Beth Vachon - Vice President Quality, Safety & Strategy
Beth Vachon served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of former Cypress Health Region since April 2010. Prior to her CEO appointment, she served in a variety of leadership positions within former Cypress Health Region and the Swift Current Health District, including as a member of the senior leadership team and as the executive director of Community Health Services.
Beth has an extensive nursing background, having been employed in health care for more than 30 years as a registered psychiatric nurse and manager. Beth achieved her diploma in Psychiatric Nursing at the Wascana Institute of Applied Science and Technology, and holds active registration status with the Registered Psychiatric Nursing Association of Saskatchewan.
Beth is an advocate for building effective community partnerships and engaging health providers in the provision of a patient-first health environment.
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Gabe Lafond - Executive Director, First Nations and Métis Health
Gabe Lafond is Métis and was born and raised in Green Lake, Saskatchewan. Gabe was recently appointed as the Executive Director, First Nations and Métis Health within the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). Prior to his appointment, Gabe was Director for the Representative Workforce and First Nations and Métis Health for the former Saskatoon Health Region for eight years.
Gabe’s career spans diverse fields which include leadership positions in Métis Nation Governments, public and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining the SHA, Gabe began his career working for the Métis Nation- Saskatchewan (MN-S) as Director for Métis Employment and Training and elected as their Treasurer from 2007 to 2010. Gabe stepped down in 2010 to run as a Member of Parliament for the Federal Liberal Party. In 2004, Gabe worked for the Department of Canadian Heritage as a Program Officer under the Urban Multi-purpose Aboriginal Youth Program.
Gabe has several years of community involvement participating in various committees to improving the health and well-being of others by volunteering with organizations such as Saskatoon Aboriginal Employment Partnership and Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce Aboriginal Opportunities committee.
Gabe takes great pride in his accomplishments for Indigenous communities and organizations he represents. Currently he resides in Saskatoon with his wife and three children.
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Petrina McGrath - Executive Director, Quality and Safety
Dr. Petrina McGrath is the Executive Director of Quality and Safety for the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Petrina has served as the Vice President of People, Practice and Quality for the former Saskatoon Health Region, providing leadership in the areas of Strategy, Quality, Patient and Staff Safety, Professional Practice, Education and Research, Organizational Learning and Leadership and Human Resources.
Throughout her career, Petrina has been a committed leader, educator and researcher in the areas of Patient Family Centered Care, Quality, Safety and Inter professional Practice, with further experience in several Canadian academic healthcare organizations.
Petrina received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Saskatchewan and her Masters of Nursing at the University of Toronto and her PhD in Human and Organizational Systems from the Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. She is a certified Lean Leader and was the internal coach for the Kaizen Fellow Program.
She is currently a sessional instructor at the University of Saskatchewan, College of Nursing and core faculty in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Chief Quality Officer Program.
Petrina sits on the board of Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation and Saskatchewan Association for Safe Workplaces in Health and is the inaugural chairperson of the Oversight Committee for the Saskatchewan Center for Patient Oriented Research (SCPOR).
Petrina is excited to be supporting individuals and teams across the Saskatchewan Health Authority in their continuous improvement journey to work safe and achieve excellence in care and service for the patients, families and communities we serve.
Gaylene Molnar - Executive Director, Clinical Standards
As the Executive Director of Clinical Standards for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Gaylene Molnar will provide leadership for interprofessional practice, clinical standards development and maintenance, clinical pathway development and appropriateness of care.
Gaylene brings many years of healthcare experience in a variety of settings and comes to this role from the former Saskatoon Health Region where she was the Director of Nursing Practice and Education. She has held various direct care and leadership roles throughout her career including Nurses Aide, Direct Care Nurse, Clinical Nurse Educator, Clinical Instructor, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Program Manager of Geriatric Evaluation and Management Services.
Gaylene holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Nursing from the University of Saskatchewan. As a Registered Nurse, she is licensed with the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association, a member of the Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses, holds a Certification in Gerontological Nursing with the Canadian Nurses Association and is lean leader certified.
