After seven years with Island Health, as Vice President – People, and for the past six months as Executive Business Lead for the provincial Human Capital Management System (HCMS)
project, Sharon Torgerson has shared with me her plans to retire at the end of June.
During her time with Island Health, Sharon brought the experience of her long career in human resource leadership to help us respond to some of our greatest challenges – from supporting and protecting members of the Island Health family through our COVID-19 response, including acting as Chief Nursing officer for seven months, stepping into a provincial and national leadership role to address the significant health human resource challenges we face, to advancing our People culture through implementation of province-leading organization-wide engagement surveys, and robust talent development, succession planning, and Accountable Leader programs.
Sharon's career started as a nurse in acute care in 1980. While she hasn't worked the front lines of health care for many years, it is clear that Sharon's passion for patient care and for care teams has guided her throughout her time as a leader at Island Health.
As Vice President, her commitment to people-first leadership, working together in collaboration, driving excellence in human resources and labour relations practices, unwavering executive sponsorship of the Workplace Culture Council, and helping create the next generation of People leadership in our organization, has served Island Health well and positions us to address the challenges and opportunities we face today and into the future.
On a personal note, I remember meeting Sharon for the first time in 2015, not long after I arrived at Island Health. When I first encountered Sharon, I knew she was a kindred spirit because she recognized that to achieve excellence in health and care, you need excellent leaders to attract and retain the very best people who have a desire to serve patients and communities. I was grateful in 2018 when she had the opportunity to join our team as VP of People.
Sharon will return from her Ministry secondment on May 31 and then take her remaining holidays before retiring on June 27.
I've asked Jamie Braman to continue as Interim Vice President – People, a role he has held since Sharon's secondment to the Ministry of Health last October, while we work through the provincial government's Health Administrative Review.
Please join me in congratulating Sharon on her retirement and thanking her for her service to the Island Health family and the communities we serve. Sharon is looking forward to more time on the golf course with her husband and long walks with Kevin, the Cavapoo. She'll always have a place in the story of our organization. I will miss her, and I know others will too.
~ Kathy MacNeil, President & CEO