Compassionate Minds: Conversations with Healthcare Leaders

Hosted by Helen Angus

Management Health FitnessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Instagram YouTube

Episodes

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-CA

About the show

AMS CEO Helen Angus speaks with system leaders to learn from their origins, their journeys, and the role of leadership in today's world. She will explore their thinking on how to deliver compassionate care in a technologically advancing health system and look at the challenges facing healthcare in the future.

Listen to episodes

25 recent

October 21, 202642 min

Episode 24 - Ontario SPOR Support Unit (OSSU) AI Scribe Conversation w/ Dr. Jay Shaw, Marlie Yoshiki, Lisandra Hernandez Hernandez and Roger Farley

In this special episode, we're handing the microphone over to the Ontario SPOR Support Unit (OSSU) for a conversation exploring the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare, the importance of patient perspectives, and how we can ensure that innovation remains grounded in compassion, ethics, and human connection. Dr. Jay Shaw Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Responsible Health Innovation, University of Toronto Dr. Jay Shaw is the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Responsible Health Innovation and an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto. He currently serves as Acting Director of the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. Dr. Shaw also holds a cross-appointment at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation and serves as Research Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ethics & Health. Additionally, he is an Adjunct Scientist at the Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care. His work focuses on responsible health innovation, particularly the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in healthcare. Marlie Yoshiki Data Science Professional and Patient and Family Partner, Trillium Health Partners Marlie Yoshiki is a fourth-generation Japanese Canadian, lifelong community builder, and data science professional with over 20 years of experience. Based in Toronto, she brings a unique perspective to conversations about artificial intelligence in healthcare, shaped by her professional expertise and lived experience as a breast cancer thriver, caregiver, and Patient and Family Partner at Trillium Health Partners. Marlie is passionate about fostering meaningful connections and ensuring that patient, participant, and community voices are represented in healthcare and research. In 2025, she participated in the CAREB-ACCER Hot Topics in Human Research Ethics panel, contributing valuable patient and community perspectives to discussions on research ethics. As AI continues to transform healthcare, Marlie is interested in both its opportunities and potential challenges, particularly how technology may affect human relationships, trust, and the delivery of compassionate care. She advocates for a future in which healthcare innovation is guided not only by technological advancements but also by the needs, experiences, and values of the people it serves. Lisandra Hernandez Hernandez Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and Chair of the ICES Public Advisory Council Lisandra Hernandez Hernandez is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), Chair of the ICES Public Advisory Council, and an Ontario SPOR Support Unit (OSSU) Patient/Caregiver Reviewer for AMS Healthcare. She is also involved in the Leadership in Compassion and AI Fellowship. Drawing on her lived experience of arriving in Canada 13 years ago without speaking English, Lisandra brings a valuable public perspective to discussions about artificial intelligence and health data governance. She advocates for privacy, accessibility, equity, and compassionate care in the development and implementation of healthcare technologies, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that innovation serves the diverse needs of patients and communities. Roger Farley Board Member, Ontario SPOR Support Unit (OSSU), and Former Chair of the Patient Partner Advisory Council Roger Farley is an experienced leader in health governance, patient engagement, and public-sector administration, with a longstanding commitment to evidence-informed decision-making and inclusive research practices. Roger served for more than two years as Chair of the Patient Partner Advisory Council for the Ontario SPOR Support Unit (OSSU), where he played a key role in advancing meaningful patient engagement across Ontario's health research community. He has also participated as a patient partner on numerous research proposal review panels, helping ensure that funding decisions reflect patient priorities, equity, and real-world impact. In September 2026, he joined the OSSU Board of Directors. Roger currently serves as Chair of the inaugural Board of Directors of the Équipe de santé familiale communautaire Montfort de l'Ouest d'Ottawa, a new community family health team serving Ottawa West. He is also Vice-President of the Board of the Réseau santé en français de l'Est de l'Ontario and a member of the Executive Committee of the Court Challenges Program, funded by Canadian Heritage and administered by the University of Ottawa. Previously, Roger served for six years on the Board of the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre, including four years as Chair of the French-language Services Committee and two years as Vice-Chair and Treasurer. He was also a founding member and past President of the Maison de la Francophonie d'Ottawa, serving the organization for ten years. Roger spent 35 years in the federal public service, including 15 years as a senior executive at Health Canada. Following his retirement, he served as Executive in Residence at the University of Ottawa. amshealthcare.ca

