Heather Sago joined the board in 2025. She is a Certified Child and Youth Care Practitioner, college professor, and Registered Social Worker with over three decades of experience in child- and youth-serving systems. She’s held direct care, clinical, training, and senior leadership roles across child protection, youth justice, and mental health – with a focus on relational practice and healing centred systemic transformation.
Heather was instrumental in launching Ontario’s first healing home and outreach program for sexually exploited and sex-trafficked children and youth under 18. Her work has included leading policy and practice reforms that center lived experience, social-justice, co-regulation, and a needs-based approach. She also created one of the first globally accredited Child and Youth Care programs.
As a board member, Heather brings a lifelong commitment to children’s rights, dignity, and well-being. She joined the Foundation to champion young people access to resources, not just to survive care, but to step into adulthood with the tools, relationships, and opportunities they need to thrive. Her work is rooted in the belief that every young person deserves to feel they matter – especially during life moments when hope makes all the difference.
