CMHA National welcomes Marion Cooper as President and Lead Executive Officer

May 12, 2025

Toronto (Ontario) May 12, 2025 – The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Marion Cooper as the new President and Lead Executive Officer of CMHA’s National Office. 

Marion joins the National Office following a decade of impactful leadership as CEO of CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg Division. Throughout her tenure, she provided visionary and compassionate guidance, playing a pivotal role in expanding CMHA’s presence and impact across the province.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Marion to this national leadership role as we continue to champion mental health for all. Her deep expertise, collaborative spirit, and commitment to equity and innovation will help guide our mission forward during a critical time for mental health in Canada.” –  Sharon Pitawanakwat, Vice Chair, CMHA National Board of Directors  

Marion brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the mental health and addictions sector, with a strong track record in public mental health, strategic partnerships, and Indigenous collaboration. She has made significant contributions to the public health sector both nationally and internationally. Marion represents Canada on the Board of Directors for the Global Mental Health Leaders Exchange and collaborates closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the sponsoring agency for this global initiative. Her expertise has also informed her role as a consultant and co-design lead with Stepped Care Solutions, helping to evolve service delivery models across the country.  

Having been trained as a clinical social worker, she has worked in the frontlines of many diverse organizations and has led many teams to deliver mental health and addiction services. Throughout her career, Marion has been a driving force behind the Recovery College model in Canada and the application of co-design methodology in Manitoba and beyond. Her earlier work in public health included leading mental health promotion, illness prevention, and early intervention programs. A past chair of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP), she has also contributed to numerous strategies and national research projects, including the Public Health Agency of Canada-funded “Towards Flourishing” initiative, supporting mental health for vulnerable families. 

Marion has long been a dedicated champion of the CMHA federation, and a respected voice on CMHA’s Nationwide Leadership Team, comprised of Division leaders from across Canada. She brings to this role a deep sense of commitment to collaboration and participatory approaches to leadership—qualities that are essential in building strong relationships within a federation and uniting diverse voices across CMHAs and the mental health sector. Her leadership style is grounded in empathy, shared purpose, and the belief that transformative change is possible when people come together.  

“Each day I see the tremendous impact CMHAs make in the lives of Canadians in communities across Manitoba. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to be part of the nationwide organization in this new role and to continue to build a strong CMHA federation for Canadians,” says Marion Cooper 

Marion begins her leadership position July 2, 2025.  

About the Canadian Mental Health Association 

Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health federation in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and the Yukon, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. For more information, please visit www.cmha.ca. 

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For media inquiries: 

Emma Higgins 
National Manager, Communications 
Canadian Mental Health Association 
Phone: 289-943-7710 | ehiggins@cmha.ca