College

CCHL Board of Directors announces Sue Owen, CHE as new President and CEO

November 4, 2024

The Board of Directors of the Canadian College of Health Leaders is very pleased to announce the appointment of our new President and Chief Executive Officer, Susan Owen, CHE.

Sue has been a proud member of the Canadian College of Health Leaders for over 25 years. During this time, she served as Chair of the GTA Chapter, Co-Chair of the Chapter Advisory Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors where she served as Board Chair from 2016-2018. Sue also served as Interim CEO in 2018 prior to the hiring of Alain Doucet. Sue holds a Master of Health Science in Health Administration from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, and has held the Certified Health Executive designation for 25 years.

For the past 7 years, Sue has led Impreza Consulting, a boutique consultancy focused on strategic planning, governance and organizational effectiveness. Prior to that, she held the role of Principal, Healthcare Transformation Services at Philips Canada and held senior roles at KPMG Canada and Mount Sinai Hospital. Sue’s experience with Boards of Directors includes serving on the Boards of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Healthcare Excellence Canada and Hillfield Strathallan College. Sue is currently a PhD student at York University where her work will focus on the impact of empathy on leadership and health outcomes. On a personal note, Sue is married to John Jamieson and has 2 sons, Stewart and Christopher.

“We are excited to have someone with Sue’s background join the College at this point in its history”, says Brenda Rebman, CHE, Chair, Board of Directors. “With the demographic shift and increasing demand for communication we’re seeing in our membership, and the explosive growth we’re experiencing in LEADS which is emerging as the de facto language for healthcare leadership, Sue will definitely make a difference in our transformation agenda. As a long-serving member, Sue is well-aware of the importance of building on CCHL’s work to-date and continuing to serve the College’s members and communities with excellence. As CEO, Sue will prioritize engaging Canada’s Francophone communities through intentional outreach and targeted initiatives that harness the expertise of the College’s bilingual staff and board members. She is committed to developing a more concrete approach within the future organizational structure. Additionally, Sue recognizes the critical importance of adapting the College’s offerings to meet the diverse needs of our population. Equity, diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality will be central to her mandate, as will efforts to address the principles of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous communities.”

Sue will commence her role with the College on January 6, 2025. Prior to his retirement on January 3, 2025, Alain will assist with Sue’s transition into her new role.

The Board is extremely thankful to its members and partners during this transition period and is confident that all stakeholders of the College will welcome and support Sue in her new role.