2025 40 Under 40 Winners

Kirby played a key role in developing the branding, messaging, and promotional efforts that helped the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation secure a $10 million legacy grant from the Government of Alberta which is one of the largest single contributions in the foundation’s history. He helped launch the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation in 2021 and was a lead author and strategist behind three major provincial research reports. These publications influenced provincial conversations around women’s health disparities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As a core communications lead, Kirby’s work has directly supported campaigns and events that raised an average of $10.5 million per year over the past three years, contributing to more than $105 million raised by the foundation since inception. 

Kirby served as project manager for a comprehensive historical book commemorating the Royal Alexandra Hospital’s 125-year legacy, coordinating interviews, design, archival research, budgeting, and publication to ensure the project’s timely launch in 2024. 

My first foray into the non-profit world was in New York many years ago when I had an internship with the Partnership to End Addiction (formerly “Partnership For a Drug-Free America,” the one with the famous fried egg PSA). It was there I first felt the sense of collective drive towards a true ‘cause’ versus a business goal or objective. When I moved home to Edmonton from New York City during the pandemic, I was fortunate enough to find a job posting at the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation that seemed tailormade just for me, and I haven’t looked back since.

As I’ve grown up a little bit over the years, I have realized that, for me, purpose is not just a nice-to-have but something I NEED in my life. We spend so much of our lives at our jobs that it doesn’t seem to make sense to me to work toward something you don’t truly believe in. Healthcare philanthropy is an amazing industry because health is so universal, the advancements being made in healthcare each year are so impressive and interesting, and to be able to help people in your community—and beyond—is so rewarding.

Early on during my time with the Royal Alex Foundation, I had the opportunity to interview a donor and past patient about his health journey. He had experienced a major cardiac event and donated a significant amount of money that he explained, "could have been funeral expenses." That really hit home for me that the work we do supporting our various healthcare facilities is not just important, it's life-changing.

Tricky question, but for me it probably boils down to helping people near and far find a reason to smile and feel a bit of relief from the pressures of life—whether that’s by helping work toward a much-needed breakthrough in healthcare, helping a friend or colleague see the bigger picture, sharing a simple ‘thank you,’ or (perhaps most likely) cracking a corny ‘Dad’ joke to try brighten someone’s day. As for why, I’m reminded of a quote from the show After Life, “Happiness is amazing. It’s so amazing it doesn’t matter if it’s yours or not.”

Be yourself, lean into your interests and abilities, and seek out the sort of projects, people, and companies that motivate you and give you energy, as opposed to those you might find draining. And always ask questions! It’s important to never stop learning, in both your life and your career.