OTC - Ontario Training Centre in Health Services and Policy Research

EXTRA Fellows

Health system managers admitted into the EXTRA Team Fellowship across Canada are referred to as EXTRA Fellows.

During their 14-month program, teams of healthcare executives, supported by mentors and coaches, carry out an Intervention Project (IP) designed to actively engage them and their organizations in evidence-informed improvements in their own facilities, or across jurisdictions involving multi-site teams and cross-boundary intervention projects.

The Intervention Project represents the main vehicle to integrate and translate the learning from the program into practice. Fellows build on their own experience and apply the knowledge and skills from the EXTRA program to issues and real situations in their home organization.

While the program is a 14-month training experience, only four weeks are spent away from the workplace at residency sessions (two weeks in August, one week in February, and one week in June of the following calendar year).

Fellows are expected to be released from regular duties for no less than one day per week to have focused time for the intervention project and to complete the e-learning curriculum between residency sessions. All team members are required to participate in the residency sessions.

Ontario EXTRA Fellows to date are 66 (59 plus the new 2011-2013 Cohort of 7 Fellows). They are part of about 200 EXTRA Fellows who have been admitted into the program across Canada in the last eight years.

Ontario EXTRA Fellows

2004-2006

Dr. Pierre Jean Allard (Chief, Division of Palliative Care, SCO Health Services, Ottawa).
Maureen Cava (Manager, Professional Practice, Toronto Public Health).
Sonja Glass (Manager, Risk Management and Quality Improvement, Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound).
Dr. David H. Goldstein (Medical Director, Acute Pain Services, Kingston General Hospital).
Heather Hoxby (Director of Nursing Practice, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton).
Kirsten Krull-Naraj (Vice President of Patient Programs and Chief Nursing Officer, Royal Victoria Hospital, Barrie).
Nancy Lefebre (Chief Clinical Executive, Senior VP Knowledge and Practice, Saint Elizabeth Health Care, Markham).
Heather McPherson (Chief of Health Disciplines, Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto).
Dr. James Worthington (Vice-President, Medical Affairs, Quality, Patient Safety ,The Ottawa Hospital).

2005-2007

Carolyn Baker (President and CEO, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Toronto).
Wendy Fucile (Lecturer, Trent/Fleming School of Nursing, Trent University, Peterborough).
Kevin Mercer (Formerly with CCAC of Waterloo Region).
Susan Richardson (Vice-President Patient Services and Allied Health, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa).
John Ruetz (Executive Lead, Community Programs, Bridgepoint Health, Hamilton).
Dr. Gaetan Tardif (Vice-President Patient Care and Chief Medical Officer, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute).

2006-2008

Dr. Raj Bhatla(A/Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Royal Ottawa Health Care Group).
Faith Boutcher (Director, Professional Practice, Research and Education, North York General Hospital, Toronto).
Inta Bregzis (Senior Director, Performance Management and Accountability, Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre).
Patrick Gaskin (Formerly with Grand River Hospital).
Sue McCutcheon (Vice-President Clinical Services, Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound).
Dr. Louise Patrick (Chief of Allied Health, SCO Health Service, Ottawa).
Jodi Younger(Operational Service Manager, Mental Health and Addictions, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton)

2007-2009

Sandi Cox (Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Director, Rehabilitation and Complex Continuing Care, Bloorview Kids Rehab, Toronto).
Kathleen Ann Heslin (Chief Nurse Executive and Chief Practice Officer, York Central Hospital, Richmond Hill).
Kim Lenahan (Executive Director, Patient Care, Geriatric, MSK and Neuro Rehab Programs, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute).
Mary Puntillo (Operational Services Manager, Schizophrenia Service, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton).
Sylvanus Thompson (Healthy Environments Quality Assurance Manager, Toronto Public Health).

2008-2010

Patty Chapman (Vice-President, Clinical Services, Bluewater Health).
Spencer Dickson (Chief Nursing Officer, Bluewater Health).
Dr. Martin Lees (Chief of Staff, Bluewater Health).
Dr. Catherine Morris (Formerly Chief of Staff with Cambridge Memorial Hospital).
Beatrice Mudge (Formerly with Cambridge Memorial Hospital).
Eric Costen (Director, Mental Health and Addictions Unit, Community Programs Directorate, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada).
Kathy Langlois (Director General ,Community Programs Directorate, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada).
Dr. Patricia Wiebe (Medical Specialist in Mental Health, Community Programs Directorate, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada).
Sandra Laclé (Director, Health Promotion, Sudbury and District Health Unit).
Dr. Susan Snelling (Manager, Research and Evaluation Resources, Research and Evaluation Development Division, Sudbury and District Health Unit).
Dr. Penny Sutcliffe (Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer, Sudbury and District Health Unit).
Carolyn Gosse (Director, Inpatient Pharmacy, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton).
John Woods (Director, Research Administration and Strategic Development, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton).
Mary Townend (Professional Practice Consultant, Sudbury Regional Hospital).
Mark Vimr (Executive Vice-President, Clinical and Professional Programs and Services, St. Joseph’s Health Care, Toronto).
Dr. Megan Ward (Associate Medical Officer of Health, Peel Region Public Health Department).
Dr. Todd M. Webster (Urologist, Grey Bruce Health Services).
Dr. Nancy Whitmore(Chief of Staff/VP Medical Affairs, St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.).

2009-2011

Pat Campbell (Chief Executive Officer, Echo-Improving Women’s Health in Ontario).
Nazlin Hirji (Director, Nursing/Patient Care, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute).
Dr. David Schramm (Surgical Director, University of Ottawa Auditory Implant Program).
Dr. Agostino Bellissimo (Chief of Emergency Medicine, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton).
Gerardo Castaneda (Chief Information Officer, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton).
Sara Downey (Vice-President, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network).
Barbara Fitzgerald (Director of Nursing, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network).
Dr. Malcolm Moore (Head of Medical Oncology and Hematology, University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital).

2010-2012

Ann Bartlett ( Acting Vice-President, Cambridge Memorial Hospital).
Beverley Bryant (Manager, Education and Research, Peel Region Public Health Department).
Gene Long (formerly with Toronto Public Health).
Dr. Peter Bieling (Director, Mood Disorders and Geriatric Psychiatry Programs, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton).
Victoria Madsen (Change Management Manager, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton).
Melissa Thompson (Program Director, Grey Bruce Health Services).

2011-2013

Marilyn El Bestawi (Executive Director, Hospital, Pharmacy, and Diagnostic Services, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care).
Kathy Greene (Director, Department of Decision Support, Bruyère Continuing Care).
Michelle Joyner (Manager, Patient Flow, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton).
Laura Wheatley (Senior Manager, Clinical Development, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton).
Alison Paprica (Acting Director, Health System Planning and Research Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care).
Julie Stratton (Manager, Epidemiology, Peel Region Public Health Department).
Monali Varia (Surveillance Advisor, Peel Region Public Health Department).

For comments on what EXTRA Graduates say about their experience with the EXTRA Program go to Testimonials.