Press Release: Sharifa Khan named Board Chair of CCCGT

Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto
大多倫多文化中心

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE

Sharifa Khan named Board Chair of CCCGT
Marketing Legend takes helm of North America’s largest Chinese cultural centre

TORONTO, ON, September 14, 2026 — The Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto (CCCGT) is naming Sharifa Khan to serve as its new Board Chair. The appointment recognizes Khan’s leadership and business acumen, as well as her contributions and many years of dedicated service to the CCCGT and multicultural communities across Canada.

“Sharifa Khan brings nearly 40 years of leadership and multicultural marketing expertise into our board room,” says Angela Chan, president, CCCGT. “We’re excited and fortunate to have an entrepreneur and community ambassador of her stature at the helm as the Centre continues to deepen its mission in arts, culture and community service, while strengthening its ties with the GTA’s diverse communities, government and business partners.”

Khan was unanimously recommended by the CCCGT’s Board of Directors and officially elected by the Centre’s directors to serve as its new Board Chair. She has been involved with the Centre since 1989 and has previously served as a director on the board.

“It’s an honour for me to be elected as the Chairman of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto,” said Khan. “Building on the legacy our founder, Dr. Ming-Tat Cheung, and the Board of Directors have created, my goal is to provide the vision and mission governance to better enable the Centre to champion Chinese Canadian identity and cultural heritage.”

Khan has dedicated her career to “building bridges of understanding” between businesses, governments, media, and Canada’s thriving immigrant communities. As founder & CEO of Balmoral Multicultural Marketing, launched in 1989, she created Canada’s first agency dedicated to helping businesses connect and engage with diverse communities, and today leads an award-winning team that has taken minority marketing mainstream. She is a member of Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends and host of “The Multicultural Marketing Podcast,” the first show of its kind in Canada.

A trailblazer in business and civic life, Khan served as the first female president of the Toronto Chinese Business Association and as the first minority-group female vice-president of the Canadian Club. She chaired the 2006 International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) Organizing Committee, bringing the historic IDBF Club Crew World Championships to Toronto, and played a pivotal role in the construction of the Western Beaches Watercourse which transformed the city’s waterfront.

Her philanthropic leadership spans advisory roles with the CCCGT, Mount Sinai Hospital, OCAD University, and the Canadian Cancer Society. A three-time recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, Sharifa has been named to Campaign’s 2026 Golden Power List of Canada’s most influential marketers.

Khan’s first public appearance as Board Chair will be at the CCCGT’s 26th annual Imperial Ball, a fundraising gala taking place Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Khan steps into the role at an important time for the CCCGT as it begins fundraising for the construction of the Lanting Garden, a traditional Chinese garden that will serve as a versatile outdoor public space for cultural programming. A major portion of proceeds from the gala will benefit the landmark Lanting Garden project. Additional funds raised will support the CCCGT’s year-round cultural and educational programs, which serve thousands of people across the Greater Toronto Area with opportunities to learn, connect, and grow.

About the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto (CCCGT)
The Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto is a non-profit organization and a vibrant multicultural, community-hub that has served the diverse community in Scarborough and across the GTA for over 35 years. The Centre champions Chinese Canadian identity and cultural heritage across the Greater Toronto Area. It benefits our community by providing a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive space for people to participate in cultural and community events, educational programming, artistic performances, exhibitions, and language classes. It brings joy and a sense of belonging to many people and newcomers, so they can proudly call Canada home.

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For further information please contact:

Robert MacLean
Balmoral Multicultural Marketing
robert.maclean@me.com
(416) 817-4259

Clarice Chin
Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto
Clarice.chin@cccgt.org
(416) 292-9293 Ext. 231
Website: cccgt.org

5183 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M1B 5Z5 / P. 416.292.9293