Gaylene is passionate about providing safe, client centered care through Interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination. She brings a collaborative leadership style to the teams she leads. Gaylene is excited about the opportunity to engage clients and professionals in the development of care standards that will ensure improved health outcomes for the residents of Saskatchewan through excellence in care and service delivery.
Michelle Schmalenberg - Executive Director, Strategy and Innovation
Michelle Schmalenberg is the Executive Director of Transformation and Innovation and joins the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) from the Ministry of Health. For the past ten years she has held several progressively responsible roles including, Communication Consultant, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister, Assistant Director Kaizen Promotion Office, Director Health Information and Privacy and Director Health Policy and Innovation. For the past 10 months, she has played a key role in leading the health system amalgamation as a Project Manager with the Transition Team.
Michelle is a certified Lean Leader and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina. Her role leading health policy, coupled with her time on the Transition Team, has afforded her a system level perspective of the issues and challenges facing the health system as well as a strong understanding of the context in which successful transformational change must occur.
As part of the SHA’s leadership team, Michelle brings a collaborative leadership style, a strategic focus and an ability to see the big picture. Through collaboration and engagement, Michelle and her team will work cross functionally as strategic integrators to provide leadership and support on a number of transformational initiatives across many portfolios. Michelle is committed to playing her part in achieving a high performing health system for the benefit of the patients and families we collectively serve.
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Felecia Watson - Executive Director, Patient and Client Experience
As the new Executive Director of Patient and Client Experience, Felecia joins the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) as a passionate transformational leader with a strong commitment to continuous quality improvement and Patient and Family Centred Care.
Felecia has more than 20 years of experience working in health care. She led the coordination of four Accreditation Canada surveys for three different organizations. She has worked as an Epidemiologist, Research Officer, Provincial Lead for Early Detection and in a variety of Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Roles. Felecia developed and implemented a plan for Patient and Family Centred Care in the former Sun Country Health Region and led the formation of their first Patient and Family Advisory Council. Felecia is a certified Lean Leader, LEADS facilitator and holds a Masters degree in Community Health and Epidemiology as well as a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Health Care Administration major.
Felecia has been fortunate to have worked with many Patient and Family Advisors as either members of the Patient and Family Advisory Committee or as ad hoc Advisors on a variety of improvement events. She looks forward to enhancing partnerships with patients, clients and providers to improve care and services for the people of Saskatchewan.
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Dr. Brandy Winquist - Executive Director, Academics and Learning
As Executive Director of Academics and Learning, Dr. Brandy Winquist will provide leadership for the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s academic mandate, research and ethics. Brandy completed her doctorate in Community and Population Health Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, and now holds an adjunct faculty position within the College of Medicine. She has extensive experience in leading research in the areas of maternal and child health, health services and population health.
As the Director of Decision Support in the former Cypress Health Region, Brandy has cultivated expertise in applied research, medical ethics, analytics and health information systems. Collaborating with the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council and the Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effects Studies, she has led the Saskatchewan component of four multi-province studies investigating prescription medication use during pregnancy. Much of her career has been dedicated to informing, evaluating and improving health service delivery in Saskatchewan. She currently serves as Chairperson for the Ethics Committee in Swift Current and for the Saskatchewan Epidemiology Association.
Brandy has worked closely with health system partners throughout her career, and is committed to continuing and building new relationships in her role as Executive Director of Academics and Learning.
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Chief Medical Office
Dr. Susan Shaw - Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Susan Shaw balances a rewarding career in Critical Care Medicine and Anesthesiology with clinical and system improvement work at the local, regional and provincial level in Saskatchewan. She has been a successful department head, a physician leader with the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative and co-lead of the former Saskatoon Health Region's Safer Every Day Breakthrough Initiative. Prior to joining the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Susan worked with the Saskatchewan Medical Association as Director of Physician Advocacy and Leadership.
Susan is currently board chair for the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council and is looked to as a leader in patient-centred care, physician leadership, continuous improvement and large scale change.
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Dr. Phillip Fourie - Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Phillip Fourie comes to his new role from Yorkton, where he has been a practicing family physician since 1999. Since 2013 Dr. Fourie worked as Vice President of Medical Affairs & Senior Medical Officer for the former Sunrise Health Region.
