Leadership Team
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Lakeridge Health is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees made up of community members, medical staff, volunteer, and Foundation representatives.
Our Senior Management Team is focused on implementing the Strategic Plan of Lakeridge Health. The team is responsible for overseeing the administration of the hospital and relentlessly pursuing quality and safety improvements.
Susan deRyk, Interim President & CEO
Susan deRyk was named Interim President and CEO in February 2020 and brings more than 30 years experience in health care leadership, strategic planning and government relations.
Susan joined Lakeridge Health in 2017 as Executive Vice President & Chief Transformation Officer. In that role, she was responsible for Corporate Strategy Development, Capital Development and Planning, Regional Planning, Information Technology and Clinical Information System implementation, Strategic Communications and Community Development teams with a focus on leading the strategic transformation of the organization.
Prior to Lakeridge Health, Susan held the Joint Vice President, Service Quality & Community Relations position at William Osler Health System, Headwaters Health Care Centre & Central West CCAC – an innovative partnership to bring acute and home and community care organizations under one management team. She was also cross appointed to the William Osler Health System Foundation as Vice President of Marketing and Communications.
Susan also brings a wealth of experience from roles at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, the Ontario Association of Radiologists and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs where she was Chief of Staff to two Ministers.
Phone Susan: 905-683-2320 ext. 15132 (Ajax Pickering) || 905-576-8711 ext. 33002 (Oshawa)
Robert Varga, Interim EVP, Chief Transformation Officer
Robert Varga (Bob) joined Lakeridge Health as interim EVP, Chief Transformation Officer in February 2020. He brings over 30 years of experience in the health and care life sciences, in both public and private sector. A health care executive for almost 20 years, he has worked extensively in both acute and home care sectors.
In his role, Bob is leading our strategy, capital planning, regional planning, communications and community engagement and information technologies that drive the creation of a regional system of acute care across Durham.
Prior to joining Lakeridge, Bob was VP Corporate Support for Closing the Gap, a home care service provider. He also served as VP Corporate Services, and Quality, Risk & Performance for the Central West CCAC. Bob’s regional experience includes Joint VP, Information Management & Technology for William Osler Health Centre, Headwaters Health Care Centre and the CCAC where he led a technology back office integration.
Through his management consulting work with PwC and KPMG health practices, Bob led engagements in health system transformation, strategic planning, quality, performance management, procurement and project management collaborating with a variety of stakeholders to bring integrated, high quality, accessible care to patients and families in communities across Ontario.
Phone Bob: 905-683-2320 ext. 15132
Christine Nuernberger, Interim Executive Vice President, Patient Services
Christine Nuernberger is the Interim Executive Vice President, Patient Services at Lakeridge Health.
Christine joined Lakeridge Health in 2017 as the Vice President, People focusing on patient experience and employee engagement.
Christine has held a variety of leadership positions across the Health Care continuum, including roles in long-term, community and acute care. She continues to deliver on our vision that begins and ends with wonderful, engaged people who support patients and families when they need it the most.
Phone Christine: 905-576-8711 ext. 33003
Dr. Tony Stone, Chief of Staff
Tony has been working in the Lakeridge Health ER since 1992. He is a family doctor from Bowmanville and as Chief of Staff is focused on leading our doctors as they continue to make safety and quality improvements to the care we provide.
Phone Tony: 905-576-8711 ext. 33266
Dr. George Buldo, Vice President, Medical and Academic Affairs
George joined Lakeridge Health in 1997 after completing his training in Internal Medicine and Nephrology at the University of Toronto. He has served as Chief of Nephrology and Chief of Medicine, overseeing growth and specialization in these successful programs, and also served as Chair of the Clinical Services Plan Steering Committee at the CE LHIN. In 2017, George obtained his Master of Science in Health Care Management from Harvard University.
As VPMA George oversees our Medical Directors, working with doctors to improve quality, efficiency, and drive down our wait times and leads our academic and research vision for Lakeridge Health.
Phone George: 905-623-3331 ext. 21357
Natalie Hovey, Vice President, Finance
Natalie came to Lakeridge Health in 2009 from Nova Scotia where she held progressive positions at various hospitals, including Capital Health. Natalie has helped drive our accountability agenda and is also focused on the efficiencies and quality improvements new technology can bring to our hospital.
Phone Natalie: 905-576-8711 ext. 34232
Leslie Motz, Vice President, Clinical Services & Chief Nursing Executive
Leslie Motz is the Chief Nursing Executive and Vice President Clinical Services at Lakeridge Health.
Leslie has worked at Lakeridge Health since 2010. She brings over 20 years of nursing and operational leadership experience in hospitals with a strong commitment to an excellent patient experience.
Leslie volunteers her time at WindReach Farms in Ashburne as a member of the Board of Directors. She also sits on the Canadian College of Health Leaders nursing leadership committee.
Leslie is a registered nurse, holds a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University and is a Certified Healthcare Executive (CHE).
Email Leslie
Phone Leslie: 905-576-8711 ext. 33899
Karen Clark, Interim Vice President, People
Karen Clark brings an extensive and diverse background leading many Human Resources functions including, but not limited to, Compensation and Benefits, Payroll, Labour Relations, Disability Management and Attendance Support activities.
Karen has spent the majority of her career in large, complex unionized environments.
She has held HR management leadership roles in both health care and academic organizations including the Ontario Government, Whitby Mental Health, Rouge Valley Health System and York University. She has served previously as the Interim Vice President Human Resources at Lakeridge Health from March to July of 2017. Karen has been Director, Employee Relations, Operations and Systems at Lakeridge Health since April 2016.
Karen holds a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation and is a member in good standing with the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) of Toronto and Durham Chapters.
Phone Karen: 905-576-8711 ext. 34535
Kirsten Burgomaster PhD, Interim Regional Vice President Cancer Services
Most recently, Kirsten was Regional Director of the Central East Regional Cancer Program (CE RCP) which is a network of cancer services and hospitals providing care to the 1.6 million people who live in Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, Durham and Scarborough. In this role, Kirsten works closely with CE RCP Leadership, Regional Clinical Leads, partner hospitals and agencies to ensure cancer care in the community is aligned with Cancer Care Ontario's goals, standards and best practice guidelines.
Prior to that, Kirsten was the Clinical Director of the Durham Regional Cancer Centre at Lakeridge Health (LH) until 2017, where she was responsible for the leadership and management of the cancer centre. She also served as Director of the Research program at Lakeridge Health. Kirsten is an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and actively participates in collaborative research projects that align with the values, goals, and strategic direction of the organization.
Phone Kirsten: 905-576-8711 ext. 36161
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