Who We Are

Our Story

The Beekay Foundation is a private family foundation created by Kristin Blakely and David Kozman along with their three children. Together, they built the foundation based upon the values of Advocacy, Impact and Inspiration.

The central aim is to bring about positive social change and progress, with a focus on sustainability and equity of opportunity for all.

What We Believe

  • We believe equity is key to achieving a more just and harmonious society.
  • We believe in partnership, allyship*, and trust-based philanthropy.
  • We believe in being engaged global citizens and the transformational power of advocacy and awareness.
  • We believe nature conservation is imperative to the wellbeing of our society and the protection of our planet’s diverse life forms and complex ecosystems.
  • We believe in the importance of arts, culture and technology to share experiences and tell stories that inform and inspire.
  • We believe in supporting organizations that demonstrate meaningful and enduring impact.
  • We believe ongoing learning, understanding, empathy and action are fundamental to creating change.

Trust-Based Philanthropy

What is Trust-Based Philanthropy?

An approach to giving that addresses the inherent power imbalances between funders, nonprofits and the communities they serve.

Why this approach to philanthropy?

At its core, trust-based philanthropy is about redistributing power – systemically, organizationally and interpersonally – in service of a healthier and more equitable nonprofit ecosystem. On a practical level, this includes flexibility in funding, streamlined applications and reporting, and a commitment to building relationships based on transparency, dialogue, and mutual learning.

Source

* Allyship is an active, consistent, and arduous practice of unlearning and re-evaluating, in which a person in a position of privilege and power seeks to operate in solidarity with a marginalized group

Source and for more on Allyship

Our Leadership

Kristin Blakely PhD

Co-founder and President

Kristin Blakely is a public sociologist with over 20 years of experience in academia, advocacy, governance and philanthropy as well as a children’s author. Blakely holds a PhD in Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies from Loyola University Chicago and has completed advanced training in leadership, governance, and DEI strategy at Cornell University, Northwestern University, and the University of Toronto.

David Kozman JD MBA

Co-founder and Vice-President

David Kozman is President of Armitage Capital Corp. and Fullerton Properties. Prior to founding these companies, David practiced law at a firm in Toronto and worked as an investment advisor at Merrill Lynch and CIBC. He holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul University, an MBA from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto.

Mathew L. Bonneville 

Secretary-Treasurer

Mathew is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Armitage Capital Corp. and Fullerton Properties. Mathew is a Charted Professional Accountant, holds an MBA from Drexel University and a Bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University.

Jessica Logozzo 

Foundation Administrator

Jessica is the Office Manager for Armitage Capital Corporation and is responsible for the administrative activities of the Beekay Foundation.

Land Acknowledgement

The Beekay Foundation operates on the traditional territory of many Indigenous Nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.  Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 or the “Dish With One Spoon” treaty with the Mississaugas of the Credit.  We are grateful for the opportunity to work on this land in community with each other as we endeavour to build a more equitable, sustainable and just society for all.