Executive Council

Murray T. Martin
President and CEO

Murray T. Martin is the President and CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences.  Since joining Hamilton Health Sciences in 2001, Murray has helped build the hospital's reputation as an established and well-respected family of hospitals.

Prior to joining HHS, Murray served for close to 10 years as the President and CEO of Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre.  He has also held a number of senior management positions including Executive Vice-President & COO for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto; Administrator, Pasqua Hospital, Regina, Saskatchewan and Assistant Administrator, Swift Current Union Hospital, Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

He currently chairs the Ontario Joint Policy & Planning Committee Hospital Funding Formula Committee and the Ontario Hospital Association Reference Group on Access to Service and Wait Time Strategy. Murray is a graduate of the health administration program at the University of Toronto and holds a bachelor of administration degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

Brenda Flaherty
Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer

As Executive Vice President of Clinical Operations, Brenda Flaherty is accountable for clinical programs and services at Hamilton Health Sciences.

Brenda began her career at HHS as a registered nurse (RN) in the Emergency Department, and has held several clinical and leadership roles within the organization. Her experience as an RN has provided Brenda with insight into the various complexities and challenges that front line staff experience within the clinical environment, a valuable asset in her current leadership role. Previously, Brenda provided clinical leadership in emergency and perioperative services, as well as Vice President of Patient Services and Site Administrator for the Hamilton General Hospital. She has been instrumental in creating and overseeing Hamilton Health Sciences’ Management Services Agreements with five community hospitals.

Brenda is devoted to serving her community. She actively volunteers in a number of capacities, and has been Chair of the Board of YMCA Hamilton, Burlington & Brantford, is a member of the YMCA Canada Board and serves on the YMCA Canada World Relationships Committee. She has also been Chair of the Board of the North Hamilton Community Health Centre and a board member for Mark Preece Family House. Brenda has been a member of several provincial expert panels for clinical services, and is the co-chair of the Alternate Level of Care Committee of the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). She was also a member of the Canadian Stroke Strategy Steering Committee. Brenda provided leadership for the development of the "Live Well" partnership between the YMCA, Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University, which collaboratively links acute care hospital health services with community health and wellness programs.

Brenda is an assistant professor of nursing and has been a part-time instructor in the MBA program at McMaster University. She is a registered nurse, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from McMaster University, and received her Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University.

Dr. Richard McLean
Executive Vice President, Inter-Professional Practice & Chief Medical Executive

Dr. Richard McLean was appointed Vice President of Medical Affairs and Quality for Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) in 2009. He is responsible for matters related to medical staff credentialing, Medical Professional Affairs, and the recruitment of Medical Department chiefs, along with the Quality, Risk Management and Pharmacy portfolios.

Richard acts as a strong advocate for patient safety and quality improvement at HHS. He has championed the implementation of a professional development tool for physician chiefs, and was responsible for the adult inpatient medical coverage model at McMaster University Medical Centre. The Quality Patient Safety and Risk Program has led to the implementation of the organization’s Quality Framework, along with numerous other flow and quality improvement initiatives across the organization. The program is recognized provincially and nationally as a leader in quality improvement.

Richard is an associate professor in the Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences. His post graduate training was in Anesthesia with certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, followed by a Critical Care Fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center. He is also a graduate of the Rotman Advanced Health Care Leadership Program at the University of Toronto, and is completing the Physician Management Institute’s training program for physician leaders.

Richard has held a number of clinical leadership appointments at both Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Hamilton Health Sciences. While at the University of Toronto, he was an internationally recognized researcher in neurological outcomes after cardiac surgery and was also recognized nationally for his work on end-of-life decision making in the intensive care unit.

Provincially, Richard sits on the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO) Practice and Education Committee, the CAHO Physician Quality Improvement Steering Group, and locally on the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) Chief Medical Leaders Committee.

Louise Taylor Green
Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Strategy 

Louise has worked on both sides of business, in both profit and cost centres, holding executive leadership roles in aviation and hospitality, retail banking and wealth management and now, the healthcare sector. This hybrid experience of both running the core business and providing support services underpins Louise’s enthusiasm for the essential value-contribution that strategic human resources & organizational development practice can have on enriching the lives of employees and increasing enterprise value.

