The Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation has a new leader at the helm: Dr. Maggie Lorenzetti Dorfman, a clinical neuropsychologist dedicated to bringing her rich experience in neurological and mental health care to the Foundation.
Over the past decade, she has worked in both hospital settings—diagnosing and treating psychological and neuropsychological conditions—and in her private practice, Raspberry Health, where she focuses on the intersection of brain health and mental health.
Her nuanced understanding informs every choice she makes at the Foundation, evaluating philanthropic decisions “as a kind of triage,” she explains, “assessing which initiatives align most closely with real, unmet needs in the mental health landscape.” Maggie draws on her wealth of experience working with the Executive Director, Susan Dabrowski, to guide the Foundation in forging partnerships that make a genuine and lasting impact on the community.
She can equally rely on the Foundation’s vision, reflecting her father’s inspiration for its establishment. For the team at the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation, it’s crucial that an ethos of solidarity and support be infused into every office meeting and every partnership they form.
As for the Foundation’s future, it’s as bright as ever. Lorenzetti Dorfman shares, “Over the past year, we’ve sharpened our mission to place a stronger emphasis on clinical impact—specifically, initiatives that improve access to care.” Among them: supporting the veteran community through the Quebec Veteran’s Foundation and funding everything from frontline staffing positions to approachable, dignified mental health care infrastructure at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, the Montreal Children’s Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, and the CHUM.
And in an edition all about play, it goes without saying that the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation’s annual partnership with the Ritz-Carlton Formula One party is perhaps the most playful way to kick off a Montreal summer. Alongside the Foundation’s flagship gala in September, events like these stamp the Foundation’s legacy of merging fabulous fun with clear purpose. By inviting the city to come together in such vibrant and energetic evenings, they illuminate the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation’s mission and directly fund its crucial initiatives. Talk about a win-win!
The playfulness doesn’t stop there for Lorenzetti-Dorfman: she views play as an invitation for presence—a rare commodity in our technologically mediated world. Play is not just fun, but crucial to our mental health. “When we engage in playful, mind-boosting activities, we strengthen our resilience and capacity to handle stress,” she explains. It’s no surprise that her most fun and restorative moments echo her commitment to family: reading and laughing with her young son and cuddling her two dogs with her husband, Michael, is the most meaningful play of all.
For more on the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation’s growth and the exciting initiatives for 2026 and beyond with Lorenzetti Dorfman at the helm, visit fondationlorenzetti.org.