July 27, 2026 - KBRS proudly congratulates Catherine J. Woodman, APR, ICD.D, Partner and Governance Lead, on her appointment as an Honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), one of only 23 individuals across Canada selected to serve in this distinguished role.
As an Honorary Captain affiliated with Canadian Forces Base Halifax, she will serve as an ambassador for the Royal Canadian Navy, provide leadership advice to senior naval leaders, support sailors through a visible presence at naval events, and strengthen connections between the Navy and the communities it serves.
“Our Honorary Captains help Canadians understand their Navy by telling the story of our sailors and giving us honest advice on how we need to serve Canada better.” Vice Admiral Daniel Charlebois, Commander, Royal Canadian Navy.
The appointment recognizes Catherine's exceptional leadership, community impact, and longstanding commitment to public service.
For Catherine, whose father served as a Royal Canadian Navy Captain, the appointment carries particular significance and reflects a lifelong connection to military service.
"Leadership is ultimately about service," said Catherine. "I’m honoured to support the Royal Canadian Navy in this capacity and contribute to an organization that plays such an important role in Canada's sovereignty, economy, and communities."
At KBRS, Catherine serves as Partner and Governance Lead, advising boards, executives, and organizations on executive recruitment, governance excellence, and leadership strategy. A trusted advisor with deep experience across private, public, and non-profit sectors, she works with organizations to strengthen leadership capacity through executive search, governance advisory services, and leadership development.
Prior to joining KBRS, Catherine served as Deputy Minister of Business for the Province of Nova Scotia, President and CEO of United Way Halifax, Vice President of Human Resources with Maritime Life/Manulife Financial, and Vice President at the IWK Health Centre. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for building strong organizations, advancing good governance, and developing leaders.
Catherine joins a small group of Canadians selected to serve as Honorary Captains, helping strengthen understanding and connections between the Royal Canadian Navy and the communities it serves. Her appointment reflects a career dedicated to public service, governance, and community impact.
About KBRS
Established in 1975, KBRS began as an executive search and human resource consulting firm and has grown to become a national leader vetted by the rigorous standards upheld by the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants. KBRS also founded Meridia Recruitment Solutions, created to address client requirements for expedited recruitment processes for mid-level professional and technical roles. Together, the teams share the same commitment to excellence in recruitment and people strategy, and cover a wide range of talent needs, from executive search and professional recruitment to talent development, HR consulting, leadership coaching, DEI advisory, compensation consulting, succession planning, outplacement, and more.
Media Contact
Daniel Snow, Marketing Manager, KBRS
dsnow@kbrs.ca