Dr. Fourie’s education includes a Medical Degree and Diploma in Anesthesia, as well as leadership training through the Physician Leadership Institute. His commitment to patient and family centred care is demonstrated through his passion for safe and high quality services. He has furthered his education in health system quality improvement at Inter-Mountain Health Care (mini-Advanced Training Program) and is a Certified Lean Leader. He is a champion of change and a coach and faculty member of the Saskatchewan Clinical Quality Improvement Program (CQIP) for physicians.
He has served in several local and provincial physician leadership roles including as President of the Saskatchewan Medical Association (2011). Dr. Fourie is dedicated to collaboratively improving the Saskatchewan Health Care System, to provide high quality patient centred care.
Dr. Julie Kryzanowski - Senior Medical Health Officer
Dr. Julie Kryzanowski has worked as a Medical Health Officer in Saskatoon since 2011. Originally from Humboldt, she began her public health career at the former Saskatchewan Disease Control Laboratory (Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory) while attending the University of Regina. She is a graduate of Queen's University medical school and completed Family Medicine and Public Health and Preventive Medicine residency training at the University of Calgary.
In Saskatoon, Dr. Kryzanowski was the Medical Health Office lead for the Health Promotion, Building Health Equity, and Public Health Observatory departments and for TB Prevention and Control Saskatchewan. As a physician with Lean Leader Certification, she has a strong interest in quality improvement and promoting health equity within public health, across the health system and in partnership with other sectors.
Rob Gentes - Executive Director, Practitioner Staff Affairs
As the Executive Director, Practitioner Staff Affairs within the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Rob Gentes will provide leadership for Practitioner Staff Affairs teams and support to physicians across the province.
Throughout his career Rob has held a number of positions including, Chief Financial Officer in the former Moose Mountain Health District, Manager of Rehab Services in Mental Health, Adult Services Manager in Mental Health and Addictions Services, Administrative Fellow at St Paul’s Hospital and Director of Practitioner Staff Affairs in the former Saskatoon Health Region.
Rob received his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Regina and is a Certified Lean Leader. Rob brings over 20 years of leadership experience to the position and is excited about the opportunity to work collaboratively to support the vision of the SHA and improve the quality of care to the people of Saskatchewan.
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Area Chiefs of Staff
Dr. Randall Friesen - Area Chief of Staff, Northeast
Dr. Randall Friesen is one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Area Chiefs of Staff, Northeast. He is from Saskatchewan and has practiced General Surgery in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan for almost three decades, in the process, becoming increasingly involved in administrative matters as Chief of Surgery and more recently as a Senior Medical Officer.
Randall began his journey in medical administration early in his career, volunteering for committee work with the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA), and serving on Council for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan. He was then appointed Chief of Surgery for the former health region, and was an early member and supporter of the Saskatchewan Surgical Care Network which eventually became the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative. He took numerous Physician Leadership Institute courses with support from the SMA and the former region, eventually earning the Canadian Certified Physician Executive credential. He graduated with distinction from the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan (MD, 1984), completing a Rotating Internship at St. Paul’s Hospital in 1985, and Residency in General Surgery ( Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada) in 1990 (Regina and Saskatoon). He is a member of Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) and sits on their Global Surgery and Rural Surgery Committees. He was recently appointed by CAGS to represent them on a working group to establish an assessment process for Enhanced Surgical Skills.
Randall believes that his experience and perspectives will enhance the ability of the Saskatchewan Health Authority to deliver care that is safe, equitable, timely and sustainable.
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Dr. Melissa Gieni - Area Chief of Staff, Northwest
Dr. Melissa Gieni is one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Chiefs of Staff, Northwest.
From The Battlefords, Saskatchewan, Melissa was pleased to return to her home community in 2012, and establish her practice as a general surgeon and endoscopist. She attended the University of Saskatchewan for her Bachelor of Science, receiving the President’s Medal, and to become a medical doctor. This was followed by a surgical residency at McMaster University. Melissa has served as the President of the Prairie North Regional Medical Association. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, and helps to support the Regional Family Medicine Training Program in North Battleford through faculty development.
