Meet the Voices Behind the Vision
Gary Senft
Gary Senft holds degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Manitoba. He enjoyed a distinguished legal career in the corporate sector, serving as in-house counsel for Investors Group Inc. and later for The Great-West Life Assurance Company (now Canada Life), from which he retired as Vice-President and Associate General Counsel, Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs. During his career, Gary was deeply engaged in national industry affairs, including many years of service as Chair of the CLHIA Legal and Legislative Committee. Beyond his professional work, Gary has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to community service, particularly in the areas of international development, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution. He currently serves as President of the Manitoba Council for International Co-operation and is an advisor to the Conflict and Resilience Research Institute Canada, supporting academic and applied work in peace and conflict studies. Gary is also a co-founder and Co-Chair of Peace Days, a movement inspired and facilitated by Rotarians and community partners that has since evolved into the Rotary Winnipeg Peace Builders Committee. His leadership has extended across the arts, culture, and compassion sectors, including serving as Chair of the Board of the Manitoba Film and Music organization and as a current Trustee of the Charter for Compassion. His interests reflect a rich and balanced life rooted in connection and creativity, including time with family, music, and playing polo. Gary has previously served as Vice-Chair of the Winnipeg Folk Festival and as Chair of the Manitoba Horse Council Inc.. He is also a lead organizer of the Cooks Creek Medieval Festival. As a Strategic Advisor to Kahanee, Gary brings decades of leadership, governance expertise, and a deeply held commitment to compassion-centred peacebuilding. His breadth of experience across law, public policy, arts, and international cooperation strengthens Kahanee’s mission to nurture positive peace through dialogue, storytelling, and community-driven transformation.