Louise is a regulated HR professional holding both the Certified Human Resources Practitioner designation (CHRP) and Senior Human Resources Professional (SHRP) designations.  She began her HR journey in the UK where she earned her NVQ certification in Training & Development from the City & Guilds Institute of Leadership and Management.  She obtained her Diploma in Human Resource Management at McMaster University and has an Executive MBA from Athabasca University. Louise is a certified practitioner in Critical Incident Stress Management and is also certified by Drs. Kaplan and Norton at Harvard in Strategy, holding the Palladium Balanced Scorecard (BSC) methodology certification.  Louise is an elected director of the Human Resources Professionals Association, the regulator of the HR profession in Ontario.

Dr. Peter Fitzgerald
President, McMaster Children's Hospital

Dr. Peter Fitzgerald took on the leadership role as President of McMaster Children's Hospital (MCH) in January 2009. He is also Executive Lead of the Women’s Health and Newborn Care Program at McMaster University Medical Centre (MUMC) and Executive Lead of the MUMC site.

In addition to his leadership roles, Peter is a distinguished surgeon with a national and international reputation for innovative work and leadership in minimal access (keyhole) surgery and reconstructive chest wall surgery. He has been integral in establishing the minimal access pediatric surgery program at MCH, where he has been a surgeon for 20 years and continues his important clinical work. He is current president of the Canadian Association of Pediatric Surgeons.

Peter is a professor of surgery at McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and has made significant contributions to undergraduate surgical education, particularly in the development of evaluation standards. Peter is committed to recruiting to Hamilton the best and brightest international talent in pediatric care.

Peter's dual leadership roles in administration and front line medical care, along with medical teaching, provide him with unique insight into the complexity of running a children’s hospital that is committed to high quality care, education and research. Peter knows the pediatric health care system inside out and understands the need to focus on best care for every child and family, every day.

Provincially, Peter plays a leadership role on the Board of the Provincial Council for Maternal Child Health and on the Specialized Pediatrics Subcommittee. He provides counsel and guidance to LHIN 4 for planning and coordination of pediatric services across the system.

After graduating from the University of Ottawa with an Honours Baccalaureate of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Experimental-Theoretical Psychology (Neurosciences), Peter attended McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. He completed his postgraduate training in General Surgery in Hamilton and in 1990 moved to Halifax to continue subspecialty training in Pediatric General Surgery. Since returning to Hamilton in 1992, Peter has held positions as the Head of Pediatric General Surgery, Chief of Pediatric Surgery and the role of Medical Director for McMaster Children’s Hospital. 

Dr. Bill Evans
President, Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre & Regional Vice President, Cancer Care Ontario

Dr. Bill Evans brings significant experience and wide-ranging knowledge in all aspects of cancer control. Most recently, Bill was the Chief Medical Officer and Provincial Vice President of Cancer Care Ontario where he has held appointments since 2000. Prior to CCO, Bill was the Chief Executive Officer of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre from 1988 to 2000.

Bill earned his medical degree and subspecialty training from University of Toronto, specializing in internal medicine and medical oncology. His current fields of interest include lung cancer, health care economics and clinical trials in cancer therapy.

Rebecca Repa
President, St. Peter's Hospital &  Regional Rehabilitation, Integrated Vice President, Diagnostic Imaging and Hamilton regional Laboratory Medicine

Rebecca Repa joined Hamilton Health Sciences in 2010 as President of St. Peter’s Hospital in Hamilton, which provides inpatient, outpatient, and community-based programs and services that focus on four pillars of excellence: Dementia, Aging, Palliative Care and Rehabilitation.

Ms. Repa began her career at St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener in 1994 as the Director of Quality and Risk Management. She subsequently joined McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences as the Manager of the Department of Surgery. Prior to her various leadership roles in hospitals, Ms. Repa worked in the private healthcare sector.

Ms. Repa joined St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton in 1994, leading change initiatives with medical staff and the diagnostic departments. She was responsible for over $1 billion dollars of capital redevelopment. Ms. Repa continues to lead initiatives in Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging for both St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Hamilton Health Sciences as an Integrated Vice President.

Ms. Repa is a graduate of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University where she received her MBA. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, also from McMaster University. Ms. Repa serves her alma mater as a current member of the Business Advisory Council of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business, where she also serves as an industry professor and executive-in-residence.

Teresa Smith,
President, Hamilton General Hospital

As President of Hamilton General Hospital (HGH), Teresa Smith provides oversight and leadership for the delivery of clinical and academic services and promotes innovation and excellence in the delivery of quality patient and family centered care. Teresa oversees the cardiac, vascular, neurosciences, acute medicine, emergency and critical care programs as well as perioperative services and the infection prevention & control program.

