List celebrates incredible leaders and achievers going into International Women's Day
Benefits and Pensions Monitor is pleased to announced the publication of our second annual Elite Women list. The 2025 honourees list highlights 43 of this industry’s most accomplished and inspiring female leaders. From pension fund leaders, to benefits consultants, to plan sponsors, it’s a list that showcases individual stories which, taken together, demonstrate just how much of an impact women make in this industry.
Buffy Mills, Indigenous Employee Benefits Consultand and Employee Owner at Acera Benefits, represents so much of that impact. She has always stepped forward, ensuring Indigenous communities have the financial security, benefits, and support they deserve.
“Giving back in such meaningful ways is the greatest measure of success,” she explains. “I am so blessed to be able to uplift others and create lasting impact.”
For Christine Griffin, Head of Payer Services at Express Scripts Canada, the journey to health benefits as somewhat unexpected and a bit serendipitous. What has underpinned it all, however, is a desire to make a difference.
“My career always started with the desire to help and make a difference in the health of Canadians,” she says. “Through chance opportunities, great mentors, and hard work, I’ve impacted millions of people by providing access to affordable and sustainable benefits and care.”
Jennifer Sinopoli has applied a changemaker’s attitude to the hard and fast world of asset management. The Executive VP and Head of Distribution at CI Global Asset Management has distinguished herself in leading the financial titan’s retail and institutional business.
Working directly in the pension space, Jillian Kennedy has helped create change in the way plans are administered. The chief strategy officer at CAAT Pension Plan has a track record of driving organizational change and delivering impactful results.
“One of my proudest achievements has been spearheading initiatives promoting financial wellness for underrepresented groups, including sponsoring a groundbreaking study highlighting the 30 percent retirement savings gap women face,” she says. “This work shed light on systemic challenges and also fostered actionable conversations across the industry.”
Terra Klinck, Partner at Brown Mills Klinck Prezioso LLP, has carved out her own niche in the pension space. A specialist in pension law she has helped build Canada’s only boutique employer-side pension, benefits, and executive compensation law firm.
“I owe a huge debt of gratitude to people who mentored me, and, accordingly, I have an obligation to fulfill a similar role to younger lawyers,” she adds. “I strive to be considered as a strategic advisor to clients and a good mentor to younger lawyers.”
Karen Adams has led change in the healthcare benefits space. The president and CEO of Kii Health (formerly CloudMD), leads the company in its mission of Empowering Healthier Living.
Transforming healthcare requires bold innovation and unwavering commitment. By advancing mental and physical well-being through navigated, evidence-based solutions, we can empower individuals and create meaningful positive change for organizations and communities alike,” she says.
Rebecca Smith has made a major impact in the healthcare space as well. As director of group life and disability services at Medavie Blue Cross, she has spearheaded initiatives that have positioned the organization as a national leader and pioneer in disability management.
Tami Dove, Director of Member Experience at the Co-operative Superannuation Society has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence, innovation, and mentorship over the past two decades. Dove now oversees one of the largest national multi-employer defined contribution pension plans – the CSS Pension Plan.
Tara Anstey, Director of Business Development and Client Value at Medavie Blue Cross has also brought a degree of dynamism, expertise, and leadership to the whole industry. A passionate advocate for women’s health, Tara focuses on developing solutions that address the unique healthcare challenges women face throughout their lives. Her work is deeply personal – informed by her own experiences navigating the health system and accessing care.
It's a list that showcases excellence and continues to drive home the essential contributions women make in every facet of this industry.
