Working with the Board of Directors, and led by President and Chief Executive Officer Kathy MacNeil, the Executive Leadership Team is responsible for meeting the health needs of the people living in the Island Health region in an effective and sustainable way.
In collaboration with the BC Ministry of Health, the executive leadership team establishes performance objectives regarding the delivery of health care, and works to ensure those goals are met or exceeded.
How we are organized
More Organizational Information
Kathy MacNeil
President and Chief Executive Officer
Kathy is driven by her passion to improve the health and care of all residents and communities in the Island Health region. Strongly grounded in Island Health’s vision for the future, and in alignment with the Ministry of Health’s plans, Kathy focuses on accountability and fosters a culture of quality, safety and patient-centered care.
Dr. Ben Williams
Vice President – Medicine, Quality, Research and Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Williams is responsible for the leadership and governance of Island Health’s medical staff. He is also accountable for medicine and quality-related processes governing the delivery of health care provided to patients throughout Island Health.
Catherine Claiter-Larsen
Vice President – Strategy and Chief Information Officer
Catherine is responsible for translating the organization’s vision and strategic framework into action; and advancing key enablers to support the organization in achieving its commitment to Excellence.
Dawn Thomas
Vice President – Indigenous Health and Rural & Remote
Dawn is a member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation on Vancouver Island, and her traditional Nuu-chah-nulth name is Aa ap waa iik, which loosely translates to “The one who says the right words about chiefly business.”
Dawn is helping to advance our work in creating a more integrated, culturally safe and responsive health system free from racism and discrimination. She is also responsible for enabling and facilitating system transformation and service delivery improvements that improve the wellness, health, and care needs of all Indigenous Peoples across the Island Health service area including First Nations, Metis, Inuit, and non-status Indigenous Peoples – both on- and off-reserve.
Jamie Braman
Vice President – People & Communications
Jamie provides executive leadership in support of Island Health’s 35,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers. He oversees several teams responsible for delivering high-impact human resources functions, including staffing, scheduling, labour relations, benefits, compensation and work design, diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as employee safety and wellness. His approach and focus on creating exceptional employee and volunteer experiences helps advance Island Health’s pursuit of its strategic direction.
James Hanson
Vice President – Community Clinical Operations and Support Programs
James oversees all aspects of community-based and clinical operations and is responsible for establishing, developing and operationalizing an effective integrated care delivery model north of the Cowichan Valley Regional District to the Regional District of Mount Waddington. He also has oversight of hospitals in the North Island, West Coast and Salt Spring Island.
Kim Kerrone
Vice President – Chief Financial Officer
Kim is responsible for strategic and operational management in the areas of care sustainability, financial planning and business support, legal services and privacy, contract management, capital finance and planning, facilities management and general support services such as food services, housekeeping and patient transport.
Krista Allan
Vice President – Quality, Research and Chief Nursing and Allied Health Officer
Krista is the co-lead responsible for clinical governance, including quality-related structures and processes governing the delivery of health and care services. This includes quality improvement, patient safety, patient engagement and experience, accreditation, ethics, and research. She works closely with the executive team to enhance the integration, transparency and accountability of Island Health’s performance and organizational governance structure.
Marko Peljhan
Vice President – Acute Clinical Operations and Provincial Programs
Marko oversees all aspects of clinical operations and is responsible for developing and operationalizing an effective, integrated care delivery model in the Central/South Island, including emergency; medicine; rehab; surgery; patient flow; and intensive care. He is also responsible for provincial programs including cancer care, renal, and heart health.
Dr. Réka Gustafson
VICE PRESIDENT – POPULATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND CHIEF MEDICAL HEALTH OFFICER
Dr. Gustafson leads programs that aim to improve and reduce inequities in health for residents of Island Health through prevention, promotion and protection programming and advancing health public policies. She leads Island Health programs in population health assessment, communicable disease control, immunization, maternal and child health programs, health protection and environmental health, community care facilities licensing, population health promotion and harm reduction. She works closely with senior leaders to drive quality improvements and ground strategies and initiatives throughout the organization.