In 2012, I had already been working nonstop for over 30 years in community and health and social services, and I had been the President and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross for several years. During a period of transformation, I wanted to take some time to develop a new perspective for the organization. I had a design – a vision – and through the International Masters for Health Leadership (IMHL) at McGill, I discovered the ideas, projects, and people to help me confront and cultivate my ideas.
I was attracted to the IMHL program by its modular format that helps you strengthen where you are and takes into account your practical objectives, but also because I am a fan of the work of Henry Mintzberg, and I appreciated his influence on the program’s holistic pedagogical approach.
While I knew what I wanted going into the program, I found more that I didn’t expect in terms of the wealth of contacts, knowledge, and cooperation from the other participants and the program’s instructors. You are learning with a group of international people who are experienced in their fields, who have managed, and who are attracted to exchanging ideas to improve the outcomes of the work we’re doing. These are the things that brought us together throughout and after the program.
It was a life-saving collaboration in a dramatic moment, and it was our connection through the McGill IMHL program that made a difference.”
I met so many people who have had an impact on the work I do. Someone from my cohort that I can now call a close friend is Dr. Joanne Liu (MDCM'91, IMHL'14, DSc'16), who at the time was the International President of Médecins sans frontières. Our areas of interest crossed on the international side of our work, and over the years I have been fortunate to work with her in locales including Beirut and Vienna, and we continue to collaborate and share ideas today.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and before the Red Cross began playing such a significant role in supporting health services across the country, one of the first calls I received was from Dr. Nadine Larente (IMHL’14), a geriatric specialist and Director of Professional Services for the CIUSSS of Montreal West Island. She was trying to find a solution to the impending crisis of healthcare employees being infected, fatigued, and unable to work. On that Saturday afternoon, I set her up on a call an hour later with our operational team, and soon after we were able to provide a tremendous amount of support. It was a life-saving collaboration in a dramatic moment, and it was our connection through the McGill IMHL program that made a difference.
I return every year to teach a course and share my experience with the students. I notice that each cohort is stronger than the last, and I have been able to hire some of the collaborators who are still working with me. Overall, my experience at McGill has provided a fascinating and growing network of extraordinary people and experiences.
One could say, “You get as much as you put in,” and that can be true of your introspection and goals, but one thing you can’t really measure is the totality of the impact and the wealth of the dynamics with other students. It’s the diverse views, lasting friendships, and professional connections that have been very important and transformative, and which have made a difference for me and my work.