Corporate Information
Executive Team
Robert Howard
President and Chief Executive Officer
Robert J. Howard is the President and CEO of St. Michael's. Dr. Howard brings expert medical knowledge and highly regarded leadership qualities to his new role of President and CEO. He has played a number of key roles at St. Michael's - as a clinician, a researcher and a member of the executive leadership team. Dr. Howard joined the Hospital as staff cardiologist in 1982 and was appointed Director of the University of Toronto training program in Cardiology in 1989. In 1998, Dr. Howard was named the Hospital's Chief Medical Officer. In 2002, Dr. Howard was appointed Executive Vice-President, Programs and Education to acknowledge the growing importance of the education and academic partnerships portfolio at the Hospital. Through his thoughtful guidance, St. Michael's Fitzgerald Academy has become the first choice for University of Toronto medical students.
St. Michael's is a growing global player in research, innovative care and education. Dr. Howard leads St. Michael's in bringing health sciences research and medical education together in a unique clinical setting to bring advances in health care directly to patients' bedsides faster than ever before. In 2010, St. Michael's will officially open the doors of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute which is comprised of the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre.
Dr. Howard has an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering from the University of Toronto, a medical degree from McMaster University and an executive MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business. A professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Dr. Howard serves on the Boards of HealthForceOntario and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Academy.
In keeping with St. Michael's role as a teaching hospital, Dr. Howard continues to teach echocardiography to residents and fellows of the University of Toronto and until recently practiced clinical cardiology one day a week.
Alayne Metrick
President of St. Michael's Foundation
Alayne Metrick joined the St. Michael's foundation in 1995. A fellow of the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, Alayne has spearheaded a number of successful fundraising campaigns at the hospital, including a recent $140 million campaign to advance patient care. During her tenure, Alayne has increased hospital fundraising revenues to $38 million from $5.5 million annually and achieved a significant milestone in 1996 when 100 per cent of physicians at St. Michael's donated to the Hospital's fundraising efforts.
"This was a North American first in fundraising," Alayne explains. "We were also the first hospital in North America to do this a second time. This achievement speaks to the outstanding physicians at our organization who are so committed to who we are and what we do."
In 2005, Alayne was singled out for her contribution to the fundraising community when she was named the Association for Fundraising Professional's Fundraiser of the Year.
John
King
Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer
With more than a quarter century leading health care organizations, John King joined St. Michael's in 2002 to lead the corporate services portfolio. Through his work, John helps patients receive the best care possible through his work to ensure the hospital has state-of-the art equipment and efficient facilities.
Prior to joining St. Michael's, John was Senior Vice President of the Alberta Healthcare Association and Senior Operating Officer of several hospitals in the Calgary Regional Health Authority before moving to Ontario to become Assistant Deputy Minister of Programs in the provincial health ministry.
John has his Master's in Health Administration from the University of Ottawa and is a Certified Health Executive. He serves as Chair of the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network's pandemic preparedness committee and Vice Chair of the Canadian College of Health Services Executives. John was recently honoured by our Foundation with the 2009 Spirit of Philanthropy Award for his fundraising efforts.
"The hospital's mission, values and caring culture make me proud to be part of an environment that is collaborative, innovative and inspiring," he says.
Ella Ferris
Executive Vice President of Programs & Chief Nursing Executive
Ella Ferris came to St. Michael's as a staff nurse in 1972 following her training at our nursing school. She holds a Master's in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. In 2001, Ella was seconded to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Reform Implementation Team where she gained experience in health systems planning and service integration.
Ella was honoured with the Ontario Hospital Association's R. Alan Hay Memorial Hospital Executive Award in 2005. In March 2006, she became executive vice-president of programs, and Chief Nursing Executive.
"It's a privilege to work at St. Michael's. We make decisions guided by our mission and values," she says. "Patient care is number one job. Our strong education and research programs enhance our ability to provide quality patient care today and into the future. I am grateful to work each day with a dedicated team of physicians, staff and volunteers."
Dr. Douglas Sinclair
Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
After a 22-year hiatus in Nova Scotia, Dr. Doug Sinclair rejoined St. Michael's where his medical career first began. Following his graduation from the Faculty of Medicine in 1980, Doug completed his clerkship in Toronto, became chief resident of Emergency Medicine at U of T and an attending staff emergency physician at St. Michael's. Doug has spent the last two decades in Halifax in a number of progressive leadership and academic roles, including founding Head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, Vice President of Medical Services at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre (QEII) and most recently, Associate Dean of Continuing Education in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University.
Doug returned to St. Michael's to become executive vice president and chief medical officer in January 2010. "St. Michael's is a place that has the opportunity to really close that gap that frustrates most academic clinicians in moving research discoveries to patient care," he says. "I am very impressed by the commitment and focus of the staff at St. Michael's - their enthusiasm for their work is palpable."
Dr. Patricia Houston
Vice President, Education
Prior to joining St. Michael's in 1997, Dr. Patricia Houston was the Medical Director of the Medical-Surgical ICU at Toronto Western Hospital. A graduate of medicine from the University of Toronto with a master's degree in education, Patricia leads the hospital's education program. With a mandate to strengthen academic partnerships and professional education, Patricia's team is focused on improving education, research and innovation.
"I have a deep respect for the values of the institution," she says. "It is very motivating to know that we are reaching out and helping people from all walks of life and that we are helping to instill these values into health-care providers of the future through our educational programs."
A professor and Vice-Chair Education in the Department of Anesthesia at the University of Toronto, Patricia also chairs the national Continuing Education and Professional Development Committee.
Dr. Arthur S. Slutsky
Vice President, Research
Dr. Arthur Slutsky is responsible for St. Michael's vast expansion of research over the past decade including the development of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute.
Originally an engineer, Arthur also studied medicine at McMaster University. After completing a pulmonary fellowship at Harvard, he taught there until 1984 when he returned to the University of Toronto to teach medicine, surgery and biomedical engineering. Arthur is currently Director of the interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine at U of T. His major focus is translational research in intensive care with a focus on mechanical ventilation.
A member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Fleischner Society for Thoracic Imaging and Diagnosis, Arthur also advises the US Food and Drug Administration on Biomedical Research and respiratory and anesthesiology devices. He has received numerous research awards in recent years, including the Recognition for Scientific Accomplishments Award, (American Thoracic Society), and has published more than 350 peer reviewed articles.
View a signed copy of our Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreement
View a signed copy of our Hospital Service Accountability Agreement