Melissa is excited to work towards stronger patient and family centred care, recognizing the differences within our rural and regional communities. She is a leader by example and a strong believer in continuous quality improvement initiatives.
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Dr. Hein de Klerk - Area Chief of Staff, Southwest
Dr. Hein de Klerk, one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Area Chiefs of Staff, Southwest is a family physician from Swift Current. He is responsible for providing leadership to the practitioner staff, ensuring appropriate practitioner staff review and appointments, supporting and leading quality initiatives, coordinating clinical organization within the southwest area, as well as collaborating with the other area chiefs of staff to conform clinical pathways and processes across Saskatchewan.
Hein has practiced Comprehensive Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine in Swift Current, Saskatchewan for the last 18 years. He served as Director of Family Medicine for former Cypress Health Region Vice President of the Cypress Regional Medical Association, as a member of the Saskatchewan Medical Association Committee on Rural and Regional Practice, and on Quality Care Committees of former Cypress Health Region . He obtained his medical degree at the University of the Free State in South Africa.
Hein is active in his community and shares responsibilities as a team physician, caring for the medical needs of the WHL Swift Current Broncos. He strives to build on the professional relationships he has with his colleagues in the Southwest and forge new strong relationships with healthcare professionals and communities to create a robust, competent, and caring human resource team that always focuses on the care of our patients.
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Dr. Ajibola Ogunbiyi - Area Chief of Staff, Southeast
Dr. Ajibola Ogunbiyi, one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Area Chiefs of Staff, Southeast, comes from former Sunrise Health Region in east central Saskatchewan, where he practices as a consultant psychiatrist. He has served as the President of the Regional Medical Association and Co-Chair of the Regional Health Authority Practitioner Liaison Council.
Ajibola completed his residency training in psychiatry in Ireland. He obtained his certification in Clinical Psychiatry from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and he holds a Master’s Degree in Child Health from the University of Dublin, Ireland. He maintains active memberships in several professional organizations, including the Saskatchewan Medical Association, the Saskatchewan Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Psychiatric Association.
As an advocate of patient-centred care, Ajibola is committed to physician engagement and health system quality improvement. He looks forward to fostering collaborative relationships and integrated healthcare services for Saskatchewan's unique and diverse citizens.
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Dr. Mofolashadé Onaolapo - Area Chief of Staff, Southeast
Dr. Mofolashadé (Shadé) Onaolapo is an anaesthetist from the former Sunrise Health Region in east central Saskatchewan. She brings into her current role experience and knowledge of healthcare systems across three different continents.
Mofolashadé began her medical career in Nigeria and obtained post-graduate medical training in General Internal Medicine and Anesthesia from the United Kingdom. Prior to her current employment in Canada, she worked as Visiting Clinical Instructor in Anesthesia at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, United States and as a locum consultant anesthetist at the University Hospital of South Manchester, Wythenshawe, UK. Upon joining the department of anesthesia at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, she helped improve the process of pre-anesthetic assessments and laboratory testing. Mofolashadé is a member of the provincial working groups on colo-rectal surgical and caesarean section standing orders sets, an interim lead for the department of anesthesia for the southeast area and the outgoing president of Sunrise Regional Medical Association. She is a trustee of non-profit organization, HEED Africa, that helps with improvement in education and health in Western Africa.
Mofolashadé is passionate about wastage reduction in healthcare, delivery of high quality healthcare to patients as well as improving patients’ overall experience of their healthcare delivery.
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Dr. Ivo Radevski - Area Chief of Staff, Southwest
Dr. Ivo Radevski brings considerable administrative and physician leadership experience to his position of one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Area Chief of Staff, Southwest. He has been the Senior Medical Officer, former Cypress Health Region since 2004 and also served as Vice President, Acute Care in the region since 2015. Ivo practiced as family physician in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan from 2001 to 2005 and Maple Creek, Saskatchewan from 2009 to 2012. Since 2005 he has been working part time as family and emergency physician in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.
Ivo is a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and holds the Certified Physician Executive designation from the Canadian Society of Physician Leaders. He has also gained in-depth knowledge of quality improvement methodology and holds Lean Leader Certification.