June 24, 202633 min

Episode #23 - Dr. Dominik Nowak

Dr. Dominik Nowak is a family doctor and health leader. In addition to caring for patients and serving as Department Head in Family and Community Medicine at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Dr. Nowak 's mission is to build teamwork across the health system. He is a trusted advisor to leading provincial, national, and international organizations toward a health system that is more kind, caring, and careful. As President at the Ontario Medical Association, the voice of 50,000 doctors across Ontario, he advanced substantive health systems change. Dr. Nowak trained at McMaster University, where he specialized in family medicine and served as chief resident. He went on to the University of Toronto to finish a Master of Health Administration at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation as well as the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management. Dr. Nowak is a faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. He is a recipient of the College of Family Physicians of Canada Award of Excellence for his leadership in Canadian healthcare. http://amshealthcare.ca/

May 20, 202636 min

Episode #22 - Dr. Nicola Mercer

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Dr. Nicola Mercer. Dr. Nicola Mercer (MD MBA MPH FRCPC C. Dir) is the Medical Officer of Health and CEO of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health. Before joining Public Health in 2007, she spent 15 years as an anesthesiologist and critical care physician. She is currently a Board member at Public Health Ontario sitting on the Audit Finance and Risk Standing Committee. She is also a past member of the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons nominating committee, and the University of Guelph Board of Trustees. In 2017, Dr. Mercer was appointed to the Minister of Health's Expert Panel on Public Health. For her work during the pandemic, she was recognized with a Municipal World Women of Influence in Local Government Award in 2021, and a King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2024.

April 15, 202638 min

Episode #21 - Altaf Stationwala

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Altaf Stationwala. Altaf Stationwala is President and CEO of Unity Health Toronto, one of Ontario's largest and most comprehensive health care networks. The network includes St. Joseph's Health Centre, St. Michael's Hospital and Providence Healthcare, and a constellation of clinics across Toronto's core. Unity Health delivers the full spectrum of care offered across Ontario's health system— from primary care, seniors care, rehabilitation, and acute services to specialized regional programs and long-term care— and is a globally recognized, university-affiliated teaching and research institution. It is a learning destination of choice for health professionals, known for its leadership in integrated, compassionate, high quality, and collaborative care. Prior to joining Unity Health Toronto in 2025, Altaf was President and CEO of Mackenzie Health for more than 14 years. Under his leadership, Mackenzie Health received Accreditation with Exemplary Standing consecutively in 2013, 2017 and 2022 – the highest rating a Canadian healthcare provider can achieve – and numerous awards for its commitment to safety and quality patient care, as well as approval to build the organization's second hospital – Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital which opened in early 2021. Before joining Mackenzie Health, Altaf held the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at Mount Sinai Hospital, and previous to that he was Site Executive - Brampton Civic Hospital and Vice President, Patient Services at the William Osler Health Centre. Altaf was presented with the Canadian College of Health Service Executives Canada's Outstanding Young Health Executive of the Year Award in 2007 for his demonstrated leadership in improving the effectiveness and sustainability of the country's health system. He has a diverse educational background with undergraduate degrees in Economics, Geography and Business Administration, as well as a Master's in Health Administration. Altaf is adjunct faculty at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, and a surveyor with Accreditation Canada. Altaf serves as a member of several Boards of Governors including: GS1 Canada, Mohawk Medbuy Corporation, and The United Way of Greater Toronto. Altaf is the past Chair of the Ontario Hospital Association. Altaf has a particular applied research interest in organizational resilience and transformational change. http://amshealthcare.ca/