Teresa is an accomplished, respected and visionary leader who is responsible for a $160 million budget and a portfolio of more than 3,000 staff. She has held management roles health care for more than 20 years and has extensive experience leading people, building teams and developing and improving health care.

In her role as President of HGH, Teresa is instrumental in providing strategic direction and implementation of many corporate-wide initiatives that centre on patient safety, appropriate care delivery, efficiency and quality of care.

Teresa has played an integral role in the creation of an integrated and coordinated regional Vascular Service model as part of the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN Clinical Service Plan. She has also helped in establishing a strategic partnership with Niagara Health System to oversee the implementation of a cardiac catheterization lab by 2013. She continued to work to develop a provincially recognized Neurosciences Program and assists in sustaining the highest provincial volumes for cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary interventions.

Teresa holds an MBA in Finance from McMaster University, a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Western Ontario and a Respiratory Therapy diploma and certification from Fanshawe College.

Dr. Barry Lumb
Physician in Chief

Dr. Barry Lumb has been a Hamilton Health Sciences staff member since 1985 and is a very highly regarded clinician and educator. He has been involved in a variety of leadership positions at Hamilton Health Sciences and was recently promoted to Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University.

Dr. Wes Stephen
Surgeon in Chief

Dr. Wes Stephen joined Hamilton Health Sciences in 2002 after relocating from New Brunswick. In addition to being a highly regarded colorectal surgeon and educator, he is also a Royal College Board of General Surgery Examiner and is Regional Head of Surgical Oncology for the Local Health Integration Network.

Wes is currently at the rank of Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at McMaster University.

Kirsten Krull
Vice President, Inter-Professional Practice & Chief Nursing Executive

Kirsten has had a long and distinguished career as a nursing leader. Prior to Hamilton Health Sciences, Kirsten's other positions have included Interim Vice President, Patient Services for Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital, Windsor, Integrated Vice President, Surgery Services for London Health Sciences and St. Joseph's Health Care in London, Vice President, Patient Program & Chief Nursing Officer at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie; Operations Director, Medical Programs at Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto; Program Director at York Finch Hospital in Toronto; and organization development and clinical director roles at West Park Hospital in Toronto. 

Kirsten earned a Bachelor degree in Nursing at Ryerson, a Master of Health Sciences degree at McMaster University, and she has finished the required course work towards a Doctoral Degree in Adult Education through the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Kirsten is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders and completed a Canadian Health Services Research Foundation fellowship in 2006 focused on the use of evidence to improve quality and outcomes of care.

Dr. Salim Yusuf
Vice President, Research

Dr. Salim Yusuf is the Vice President of Research at Hamilton Health Sciences, Director of the Population Health Research Institute, and a Professor of Medicine at McMaster University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, holds a Heart and Stroke Foundations of Ontario research Chair, and has been a Senior Scientist of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Salim is a graduate of St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, India and a Rhodes Scholar. He is a cardiologist, epidemiologist and renowned researcher in cardiovascular diseases and prevention. Salim's involvement in developing the concept of large, simple trials and meta-analysis ultimately changed the way that research is conducted today. Landmark studies include the HOPE, OASIS, INTERHEART, and CURE trials as well as populations based studies in diverse ethnic groups in Canada, including one of the world's largest studies involving 52 countries. He currently works with investigators from 1500 centers in 78 countries. He is also the Founding Director of the internationally recognized Population Health Research Institute, and President-Elect of the World Heart Federation. He has been among the top 10 most highly cited researchers in science several times (No. 2 in 2011).

Kathy Watts
Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer

Kathy Watts is the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), a multi-site hospital with a $1.2B annual operating budget. Having worked in the health care sector for more than 20 years, Ms. Watts has provided leadership in Health Informatics, Decision Support, Finance, Purchasing and the Health Records environment.

Ms. Watts has been instrumental in the formation and evolution of Decision Support at HHS as well as the Integrated Decision Support model for the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). She supports health care leaders at HHS by providing robust information and analytics to support efficient, effective decision making during a time when health care resources are limited. Ms. Watts has been integral in the development of the ethical resource allocation framework that helps guide leaders in making tough resource allocation decisions. She and her team are truly customer and patient focused. They understand the challenging environment that the front line staff experience each day and strive to make the business side of the job as fluid as possible. Ms. Watts approaches her responsibilities with enthusiasm and encourages her team members to do the same.

Ms. Watts holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University. She is Chair of the Board of Directors at the North Hamilton Community Health Centre as well as Chair of the Board for Mohawk Shared Services. She is also very involved in several provincial and LHIN-wide committees.

