Gillian Stovel Rivers

Gillian helps families give with intention. Over more than two decades of advising Canadian families, her work has come to centre on the question most financial plans leave unanswered: what is the wealth actually for? Her philosophy is “Know thy wealth, know thyself™,” and she defines wealth as four things you invest: Time, Energy, Money, and Attention. Through thoughtful conversations and giving strategies that multiply their impact, she helps families align their generosity with their values. The results are as meaningful for the family’s relationships as they are for the causes they care about. Today she serves as advisor to over a dozen family foundations.

 

Generosity is central to who she is. She is Co-Chair of the McMaster Women’s Network, a university-wide community that advances women’s leadership, mentorship and philanthropy. She is also a longtime supporter of charities in innovation, arts and culture, sport, healthcare and education. A sought-after speaker, she is a regular guest on Bloomberg BNN and has spoken at the national conference of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. Now in its fourth season, The Flourish Feed Podcast is both a passion project and a meaningful way for her to connect with clients and communities. Driven by boundless curiosity and the sheer joy of learning, she brings together leading researchers, domain experts, coaches and practitioners for thought-provoking conversations about what it means - and what it takes - to truly flourish.

 

Known for her focus, grit, and making the most of the 1,440 minutes in each day, she is also a CrossFit coach, a neuroscience performance coach, and a competitive masters athlete who represents Canada internationally in Olympic weightlifting.

 

Gillian’s proudest role is being Mom to Sam and Ben. Her time is best spent engaging with Sam’s endless curiosity and cheering Ben on from the football sidelines. For all her talk of Time, Energy, Money, and Attention, she knows exactly where hers belongs. It belongs with her partner, Paul, her sons, Sam and Ben, and their dogs, Lucy and Bono, walking the neighbourhood or relaxing in the backyard of the Burlington community she proudly calls home.