March 18, 202640 min

Episode #20 - Will Falk and Dr. Zayna Khayat

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Will Falk and Dr. Zayna Khayat. Will Falk has spent over 25 years as an international strategist, advising top academic centres, governments, and innovative companies in healthcare. He is currently the Board Chair of AMS Healthcare's Board of Directors, an Adjunct Professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and a Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. Will is interested in the impacts of technological change on health systems and their governance and payment mechanisms. He works with several innovative enterprises in digital health and software development, including as an Innovation Fellow at Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care. He has also served as a Board Director or Advisor for more than a dozen enterprises, including local and national charities, start-ups, health systems, and publicly listed companies. Will's strong understanding of digital health, along with his commitment to improving healthcare through policy and innovation, makes him an important part of AMS as we focus on a system shaped by advancing technology while remaining rooted in compassion. Zayna Khayat, PhD, is the Chief Program Officer at AMS Healthcare, where she leads the strategic design and delivery of the organization's flagship programs in Artificial Intelligence & Compassion. She is adjunct faculty in the Health Sector Strategy stream at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. Zayna previously held senior roles as Future Strategist at SE Health, Lead of Health System Innovation at MaRS Discovery District, and was seconded to the REshape Innovation Centre at Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. Earlier in her career, she was a Principal in the healthcare practice of The Boston Consulting Group. Zayna earned her PhD in diabetes research from the University of Toronto. A recognized voice on health system transformation, she advises health technology companies across Canada and internationally. https://amshealthcare.ca/

February 18, 202636 min

Episode #19 - Dr. Cynthia Whitehead

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Dr. Cynthia Whitehead . Cynthia Whitehead is an education scientist, educator, and family physician. Her research examines the effects of power relations on various structures, systems, processes, and practices in health professions education, paying attention to who and what is advantaged or disadvantaged as a result. She aims to use her research findings to promote health and education practices that are compassionate, equitable, and effective. Working at the intersection of health and higher education, she sees exciting opportunities to harness the transformative potential of education in service of a healthier world. Cynthia 's program of research is anchored in critical historical analyses of health professions education. Knowing our history is vital for understanding our current contexts, avoiding past mistakes, preserving what works well, and appropriately adapting that which needs change. Aware of the need to deliberately collect multiple perspectives and voices in the history of health professions education—and at times dismayed by the absence and loss of documents— Cynthia is engaged in efforts to preserve relevant archival materials. She is also committed to helping to grow the community of scholars interested in studying the history of the field. Theoretically, Cynthia engages with the work of Michel Foucault, as well as post-colonialism, anticolonialism, and decoloniality. Some of her specific content areas of interest are globalized medical education, primary care education, accreditation, outcomes-based education, and education for collaboration. Underpinning Cynthia 's historical research is the knowledge that the creation of Euro-American models of higher education, health professions education, and healthcare institutions globally were intrinsically intertwined with European colonization of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. She understands that colonization has shaped and continues to perpetuate inequities in health professions education and research practices locally, nationally, and globally. Cynthia 's involvement in the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration (TAAAC) is one key partnership within which she collaboratively interrogates these processes. As a high income country researcher and white settler Canadian, she strives to listen, learn, and collaborate with humility, taking care that her work not inadvertently reproduce colonial academic practices. Cynthia has provided education consultations and worked with educators, scholars, and learners in many countries, as well as with the World Health Organization. She has held many education leadership positions, and is involved in teaching, curricular design, program evaluation, and education administration locally, nationally, and internationally. Cynthia is a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine; Director and Scientist at the Wilson Centre, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and University Health Network; and an academic family doctor based clinically at Women's College Hospital. She holds the BMO Financial Group Chair in Health Professions Education Research at University Health Network. https://amshealthcare.ca/

