CCHL Leadership Integration Forum
JUNE 2, 2024 – Halifax, NS
Meet Our Speakers
Brenda Lammi
Senior VP, Professional and Leadership Development
Canadian College of Health Leaders
Since 2013, Brenda and the Professional and Leadership Development team have been instrumental at the Canadian College of Health Leaders, expanding programs and partnerships nationwide to integrate LEADS along with leadership development and integration initiatives across all provinces. Under her leadership, the Certified Health Executive (CHE) credential and Fellowship designation programs were refreshed, resulting in record uptake and surpassing registration expectations. Brenda spearheaded the creation of the CCHL Circle, an exclusive networking and leadership platform for members. She and the Professional and Leadership team have fostered numerous academic and employer alliances, building collaborative relationships that promote health leadership and lifelong learning.
Previously, Brenda held a cross-departmental associate faculty role for twelve years at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business and School of Rehabilitation Science in their Master of Health Management program. Prior to her tenure at the Canadian College of Health Leaders, she held various roles at the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, culminating in her position as Director of Policy and Standards. Her responsibilities included federal representation and oversight of the national exam certification process for occupational therapy professionals. Brenda’s healthcare career began as an occupational therapist in an acute care regional health center, followed by pediatric occupational therapy in rural community care.
Karen Adams
CEO, Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia
Karen Adams is a CEO and Board Director with international and multi-industry experience. She became the CEO of WCB Nova Scotia in August 2023.
Karen was recognized in 2017 as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network and was voted by her peers as “CEO of the Year” by Wealth Professional in 2019.
Karen has served as the CEO of numerous companies, including Fundserv Inc, Alberta Pensions Corporation, and HSBC Bank. She is a change leader, repeatedly managing large technology transformation projects and leading people through cultural change.
Although born and raised in Toronto, Karen spent much of her career outside Canada. She has lived and worked in Mumbai, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul, Dubai, London and Amman.
Karen snowshoed 100 km across the Artic Circle on The True Patriot Love Women’s Expedition – Baffin Island 2019, raising over $1 million to support Canadian military members, Veterans, and their families.
Karen has a double major in Mathematics and Economics from Queen’s University in Kingston, an MBA in International Finance from The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and an ICD.D designation from The Rotman School of Management and Institute of Corporate Directors.
Dr. Jaason Geerts, BA, BEd, MTS, MPhil, PhD (Cambridge)
Vice-President, Research and Leadership Development
Canadian College of Health Leaders
Dr. Jaason Geerts is the Vice-President of Research and Leadership Development at the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) and an associate at the Centre for International Human Resource Management (CIHRM) at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.
Jaason completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge on leadership for professionals after a teaching degree and two Master’s from the University of Toronto and Cambridge respectively.
Along with being a TEDx speaker and giving keynote addresses at several prominent conferences, Jaason’s work has been featured in international peer-reviewed journals, including BMJ journals, the Globe and Mail, CBC national news, CTV news, and local radio, as well as globally through the International Hospital Federation (IHF).
The model of leadership in a crisis that Jaason created is the theoretical foundation for a recent successful CIHR research grant valued at $450,000 and he participated as an invited international expert advisor for a World Health Organization (WHO) symposium on health system recovery.
Jaason is also a program director and instructor at the Telfer School of Management (University of Ottawa) and the Schulich School of Business (York University).
Jaason is also a qualified teacher and was nominated for the Toronto Star’s Teacher of the Year.
Stéphane Joannette
Director, Professional Certifications and Strategic Alliances
Canadian College of Health Leaders
Stéphane Joannette is the Director of Professional Certifications and Strategic Alliances at the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL). He oversees the College’s esteemed professional designations, notably the Certified Health Executive (CHE), Canada’s premier health leadership designation for all health professionals, and the Fellowship program. Stéphane also plays a pivotal role in cultivating and managing strategic partnerships critical to the College’s mission.
Since joining the CCHL in 2018, Stéphane has spearheaded transformative initiatives, revamping both the CHE and Fellowship programs, resulting in record registration numbers. He has significantly expanded the College’s network of strategic alliances, fostering impactful collaborations across the health leadership landscape.
With extensive expertise in project management, team leadership, and event coordination, Stéphane excels in building enduring client and stakeholder relationships, which are instrumental in advancing the College’s goals.
Stéphane is a dedicated bilingual professional committed to excellence in project management, backed by robust organizational, managerial, and communication capabilities.
Tracy Wightman
Director, Professional & Leadership Development Programs
Canadian College of Health Leaders
Christine Gilmour
Manager, PLD Operations & Community for Practice
Canadian College of Health Leaders
Karen Sedore
Director, Talent, Total Rewards and Organizational Development
William Osler Health System
With more than 15 years of experience working with senior leadership teams and leveraging her change management expertise, Karen Sedore has a proven track record of leading and supporting enterprise-wide programs and initiatives to deliver results. As an experienced Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP), Karen has successfully implemented business transformation and leadership initiatives focused on maximizing efficiencies while maintaining service levels and ensuring a continued positive employee experience. Karen’s focus on change management and leadership development has ensured that organizational changes have been implemented well with lasting, positive impact. At William Osler Health System Karen leads integral Human Resources functions focused on ensuring a positive experience through the entire employee life cycle with a keen focus on continuous improvement and driving towards meaningful outcomes. Prior to Osler, Karen worked in municipal government at the Region of Peel where she embedded change management as an organization-wide strategic capability while also supporting and leading large scale change initiatives. Karen was a strategic advisor to senior leaders at Peel supporting them to elevate their leadership skills with a focus on championing change to achieve meaningful outcomes.
