Meet Carla
Our Founding Director
Professional expertise born from personal journey. Combining healthcare executive credentials with patient partnership leadership to create sustainable health equity solutions for Northern Ontario.
Values That Guide Everything I Do
Honesty - The foundation of credibility in leadership, particularly in healthcare. Speaking truthfully about experiences and limitations while accurately representing patient perspectives without embellishment.
Humanity - Recognizing the inherent dignity in every person and keeping human needs at the center of all healthcare decisions. Approaching each interaction with compassion while balancing emotional connection with evidence-based approaches.
Open-mindedness - Remaining receptive to diverse perspectives, especially when they challenge personal experiences or assumptions. Actively seeking viewpoints that differ from lived experience to build more comprehensive solutions.
Optimism - Maintaining hope for meaningful improvement in healthcare despite systemic challenges. Balancing realistic assessment of barriers with unwavering belief in the possibility of positive change.
Self-awareness - Continuously examining motives, biases, and limitations while recognizing when personal experiences enhance or potentially limit perspective. Balancing confidence in experiential knowledge with humility about its boundaries.
Core Values
Leadership Vision
I will transform how lived experience is valued in healthcare by building bridges between patients, clinicians, researchers, and administrators. Through Northern Health Equity Consulting and interdisciplinary health education, I will create platforms where experiential knowledge stands equal to clinical expertise in healthcare decision-making.
My leadership will help develop systems where those with lived experience occupy recognized leadership positions, and where patient perspectives directly shape research priorities and system design.
Why This Work Matters
Health equity isn't abstract policy for me – it's personal. Since 2022, navigating Northern Ontario's healthcare system while managing ongoing health challenges taught me where the gaps are, how barriers compound, and why traditional consulting often misses the mark.
The reality? Health challenges don't always "look" like what people expect. Invisible illness, complex conditions, and system navigation challenges affect millions of Canadians, yet our healthcare system often fails to understand these experiences. This lived expertise, combined with intentionally developed professional credentials, creates insights no traditional consultant can offer.
When I was frustrated by my inability to access healthcare positions and create change through traditional channels, I decided to build my own path. This experience taught me that expertise doesn't always come from a graduate degree – it comes from combining lived experience with intentional professional development and a commitment to sustainable impact.
Mission: Build sustainable vehicles for health equity work that honor both professional expertise and authentic community connection.
Professional Foundation & Experience
Every certification, credential, and professional development opportunity has been strategically chosen to serve health equity goals. This isn't accidental career development – it's intentional preparation to transform healthcare systems from the inside out. My colleagues describe me as someone who brings "strategic vision and operational expertise" with "exceptional ability to bring people together, foster inclusive discussions, and champion a vision that is both compassionate and practical.”
Education & Certifications
Honours Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto
Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Administration, University of Victoria
Healthcare Leadership,, Rotman School of Management / Dalla Lana School of Public Health
The First Nations Principles of OCAP® Training
San'yas Cultural Safety Training
CIHR Training in Community-Engaged Research
Healthcare Excellence Canada Programs
NOSM University Clinician Teacher Certificate
In Progress: HEC-C (Healthcare Ethics Consultant-Certified) - Fall 2025
Foundational Experience in Change Management
I've always been in the business of change – it just started smaller. My career began with transforming a non-profit arts organization, moved to helping mission-based small businesses improve their operations and impact, and now I'm taking on healthcare systems. Each step built the skills essential for sustainable transformation: stakeholder management, complex project coordination, strategic planning, and the ability to balance empathy with action. Whether I was managing festival operations with tight timelines and multiple stakeholders or helping small businesses navigate operational challenges, the core work has always been the same – understanding systems, identifying barriers, and creating practical solutions that work for real people in real contexts. Healthcare is simply the most complex and highest-stakes environment where these change management skills can make a difference.
What Colleagues Say
"Carla has always been prepared and passionate. She is a constant champion for the North, and is vigilant in looking for ways to improve equity and diversity. She effectively uses her voice in service of patients and their families."
— Christine Williams, PhD, President (Interim), Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
"Carla has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring that the voices of patients, especially those from equity-deserving groups, are heard and integrated at every level of work at HSN and HSNRI."
— Suchita Bali, Manager of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism, Health Sciences North
"She is at once an incredibly articulate, passionate, intelligent and influential who is also particularly adept at remaining mindful of 3CTN's overall strategic aims... particularly adept at remaining mindful of strategic aims while informing project activities and outcome measures."
— Stephen Sundquist, Executive Director, Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network
"Her ability to engage and connect with diverse audiences was on full display, creating an atmosphere of inclusivity, warmth, and respect... Her consistent insightful commentary and articulate facilitation helped bridge the gap between researchers, clinicians, and patients."
— Robert V. Campos PhD, Senior Director, Research Operations, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
"She has a unique gift for balancing empathy with action, ensuring that patient voices are not only heard but actively shape the decisions that impact their care... She is an advocate, a collaborator, and a leader in the truest sense of the word."
— Michelle Audoin, Chair, Canadian Cancer Trials Group Patient Representative Committee
"She is driven by a passion to advocate for patients that is inspiring... She has the lived experience that is instrumental to include in all levels of advocacy. In one word – Carla is unstoppable."
— Dr. Lacey Pitre, Medical Oncologist & Chief of Oncology, Health Sciences North
"She embodies the spirit of resilience, patient advocacy, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of individuals affected by cancer... Her dedication to enhancing patient care, coupled with her unique perspective, has significantly influenced our organization's approach."
— Dr. Robert Ohle, Vice President Academic & Research Impact, Health Sciences North
Ready to Work Together?
Whether you're a healthcare executive looking for authentic patient engagement expertise, a community organization needing professional-level support, or somewhere in between, let's explore how we can partner for sustainable health equity.
Contact for:
Speaking engagements and workshop facilitation
Health equity consulting and organizational development
Patient engagement training and support
Community partnership development
Academic collaboration and research partnerships
Connect With Me:
Email: carla@northernhealthequity.ca
Phone: 705-677-8075
Professional Networks: LinkedIn and healthcare communities