Message from Julia Hanigsberg, Chair of Board of Trustees
As Chair of the Board of Trustees of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, I have important news to share with our partners and colleagues.
Sheila Jarvis, President and CEO, has informed the Board of Trustees and staff of her decision to step down within the next 12 months, staying on until a successor is in place.
Sheila joined Holland Bloorview in 1996 and, over the years,
has led the hospital through remarkable change and growth. She has been an inspirational advocate for children with disabilities and their families and is well known throughout the healthcare system, serving as Chair of the Board to numerous provincial and national organizations. Her insightful, strategic focus and collaborative leadership approach will be difficult to replace.
Under Sheila's leadership, Holland Bloorview has been transformed into a world-class academic hospital with global reach, earning an enviable reputation for quality, applied research, teaching and an unwavering commitment to client and family centred care.
Sheila's many notable achievements include:
- Successful merger of the Hugh MacMillan Rehabilitation Centre and the Bloorview Children's Hospital
- Leading the planning and construction of the award winning and fully accessible Holland Bloorview facility
- Gained teaching hospital status, becoming fully affiliated with the University of Toronto
- In partnership with the Holland Bloorview Foundation, negotiated the single largest donor gift to the hospital, the $25M Holland Family Gift
- Created a financially stable organization that is securely positioned for the future
- Established the Bloorview Research Institute, fostering its unprecedented growth, external funding and international impact in Autism, Cerebral Palsy and transitions to adulthood
- Launched the Teaching and Learning Institute, driving international leadership in simulation and evidence based practice in the field of paediatric rehabilitation
- Led successive Accreditations achieving Exemplary Status in 2013, meeting 100% of national standards
- Winner of numerous prestigious corporate awards, most recently: Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, Canada's Top Employers for Young People, Greater Toronto's Top Employers, Quality Healthcare Workplace Award.
- Created six University of Toronto Research Chairs supported by Holland Bloorview Foundation donors
- Established the Concussion Research Centre, one of the first in the world, in 2013
I will be chairing the search committee that, with the assistance of an executive recruiting firm, will lead the recruitment of a new President and CEO.The committee will have representation from our Board of Trustees, staff, clients and families. The international search for a successor will begin in January. We are committed to finding an outstanding leader who will build on the significant accomplishments of the organization to date. We are fortunate to have Sheila continue in her role as President and CEO until a candidate is in place.
In order to keep you informed, the search committee will post regular updates on the Holland Bloorview website, www.hollandbloorview.ca.
We are looking forward to celebrating Sheila's many achievements and years of service in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
Julia Hanigsberg
Chair, Board of Trustees
