Looking Back with Gratitude, Looking Forward with Inspiration
As we bid farewell to 2025, I am filled with gratitude and pride for what we have accomplished together. This year marked my first as President and CEO of the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL), and it has been nothing short of inspiring.
The Spirit of Connection
The spirit of connection is strong within CCHL. Membership renewals for the past year are at a 5-year high of 84.5% – and to those of you who took advantage of our ‘come back to the College’ campaign – we’re glad you’re back and we hope you stay. Our Chapters hosted 84 sessions – with a staggering 3500 participants! I had the good fortune to attend a number of events; thank you to all of our Chapters for making me feel so welcome. It is clear that networking and community remain at the heart of what members value most about the College, and we saw that passion in action all year long.
Putting Members at the Centre of our Mission
Central to 2025 was a bold strategic planning process guided by your voices. In the spring and summer, I traveled coast to coast to coast, meeting many of you at chapter events, Annual General Meetings, and workshops. Through 36 focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and a member survey with 339 responses, we listened carefully to your ideas and concerns. The message came through loud and clear: while CCHL is a “valuable professional community”, you want us to go even further – more advocacy, greater inclusivity (younger leaders and all regions), and cutting-edge leadership development. We heard you. Our Board of Directors – as stewards of the College’s Mission – will be looking to incorporate your feedback in the new Plan which will be launched in 2026.
Member feedback will continue to drive our programming. You also shared that while our LEADS-based programming and Certified Health Executive (CHE) credential are valuable, we need to amplify the ongoing learning and networking the College provides.
We agree.
Based on your feedback we are looking to shift towards offering a broader mix of programming, professional development and networking opportunities. Look for micro credentialling, microlearning and micro programming opportunities in the coming year. In the meantime, we are delighted to launch the new hybrid CHE Program in 2026. In March, a cohort of CHE students will be starting an accelerated program that will result in obtaining the CHE in 10 months’ time – while attending in-person events at our CCHL National Conference in Montreal in June and Canada West Health Leaders Conference in Calgary in October.
The Gift of Feedback
Crucially, you highlighted gaps and opportunities that we have started to address head-on. Members consistently called for more networking and mentorship, especially to engage early-career professionals and those in the C-Suite. In response, we have expanded our programming – for those at the start of your career journey, look for more hands-on opportunities for mentorship as part of our conference programming. For our executive members, our conference programming includes a C-Suite stream, a reprisal of our CXO breakfast in Montreal as well as the hosting of another CXO Forum.
If there is one thing 2025 taught us, it’s that we must continually innovate how we deliver value especially to our corporate members. Dollars are tight and return on investment needs to be high. Our corporate members are looking for more from their College membership, and we will rise to the challenge.
In 2026 we will be taking significant steps to make corporate engagement with CCHL a high impact experience – look for us to host innovative member engagement events, continuance of our highly successful HPRS program and working with you to ensure that your membership in the College is valuable and impactful.
Alongside thanking our members, partners and Chapters for their support, I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to recognize and thank our dedicated College staff. We said goodbye to 4 staff who retired this year – we hope that this next Chapter brings you much joy and that we keep in touch. To our new staff – Steve, Jesse, Jeremy, Veronique and Dan – thank you for choosing CCHL as the place to showcase your talents.
Gratitude and Looking Ahead to 2026
In this season of reflection, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you – our members, volunteers, partners, and Board of Directors. Thank you for your trust, your engagement, and your honest feedback. Your insights were truly the driving force behind our progress this year. Together, we have laid a strong foundation for CCHL’s future.
As we turn toward 2026, I am filled with optimism. The year ahead will see the launch of our new Strategic Plan, shaped by your feedback. We will continue to innovate with new learning formats, advocate for health leaders on the national stage, and foster an inclusive community that truly reflects all of Canada. In short, we will strive to be your professional home of choice, no matter where you are in your leadership journey.
On behalf of the entire College, I wish you and your families a healthy, joyful New Year. May 2026 bring new opportunities, continued growth, and impactful change in Canadian healthcare. I look forward to achieving great things together in the year ahead.
Sincerely,
Sue Owen, CHE
President & CEO,
Canadian College of Health Leaders
