Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Health Sciences North (HSN) and Ontario Health have appointed Dr. Natalie Aubin as Regional Vice-President, Cancer (Ontario Health) and Vice-President, Social Accountability at HSN, effective April 18th. Dr. Aubin will replace Maureen McLelland who will be retiring after a distinguished 36-year career.
Dr. Aubin served as Administrative Director of the North East Cancer Centre at HSN from 2012 to 2015, and since 2015 as Administrative Director of the Mental Health and Addictions program. She co-leads Northern Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions COVID-19 Response and Recovery.
“We are very excited about this appointment, promoting internal talent. Dr. Aubin was selected among 39 candidates by an 11-member selection committee including representation from Ontario Health, HSN board and leadership, partner hospitals, union leadership, and patient and family advisors,” explained HSN President and CEO, Dominic Giroux.
Over the last 10 years as administrative director of the two largest departments in HSN’s Social Accountability portfolio, she supported the implementation of many priority initiatives such as the first cancer system Quality Based Procedures, the first Virtual Psychiatry Program for rural hospitals in the North, the Northern Outreach Program with Weeneebayko Area Health Authority, HSN’s Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic, Addiction Medicine Consult Service, and a new 20-beds Addictions Medicine Unit. HSN was also selected as one of 10 Network Lead Organizations for the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program.
An Adjunct Professor in Rural and Northern Health at Laurentian University and previous student and researcher with the Institut franco-ontarien, she has advanced knowledge on French-language health human resource planning, seniors healthy aging and learning and seeks to develop and grow a passion for northern health care in students residing in the North.
She has also served as program consultant, casual professor and Manager, Research, Development and Student Support Services at Collège Boréal, Manager, Research and Development at Public Health Sudbury & Districts, and as Supervisor, Quality Assurance and Improvement at the Children’s Aid Society Nipissing & Parry Sound.
Fluently bilingual, she completed a BA in Psychology, a MA in Human Development and a PhD in Human Studies at Laurentian University, and is an alumna from the Northern Leadership Development Program. She completed certificates in Health of Official Language Minority Communities, Healthcare Improvement and Mental Health Law, and training in Indigenous Cultural Safety. She has served on the boards of the North East Community Care Access Centre, Réseau du mieux-être francophone du Nord de l’Ontario, Maison McCullough Hospice, Addictions and Mental Health Ontario, and the Association of General Hospital Psychiatric Services.
“My personal passion as well as my academic and professional career have always focused on addressing priority access and equity-related health concerns for our people in the North, whether this be for Francophone health, children and youth, seniors, Indigenous people or marginalized individuals such as those living with mental health and addictions or experiencing homelessness”, said Dr. Aubin. “It will truly be a privilege to lead our regional cancer program, and champion HSN’s key goal to be socially accountable to the communities we serve”.
Dr. Aubin will lead a team of 653 people and be responsible for a budget of $89 million at the North East Cancer Centre, in Mental Health and Addictions, NEO Kids and Family and Inter-Professional Practice, Indigenous Health, Ethics, Religious and Spiritual Care programs.