Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care is announcing the appointments of three senior leaders as the hospital realigns its resources to best meet its current and future goals.
These appointments will ensure Waypoint continues to successfully execute on its ambitious and inspiring strategic commitments, focusing on providing exceptional experiences for and with patients, clients and their families and care partners, supporting staff wellness and retention in a positive and fulfilling care environment, and collaborating to advance mental health, addiction and geriatric care within the broader health care system.
“We have been thoughtful about the next steps for our organizational structure given the upcoming September retirement of Linda Adams, our Vice–President, Patient Experience, and Chief Nursing Executive,” said Dr. Nadiya Sunderji, Waypoint’s President and CEO. “These leadership changes are aligned with our values, continue to develop leaders in our organization, are budget neutral, and will support the Waypoint team to continue to lead, collaborate and partner to advance a better future.”
Summary of Senior Leadership Changes
Senior Vice-President, Clinical Services, and Chief Nursing Executive
Effective June 3, 2024, Rob Desroches assumed the role of Senior Vice-President, Clinical Services, andChief Nursing Executive.
Between now and Sept. 13, 2024, Adams and Desroches will work closely together to ensure a seamless transition within our organization and with our partners and stakeholders.
The portfolio includes the current Clinical Services portfolio, as well as the Patient Experience portfolio. This decision reflects Desroches’s demonstrated deep expertise and dedication to Waypoint’s mission and values. With several decades of service at Waypoint, he brings unparallelled experience and knowledge of the hospital’s valuable and challenging work, and everyone who knows him appreciates the deeply compassionate and patient-centred mindset he brings to identify creative solutions and advance strategic initiatives.
“It is an honour to serve our patients and work alongside such a dedicated and talented team,” saidDesroches, who joined Waypoint as a staff nurse in 1992 and was most recently Vice–President, Clinical Services, and Chief Operating Officer. “Waypoint is committed to providing excellence in mental health and addiction care, and I am excited to continue this mission in this new role.”
To support Desroches, Waypoint has created two interim Assistant Vice–President positions that will report directly to him. These appointments take effect July 22, 2024.
Interim Assistant Vice-President, Clinical Services
Chad Draper, currently the Director of the Awenda, Bayview and Beckwith programs, will assume the role of interim Assistant Vice-President, Clinical Services. Draper will have all of the inpatient forensic mental health care programs, including the High–Secure Provincial Forensic Programs and Brébeuf, and the Clinical Liaison Office for Ontario Review Board matters as part of his portfolio.
Interim Assistant Vice-President, Patient Experience, Quality and Professional Practice
Yaakov Keilikhis, currently the Director of Quality, Professional Practice and Patient Safety, will assume the role of interim Assistant Vice-President for Patient Experience, Quality and Professional Practice. Keilikhis will oversee Quality, Patient Safety, IPAC & Patient Relations, Practice & Performance, Pharmacy, and Ethics & Spiritual Care within his portfolio.
“I look forward to the valuable contributions I know Rob, Chad and Yaakov will make as servant leaders focused on excellent patient care and staff well-being,” said Dr. Sunderji. “I’d also like to express my gratitude to Linda for her leadership and dedication over the last eight years. Her commitment to staff development and quality patient care will have a lasting impact at Waypoint and will inspire us in the future.”
