Kathryn leads Amplify Capital, formerly MaRS Catalyst Fund, an impact venture fund based in Toronto and focused on investing in Canadian ventures solving social and environmental challenges through technology and business.  The Fund has a focus on generating outsize returns from early stage impact venture investing.  The Fund targets investments in clean energy, healthcare and education markets with quantified impact outcome targets for each sector.  Catalyst Fund investors include Richard Branson’s Virgin Unite Foundation, family offices, a pension fund and high net worth individuals.

Kathryn started her career in investment banking then quickly moved to in venture capital and private equity where she saw the opportunity to make a long term investment and be part of building value and growth.   In Toronto, Kathryn spent time at CIBC Capital Partners, BMO Capital and Lynx Equity, a succession fund. In New York, Kathryn actively invested and managed a portfolio of early stage media technology companies with Constellation Ventures, a Bear Stearns-sponsored venture capital fund. Kathryn also actively invested and managed strategic insurance technology investments for MetLife, the largest life insurer in the United States, and subsequently joined its corporate development team to create new products and services.

Kathryn has held a number of board roles and participated in a number of exits, including strategic acquisitions, follow-on financings and IPOs for portfolio companies she managed directly.  In 2012, Kathryn jumped to a CEO role and managed operations through Toronto-based search fund Crest Capital.   Her passion for social finance was born a decade ago when she joined Social Venture Partners NYC and then subsequently founded Social Venture Partners Toronto. Kathryn was born and raised in Toronto and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from Columbia University in New York.