As a founding member of the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP), Karen served as President of the Toronto Chapter for several years supporting the advancement of the discipline of change management in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Karen remains committed to elevating the dialogue around change as a strategic discipline enabling organizational success.
Faith Bisram
Manager, Organizational Development
William Osler Health System
Leadership development is an area that Faith Bisram has extensive experience in, and she thrives on enabling others in achieving personal excellence. With more than 20 years Human Resources experience in both private and public sectors, Faith has delivered high-quality People and Culture programs and implemented meaningful workplace improvements to enhance the employee experience. In her role at William Osler Health System as a Manager in Organizational Development, Faith has played a key role in establishing Osler’s Leadership Development Program and has led the design and implementation aligned to the CCHL LEADS Capability Framework. While at the Region of Peel, as Manager of Paramedic Services Culture & Engagement, Faith designed and implemented a transformational change strategy meant to support psychological health and safety, as well as organizational resilience. To manage the complexity, Faith employed an approach that balanced continuous improvement and change management with a focus on engagement and collaboration between a multidisciplinary group of staff and external stakeholders.
Debra Kasowski
Best Selling Author, Executive Coach, and CCHL Leadership Faculty
Driven by an innate curiosity, Debra channels her inquisitive nature into a relentless pursuit of expanding ideas into the desired future. Debra’s journey into coaching ignited during her tenure as a healthcare manager, where she encountered the dynamic realms of personal and professional development, entrepreneurship, and business.
A seasoned 2X TEDx Speaker, 3X Best Selling Author, Life, Leadership, and Executive Coach, and captivating The Millionaire Woman Show podcast host, Debra delves deep into discussions on life principles, leadership, and business strategies. Her literary works cater to diverse audiences, offering insights into personal growth, entrepreneurial ventures, and the power of questioning. Titles like “GPS Your Best Life: Charting Your Destination and Getting There in Style” and “Let’s Be Curious: Ask the Right Questions, Get Better Answers, and Create What You Want” exemplify her unwavering commitment to empowering others through knowledge.
With an impressive 28 years of healthcare experience in Canada and the United States, including a remarkable 17 years in leadership roles with Alberta Health Services, Debra is a seasoned professional facilitating positive change. Her dedication to professional development led her to obtain a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University in 2014, marking a pivotal moment in her journey. Continuing to expand her expertise, Debra holds PROCSI Change Management, Appreciative Inquiry Facilitation, and Emotional Intelligence certifications. She is a Canadian College of Health Leaders Leadership Faculty member, a LEADS Certified Coach, and a LEADS Canada Facilitator.
As a thought-provoker, Debra thrives on sparking insightful revelations and fostering creative breakthroughs. Guided by her passion for teaching, she collaborates closely with clients to gain clarity, make informed decisions, and devise actionable implementation plans. Emphasizing accountability, Debra empowers her clients to step boldly into their boundless potential, navigating change with resilience and optimism. Debra holds space for her clients’ vivid visions as they embrace possibilities. Through Debra Kasowski International, she remains steadfast in her mission to serve and uplift those she encounters on their transformative journeys.
Michelle Gilchrist, CHE
CCHL Leadership Faculty
Michelle brings authentic presence to her role as a long tenured and experienced leader, LEADS coach and facilitator, creating environments for others to learn, grow, and lead with courage, competence and creativity. Michelle connects easily with others and her engagement style demonstrates respect for people and their deeply held values, intense curiosity, cultural responsiveness and spontaneity.
Her coach approach to engagement is a pathway for leaders to develop relationships, partnerships and teams that have the courage and capacity to navigate their environment in a manner that reaches beyond traditional ways of thinking and doing, to achieve more.
Michelle dynamic facilitation style has been coined “energy in motion”. A diverse volume of knowledge and situational exposures that reach across the workplace spectrum is paired with uncanny intuition and humor. These attributes anchor Michelle’s ability to connect with people at every position within an organization to move situations and relationships beyond theory and into the workplace in a hands-on, practical way.
Michelle is a strategic partner and organizational development consultant who understands the complexities that leaders face. She has first-hand experience leading large-scale organizational development strategies. Michelle shares her knowledge, agility to shift, and practical experience with others. She engages every-level staff and leaders as collaborators to think, dream, design, reflect and infuse LEADS-based leadership development and talent management plans and continuous improvement processes, into their organizational priority roadmaps.
Michelle is the founder and principle leader of a people development and strategy partner consulting firm. In this arena she brings together the knowledge and lived experiences of a 30+ year career inventory that spans public and private sector, media, entrepreneurial sole proprietorship and non-profit community based organizations. Specialty areas of strength and services for organizations, teams and individual leaders is supported through various credentials, including professional coaching and facilitation credentials through International Coach Federation, Canadian College of Health Leaders, LEADS Canada, Core Strengths International, Government of Saskatchewan (Certified Lean Practitioner and Coach), Conscious Dying Institute (Workplace Grief, End of Life Doula and Grief Support).