Stories category: Our Team

Health Quality Council of Alberta announces chief executive officer

Brent Windwick, board chair of the Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA), is pleased to announce the appointment of Charlene McBrien-Morrison as chief executive officer, effective immediately.

“Charlene’s 18 years with the HQCA, including more than 30 years in progressive leadership roles in Alberta’s health system position her well to take on this new executive leadership position. Her time serving as Acting CEO demonstrated her strength in guiding the organization through times of tremendous change, from responding to amendments to the HQCA Act in 2020, to steering the HQCA team through the pandemic,” says Mr. Windwick.

Prior to her appointment to Acting CEO in July 2020, Charlene served as executive director of the HQCA. Charlene previously worked within the former Calgary District Hospital Group and Calgary Health Region, Calgary Laboratory Services, and Carewest.

In addition to her formal training as a medical laboratory technologist where she started her career in healthcare, Charlene holds a Master of Business Administration in Executive Management from Royal Roads University, and is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

Join our Patient and Family Advisory Committee

The Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) is recruiting for a new member to join our Patient and Family Advisory Committee.

“The HQCA’s success relies on having a patient and family perspective across our projects,” says Charlene McBrien-Morrison, acting chief executive officer for the HQCA. “Engaging with and listening to our Patient and Family Advisory Committee is one meaningful way in which we do this. Our members’ unique perspectives and diverse experiences inform and influence how we pursue opportunities to improve health service quality and patient safety for Albertans.”

This Committee is made up of a group of 11 people from across the province and various backgrounds, who provide input to the HQCA to help improve aspects of Alberta’s publicly-funded healthcare system. The Committee reports directly to the HQCA Board of Directors and focuses on issues of patient safety, person-centered care, and health service quality from the system perspective.

“Our team of patient and family advisors work incredibly well together and everyone has an opportunity to speak and be heard – I greatly enjoy serving on this Committee,” says Dr. Greg Powell, HQCA Patient and Family Advisory Committee Chair. “The HQCA listens to and considers our viewpoints, and provides meaningful opportunities to participate in their work and activities.”

Applicants must be 18 years or older, reside in Alberta, and have a passion for improving the quality of Alberta’s healthcare system.

Committee members are appointed for a term of three years and may serve a maximum of two terms. Meetings are held four times each year on a Saturday. Currently these are virtual meetings, but pre-pandemic were rotated between Calgary and Edmonton, which may return in the future. The HQCA provides Committee members with an honorarium for their time.

Anyone interested in becoming a member can find more details about this opportunity and the Expression of Interest Form here.

Appointment of Charlene McBrien-Morrison as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the HQCA

The HQCA has announced the appointment of Charlene McBrien-Morrison as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the HQCA, effective June 12. Charlene’s 16 years with the HQCA, the majority of which was as Executive Director, and more than two decades of healthcare leadership experience, will position her well to lead the organization as Acting CEO.

Under Charlene’s leadership, the strong team of the HQCA will continue to deliver on the organization’s legislated mandate to improve the quality and safety of healthcare services in Alberta.

In the near future the Board will be launching a national search for the permanent CEO.

“The Board is appreciative to Charlene for stepping forward to take on this acting role in the interim,” says Brent Windwick, HQCA Board Chair.

We also recognize and thank Andrew Neuner for his significant contributions to the HQCA, and are grateful for his many years of dedication to quality and safety improvement in Alberta’s healthcare system and wish him well in his future endeavours.”

HQCA announces new Board Chair and new Board member appointments

New HQCA Board member appointments

The following individuals have been appointed by Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor in Council to the HQCA Board of Directors, effective Nov. 6, 2018:

  • Dr. Trevor Theman (Edmonton) as the organization’s new Chair of the Board of Directors
  • Sandi Kossey (Edmonton)
  • Shirley Kine (Canmore)
  • Mohammad Masood Peracha (Edmonton)

Congratulations to these individuals on their appointment.

The HQCA looks forward to working with these new Board members as we continue to pursue our mandate to improve patient safety and health service quality across the province.

Deepest thank you to Deborah Apps, who stepped forward as Acting Chair after Dr. Tony Fields’ term came to a close last May. Her commitment to this organization and its mission to improve patient safety and health service quality for Albertans is greatly appreciated.

HQCA announces new Chief Executive Officer

Message from Dr. Tony Fields, Chair, Health Quality Council of Alberta:

As Chair of the Health Quality Council of Alberta’s (HQCA) Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce Mr. Andrew Neuner as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 8, 2014.

Mr. Neuner is an accomplished and visionary healthcare executive leader. He has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, most recently with Interior Health in British Columbia, one of the largest health regions in Canada, where he is Vice President, Community Integration.

Mr. Neuner’s extensive skills, breadth of experience, and passion for improving healthcare quality will effectively position him to lead the HQCA into the future. The HQCA’s success in improving patient safety and health service quality in Alberta is dependent on our objective perspective of healthcare quality, effective collaboration with our stakeholders, and listening to the voice of Albertans. Mr. Neuner has the right skill set to meet these needs and continue the successful momentum the HQCA has gained since its inception 11 years ago.

In his outgoing role as Vice President, Community Integration at Interior Health, Mr. Neuner ensures that patients experience coordinated and continuous care among all community health services, including public health, community care, primary care, and mental health. He was previously Chief Operating Officer with Interior Health, and Chief Executive Officer of Cornwall Hospital in Ontario. Mr. Neuner holds a Master of Arts in Leadership & Training, a Master of Business Administration, and a Bachelor of Health Services Administration.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Patricia Pelton, Acting Chief Executive Officer, for her commitment to the HQCA over the last 10 months. Under her effective leadership the HQCA was able to smoothly navigate the organization through several significant projects. She has demonstrated unwavering dedication to improving Alberta’s health system, and we are grateful for her contributions. Ms. Pelton will remain with the HQCA until September 7, 2014.

We thank Albertans and all of our stakeholders for their continued support as the HQCA continues to fulfill its mandate to improve patient safety and health service quality across the province.

A. L. A. (Tony) Fields, CM, MA, MD, FRCPC, FACP
Chair
Health Quality Council of Alberta