My academic and administrative experience has primed me for my new role as CEO of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – a world-class leader in setting the standards in specialty medical education and lifelong learning for its 52,000 Fellows and health care practitioners.

We live in a transformative time in health care. Both in Canada and across the world, there is a movement towards realigning medical education with a competency-based approach. For specialists training in Canada, this new system is called Competence by Design — a hybrid between time and competency-based systems. The Royal College is leading this change to ensure future specialists have the 21-century skills needed to meet the evolving needs of patients. In my experience working around the world, I know that Canada is taking a truly unique approach to resident training. That’s something that all Royal College Fellows can be proud of.

My leadership style and approach have been strongly influence by Lean quality improvement principles. I believe in the power of unleashing the knowledge and creativity of staff and aligning our organization around one unifying purpose – our true north.

Outside of work, I like to stay active by running marathons and participating in the occasional triathlon—it keeps me energized and ready for the next challenge.