Ivo is a strong believer in patient and family centred care and is an advocate for physician wellbeing. Through his knowledge of rural practice and long physician leadership experience Ivo intends to support the provision of quality accessible services to Southwest Saskatchewan.
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Dr. Juliet Soper - Area Chief of Staff, Regina
Dr. Juliet Soper comes to the role as Area Chief of Staff, Regina for Saskatchewan Health Authority from her position as Department Head of Pediatrics, former Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, where she shared responsibility with many exceptional colleagues for delivery of services for children. She is an enthusiastic medical educator, clinician, and physician leader.
Juliet recognizes that her role is to serve all people of Saskatchewan, and to be inclusive of our diverse population, in particular with and for First Nation and Métis people. Juliet is committed to patient and family centred care of the highest quality that is accessible to all in our province.
Juliet received her medical degree from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She completed her postgraduate training in Pediatrics at Starship Children’s Hospital and is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Juliet is a member of the Child and Youth Maltreatment Executive Committee of the Canadian Pediatric Society. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Informatics from the University of Otago, and is a Certified Canadian Physician Executive.
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Dr. Peter John Vertue - Area Chief of Staff, Southwest
Dr. Peter John (PJ) Vertue, one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Area Chief of Staff, Southwest, is an emergency physician from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan with special interests in Medical IT, ultrasonography and strong physician leadership. He is happily married and a father of two beautiful girls.
PJ received his medical degree from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and holds Canadian College of Family Physicians and Canadian College of Family Physicians – Emergency Medicine certification. He was the Head of Emergency Services in Moose Jaw from 2011-2013 and serves as Treasurer for the Moose Jaw Regional Medical Association. He helped plan and design the Emergency room of the new Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital and is currently working to get the emergency department paperless, with active work in Sunrise Clinical Manager. He is a member of the Canadian Family Physicians of Canada, Canadian Emergency Ultrasound Society and the Canadian Academy of Emergency Physicians. PJ has completed multiple ultrasound courses as well as a micro-fellowship in chest ultrasound at the University of Toronto.
The opportunity to serve in the role of Area Chief of Staff, Southwest in the new Saskatchewan Health Authority has rekindled his desire to make Saskatchewan a better place to receive healthcare and practice medicine.
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Dr. Jordan Wingate - Area Chief of Staff, Northeast
Dr. Jordan Wingate, one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Area Chiefs of Staff, Northeast, is a rural family physician originally from Regina, Saskatchewan. After receiving his medical degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1996, he completed his residency in Family Medicine through the University of Saskatchewan’s rural residency training program. Jordan has worked in Melfort, Saskatchewan, since 1998 where he practices medicine, emergency, obstetrics and hospital care.
Jordan served as the Senior Medical and Vice President of Medical Services, former Kelsey Trail Health Region, since 2012. Prior to that, he held a variety of leadership roles in the region such as President of the Melfort Medical Advisory Committee and Regional Medical Advisor. He is also a clinical professor for the University of Saskatchewan and site coordinator for the Department of Family Medicine.
Jordan promotes sustainability of medical care in rural Saskatchewan. He advocates on behalf of rural physicians providing comprehensive care in a rural setting. He believes in and supports that sustaining rural medicine requires a healthy relationship with the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine and the Department of Family Medicine Residency Training Program.
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Dr. Lyle Williams - Area Chief of Staff, Northwest
Dr. Lyle Williams is one of Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Chiefs of Staff, Northwest.
Lyle comes to his role from Unity, Saskatchewan where he has been a practicing family physician for the last ten years. He also has served as the Senior Medical Officer since 2014 and prior to that as the Deputy Senior Medical Officer, former Heartland Health Region. Lyle has worked towards improving the rural standards of care and implementation of patient and family centred care in the rural setting. Lyle has also served on the Saskatchewan Medical Association Representative Assembly for the former Heartland Health Region and is a certified Lean Leader.
Lyle is passionate about primary and emergency care in the rural setting and is excited to work towards addressing the challenges in the northwest area through continuous improvement initiatives and a focus on improving the patient experience.
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