Cathy Fooks, President and CEO, The Change Foundation

Cathy joined The Change Foundation in January 2007, bringing with her proven leadership skills at the national level and more than 20 years’ experience in health policy research. She assumed the task of working with the Board of Directors to implement its ambitious strategic plan and transform the Foundation from a granting agency into a respected health policy think tank focused on health integration and patient outcomes.

Previously, Cathy was the first Executive Director of the Health Council of Canada, where she implemented the Council’s mandate of reporting to Canadians about healthcare renewal. She has also served as Director of the Health Network with Canadian Policy Research Networks, and in senior roles with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), the Premier’s Council of Health, Well-Being and Social Justice, and the Premier’s Council on Economic Renewal. She was a senior policy adviser to two Ministers of Health and has served on a number of government healthcare committees.

The author of numerous articles and reports on the Canadian health system, Cathy holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Queen’s University and a Baccalaureate degree in Political Science and Economics from Trent University. She has also completed an Executive Program in Change Management at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and the Executive Program in Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management at Harvard Business School. Cathy is a member of the Board of Governors of The Michener Institute.