Program Leaders
RUTH R. ARMSTRONG, MBA, is President of Vision Management Services, a management consulting firm committed to creating healthy organizations. Ruth is on the faculty of York University, Schulich School of Business-Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program.
SANDRA CHASE, CGA, with over thirty years experience in many sectors of Health Care is an enterprising and innovative leader. Possessing both strong financial, administrative and interpersonal skills, Sandra has a solid track record in managing and implementing change.
Sandra was a founding member of the Provincial Committee that developed the Ontario Healthcare Reporting Standards (OHRS) Version 1 standards for hospital reporting. She subsequently served as Chair of the Chart of Accounts Committee and worked in close collaboration with the Joint Policy and Planning Committee (JPPC).
Prior to becoming a consultant with Healthtech Inc., Sandra was the Provincial Management Information Systems (MIS) Coordinator at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC). Responsible for championing and introducing the MIS reporting standards and written documentation, (OHRS) into acute care hospitals and other health care sectors including the Community Care Access Centres (CCAC) and Community Mental Health. Sandra provided regular education sessions and presentations throughout Ontario. Sandra’s development of early MOHLTC comparison reports to improve data quality directly led to the creation of value added, timely and meaningful reports which lead to the development of the Healthcare Indicator Tool from health care data. Sandra also worked with the National MIS committee enhancing and augmenting Ontario’s MIS reporting to be of the highest quality in Canada.
STEPHEN D. P. DIXON, B.Sc., M.A.Sc, is a freelance technical consultant. As Principal of TdS Dixon Inc., of Waterloo Ontario, he brings a practical hands-on approach to energy management serving a broad range of clients including industrial, commercial, government and utility organizations. Stephen has accumulated more than twenty years of energy management experience, including 500+ energy audits, the facilitation of over 300 energy management workshops and the design/development of a variety of energy training systems currently used on at least 4 continents. Stephen holds a Masters of Applied Science from the University of Waterloo in Systems Design Engineering, a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Prince Edward Island and a Gold Medal in the Engineering division of the Canada Wide Science Fair.
NORM FERRIER has been involved in healthcare for the past thirty years in both the EMS and hospital systems. He is the principal researcher for the National Assessment of Emergency Planning in Canada's general hospitals, and a coordinating lead author on the National Assessment of Natural Hazards. He is currently employed as a Senior EMS Planner at Toronto EMS (Emergency Medical Services).
PAT FRYER, R.N., C.O.H.N. (S) has formed her own company, Patricia Fryer & Associates which provides consulting, education and program review / audit services in the areas of Healthcare Risk Management, Patient Safety and Quality Occupational Health and Safety and Disability and WSIB Management. At CAMH, Pat was the Director, Occupational Health and Safety / Risk Management & Quality and played the leadership role in integrating the Risk Management, Occupational Health and Safety, Infection Control and Quality functions of four amalgamated teaching facilities. Pat has more than 15 years experience in health care risk management and over 20 years experience in health and safety in the public and private sectors.
LOIS HALES is an independent health care facility consultant. Having served in a variety of nursing and leadership positions over several years she has a comprehensive understanding of health care facility concerns. She is well experienced in the development and implementation of policies and procedures and specializes in the Incident Management System (IMS) approach to emergency management in health care settings.
CLAUDE B. HALPIN is President of The Halpin Group, a consulting practice specializing in organizational redesign, educational programs, strategic planning and management and board team building. During his career, Mr. Halpin was CEO of three major health care facilities ranging from 270 to 2,000 beds. His work with boards is extensive and he has assisted numerous boards across Ontario in general board development, board evaluation, goal setting, and CEO relationships and evaluation processes.
CHRISTINA HOY is currently the Director of the Health Data Branch at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. She has held a number of positions within the Ministry of Health and hospital sector. Christina and her team lead a number of provincial initiatives such as the Ontario Case Costing, Ontario Cost Distribution Methodology, Case Mix, Data Quality, Standards development and Tool Development. Her previous experience in a number of positions at the MOH and hospital sector, has helped bring a well rounded view to the new information management strategy within the health care sector.
DR. DAVID SHERIDAN holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University, a Master of Arts from York University and a Doctor of Education from the University of Toronto. In the past 16 years, David has operated an active consulting practice that has provided on-site training and consultations to public and private sector organizations across Canada, the United States and in Asia. His firm has offered research, planning, facilitation and organizational development services to hospitals, community health agencies, long term care facilities, health associations and municipal health departments.
ERIC SPARKS is President of EKS Associates Inc., a company specializing in financial management consulting. In addition to an active and varied training schedule, Mr. Sparks provides consulting services to health care organizations.
DOUG TRIPP, M. Eng., M. Ed., P.Eng. is an independent training consultant, specializing in environmental and energy management, and Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Energy Training. He has 27 years of experience as a Professor, Chair and Dean in the Ontario College system, and a further ten years in providing marketplace training services, both in Canada and abroad. He holds Masters Degrees in Chemical Engineering and Higher Education, and is a registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario. Doug is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers and The Energy Institute (UK). He has extensive experience in the development of training curriculum on a variety of energy topics, including renewable energy, building systems, industrial and commercial building energy efficiency, water efficiency, and management systems. As an instructor, Doug focuses on the management issues related to energy management, including Energy Monitoring, Targeting and Reporting.
KRISTIN L. TAYLOR is a partner in the Toronto office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. She graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1999 and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2001. Prior to joining the firm, Kristin worked in Uganda, East Africa for an NGO, which she co-founded and coordinated.
Kristin is a member of the Borden Ladner Gervais health law group. Along with representing hospitals and other healthcare providers in medical malpractice litigation, Kristin also provides general legal advice to healthcare clients on a wide variety of issues including physician credentialing, coroner's investigations, college investigations, privacy compliance and police disclosure. Kristin regularly speaks and writes in the area of health law.
KAREN IDDON is a Human Resources Practitioner and teacher with over 19 years of experience in human resources management, labour relations, change management and organizational development. This includes experience in collective agreement negotiations, acting as counsel and nominee in labour arbitrations, strategic compensation programming pay equity, wellness programming, training and development, workplace harassment, investigation, conflict resolution, organizational design and HR management practices.
MELANIE GRUNEIR GTA Northeast and Sault Ste. Marie Consultant with OSACH, obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Earth and Environmental Science from McMaster University. More recently, she graduated from the University of Toronto with a Master of Health Science in Occupational and Environmental Health, with a diploma in Environment and Health. Prior to joining OSACH in 2005, Melanie worked as an occupational hygienist in Toronto. She is now completing her Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation.
FIONA MACPATE, BSc.,MHSc. CRSP. As a consultant with the Ontario Safety Association for Community & Healthcare, Fiona has enjoyed serving the needs of healthcare and community care clients in the Peel and Halton Region since 1999. Fiona brings to her position at OSACH knowledge and expertise in the area of quality management, accreditation processes, laboratory management, emergency management and occupational and environmental health and safety systems.
She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Physiology from the University of Toronto. She has completed a Certificate in Health and Safety at Ryerson and a Masters in Occupational and Environmental Health from the Department of Community Health, University of Toronto. Fiona trained as an Occupational Hygienist at the graduate level and is certified as a Canadian Registered Safety Professional. Fiona has authored and co-authored several Occupational Health and Safety publications including OSACH Health and Safety in Emergency Management: A Guide for the Protection of Community and Health Care Staff.