverty reduction strategy), Social Procurement, Community Benefits, Seniors Strategy, Newcomer Strategy, Youth Equity Strategy, Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020, For Public Benefit (a framework for working with community-based not-for-profit organizations) and City Council’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Action Plan.
Chris is eager to return to the For Public Benefit sector to continue his work in social inclusion and social justice. An urban planner by training, he started his career in the non-profit sector working at Neighbourhood Information Post in the city’s east end joining the former Metro Toronto government in 1988 as a community development officer.