January 21, 202635 min

Episode #18 - Dr. Andy Smith

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Dr. Andy Smith. Since 2017, Dr. Andy Smith has been the President and CEO of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where he leads over 12,000 staff, physicians, researchers and learners and an annual budget of more than $1.4 billion. Prior to his current role, Dr. Smith served as Sunnybrook's Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Executive. With a long-established career as a surgeon and a recognized leader in the management of colorectal cancer, Dr. Smith is intensely passionate about improving healthcare. He has been involved for many years in quality improvement initiatives in Ontario and is passionately interested in healthcare leadership, innovation and the evolution of the healthcare system in Canada. Dr. Smith is on the Board of Directors for ORNGE, Public Health Ontario (PHO), HealthCareCAN, Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP) and is an active member of Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network (TAHSN). https://amshealthcare.ca/

November 19, 202535 min

Episode #17 - Dr. Tara Kiran

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Dr. Tara Kiran. Dr. Tara Kiran is a family physician and a health systems researcher with nationally and internationally recognized expertise in primary care policy, quality improvement, and health system evaluation. She holds the Fidani Chair in Improvement and Innovation at the University of Toronto where she also serves as Vice Chair, Quality and Innovation for the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Kiran's research focuses on understanding and addressing gaps in access, equity, and quality in primary care, with recent work examining shifts in the physician workforce, the impact of team-based care, and public priorities for reform. Dr. Kiran is the founder and national lead of OurCare , Canada's largest public engagement initiative on the future of primary care, which has shaped policy direction in multiple provinces and informed Ontario's Primary Care Act. She also hosts Primary Focus , a podcast that explores innovative primary systems and clinics—in Canada and around the world. She practices family medicine at St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto where she is also a Scientist at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions. Throughout her work, she is motivated by a deep commitment to improving access to high-quality, equitable, and patient-centred care. http://amshealthcare.ca/

October 22, 202539 min

Episode 16 - Dr. Laura Desveaux

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Dr. Laura Desveaux, PhD, CPCC, ACC , a scientist and Director of the Learning Health System Leadership Center at the Institute for Better Health at Trillium Health Partners. She is a Senior Fellow with AMS Healthcare, an Assistant Professor with IHPME at the University of Toronto, and a 2023-24 Leadership Fellow with the International Women's Forum. Dr. Desveaux's program of work focuses on learning health systems, the future of leadership, and how and why things work in healthcare with a focus on identifying how context influences success (and failure). She is also the founder and Executive Director of Women Who Lead, a not-for-profit dedicated to supporting leadership development for women in the health sector. http://amshealthcare.ca/

September 24, 202536 min

Episode #15 - Dr. Gillian Strudwick

In this episode, host Helen Angus, CEO of AMS Healthcare, speaks with Dr. Gillian Strudwick, a Registered Nurse and an internationally recognized leader in digital health and mental health innovation. She currently serves as the Interim Scientific Director of the Digital Innovation Hub, Chief Clinical Informatics Officer, and Senior Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. In these roles, she leads research an implementation initiatives aimed at transforming mental health care through the responsible an equitable use of digital technologies. Dr. Strudwick is also an Associate Professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, where she teaches and mentors the next generation of health system leaders and digital health scientists. Her program of research sits at the intersection of digital health, implementation science, and mental health services, with a focus on designing, evaluating, and scaling innovations that improve care experiences and outcomes for both patient and providers. Nationally and internationally, Dr. Strudwick is a sought-after expert and advisor. She serves on the boards of AMS Healthcare, the Village Family Health Team, and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. She is the youngest nurse to be named a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing and the first woman in Canada to be named a Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Sigma Emerging Nurse Researcher Award, the CIHR Rising Star Award in Health Services and Policy Research, and the Top 20 Under 40 in Canadian Life Sciences. Dedicated to collaboration and impact, Dr. Strudwick has worked with health system partnersacross Canada and internationally, including Oxford University, Harvard University and the Mental Health Commission of Canada, to ensure digital solutions in health are usable, effective, and equitable. She has provided scientific guidance to policymakers, including as a member of Ontario's COVID-19 advisory table, and regularly contributes to thought leadership in the areas of AI, usability, and human factors in health care. http://amshealthcare.ca/