Kelly Campbell 
Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Planning Officer

Kelly Campbell is a dynamic and engaged healthcare executive. As the VP of Planning, Capital Development and Chief Planning Officer (CPO) for Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), Ms. Campbell is responsible for all facility infrastructure, and capital and clinical planning across Hamilton Health Sciences’ six hospital sites.

In her previous role as the AVP of Clinical Planning, Kelly had responsibility for both Clinical Planning and Capital Development associated with the implementation of Hamilton Health Sciences' Access to the Best Care (ABC) initiative. In this role, Kelly provided oversight for transition planning and operational readiness prior to the implementation of ABC, the largest clinical realignment in the organization’s history. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Perioperative Services for HHS and was responsible for all aspects of perioperative care across Hamilton Health Sciences’ acute care sites. Of note, Kelly developed a code of conduct for staff and physicians in the Perioperative program, which was ultimately adopted corporate-wide as well as by many peer organizations.

Kelly has held several leadership positions at the provincial level, serving on the Ministry of Health Wait Time Strategy – Surgical Process Analysis and Improvement (SPAI) Expert Panel and as co-chair of the Council of Academic Organizations (CAHO) Facilities Planning Executive committee. Previously, Ms. Campbell chaired the Surgical Efficiency Targets Program (SETP) steering committee and the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN Wait Time Strategy Advisory committee. She has also served as a lead coach on the provincial perioperative coaching teams through the Ministry of Health. Most recently, Kelly has been invited to co-chair the Transition Planning/Operational Readiness Advisory Committee on behalf of the Ministry of Health and the Ontario Hospital Association.

Prior to her return to Canada nine years ago, Kelly worked in the United States for 15 years in successive leadership roles for the Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, Texas and the Iowa Health Care System in Des Moines, Iowa.

Mark Farrow
Vice President, Informatics & Communication Technologies and Chief Information Officer 

Mark Farrow has held a progressive 25-year career in information technology and management. As Vice President of Information & Communication Technologies and Telecommunications at Hamilton Health Sciences, Mark oversees a $20-million operating budget and a staff of more than 100 members. His portfolio includes Information and Communication Technologies, Clinical and Medical Informatics, Bio-medical Technologies and Enterprise Risk Management oversight. Mark has led the process of integrating Hamilton Health Sciences’ six hospitals and cancer centre into a common integrated system and infrastructure. He has also been involved with numerous projects at the regional and provincial levels, including the electronic health records initiative, and provides services to four other hospitals and the LHIN (Local Health Integration Network).

Mark was recently named 2011 Health Care Chief Security Office of the Year, as awarded by the Editors of SC Canada Magazine at the SC Canada Congress Data Security Conference and Expo.

Formerly, Mark was the director of information systems at The Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga, Ontario where he implemented the systems from the ground up, culminating in one of the first fully electronic patient records utilizing integrated hospital information systems and document imaging technologies.

Mark has written numerous articles on hospital information systems, RFID (radio-frequency identification) and the electronic health record, and speaks at conferences across North America.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and an MBA in Information Management, both from McMaster University.

Sharon Pierson
Vice President, Quality & Performance

Sharon is a collaborative and experienced leader and highly committed to the delivery of the Best Care for All. In her role as Vice President of Quality and Performance,  she leads the advancement of Quality and Operational Performance at Hamilton Health Sciences and is accountable for services including Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, Patient Experience, Pharmacy and Operational Planning.  With Sharon’s innovative leadership, HHS’ quality and performance team has collectively demonstrated exceptional skill and expertise resulting in numerous publications and presentations along with multiple provincial and national awards  including  an OHA Innovation Award and Sibbald Awards for Patient Safety.

As an active member of multiple local, LHIN and provincial committees,  Sharon has had opportunities to contribute to system discussions and policy development, and is currently a member of  Ontario’s Excellent Care for All Act Advisory Committee. As a 1986  graduate of  Mohawk College’s  Nursing Diploma program, Sharon was recognized in 2012 with an Alumni of Distinction Award for her career achievements and professional contributions to nursing.  Sharon also  holds a  Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McMaster University and a Masters of Public Administration from Queen’s University. Sharon is currently completing the Advanced Health Leadership Program at  the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

Pearl F. Veenema
President & CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation

Pearl Veenema provides leadership and strategic planning to the Foundation in order to achieve its annual fundraising objectives.

Pearl is a Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, and most recently Vice President, Advancement for the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation. With more than 15 years experience in hospital philanthropy, Pearl also has direct experience in public relations, nursing and health care management.