Governance Coordinator, Central East Local Health Integration Network
Graduate Program in Public Policy, Administration & Law, Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law (MPPAL) 2014

As a Crown Agency Corporation, the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) plan, integrate and fund local health care, improving access and patient experience. In my role, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, I am responsible for coordinating business for our Board of Directors.

This entails arranging monthly meetings, preparing Briefing Notes and Presentations and managing Board Development and Education initiatives. It requires an acuity for the functions of the provincial government and health service providers (hospitals, long-term care homes, CHCs and CSS agencies). I work with staff to prepare a monthly CEO report to the Board which is posted on our website, along with a monthly Chair's report to the Board and Committee Reports of the Audit/Finance and Governance Committees of the Board. I also have the responsibility of Issues Management, on behalf of the CEO, which challenges my conflict resolution and health system knowledge on a daily basis.

The job requires long hours, but is vastly rewarding and has introduced me to the full continuum of public policy - starting with activities in the House and then translating to funding being issued through my organization, being allocated by the Board and then reported on by our Health Service Providers to show how we're achieving our goals of 'Community First'.

Every day of class during the MPPAL program was relatable to my work at the LHIN. We had plenty of opportunities to conduct real-time research on health system initiatives that were unprecedented, like Funding Reform and Community Mental Health growth.

The research skills and value of discussions and lectures introduced alternative perspectives on the complexity of the health system, and the levels of government overall. I can certainly attest to the selection of courses and course work being highly assistive with a career in the public sector, one that's on track to a leadership role.