Peter Dinsdale is the President and CEO of YMCA Canada, where he leads one of the country’s largest and most trusted national charities, serving millions of people annually across health, employment, child care, community well-being, and newcomer integration. An Indigenous leader with experience operating at the highest levels of Indigenous governance, public policy, and institutional leadership, he has built a career at the intersection of reconciliation, nation-building, and complex organizational stewardship.
Peter currently serves on multiple national and corporate boards spanning insurance, standards, sport, reconciliation, and Indigenous economic development. His governance work focuses on strategy, risk, capital stewardship, and long-term institutional credibility. Throughout his career, he has frequently been the first or only Indigenous person in senior executive and boardroom settings, bringing both perspective and responsibility to systems not originally designed for Indigenous participation.
A committed mentor, Peter has supported emerging leaders in every role he has held, with particular emphasis on helping Indigenous and equity-deserving professionals navigate power, governance, and influence while remaining grounded in their values and communities. His leadership is shaped by a belief that reconciliation is not symbolic work, but structural work, and that strong institutions matter deeply to the future of Canada.
