Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Developing Emerging Leaders In Health Care

Vernissage Health focusses on the inner work of leadership in health care. Through self reflection, storytelling and deep listening, emerging leaders are invited to cultivate the mindsets and awareness required to lead positive change in health care. Together, with established leaders later in their careers, we learn the ‘art and craft of leadership’.

Health Leaders Dialogue Series

The exploration of leadership is undertaken during a series of dialogue sessions between emerging (graduate students and early career leaders) and established leaders (mid to late-career leaders) in health care. Woven together, these sessions form a “conversation” about leadership - with one another and within ourselves.

During sessions, each participant is invited to listen, share stories and reflect. Poetry, mindfulness, and affirmations are just some of the unique offerings used within the series to deepen learning and long-term impact. Using our Touchstones of Dialogue, Vernissage Health hosts create a safe and trusting environment where people feel invited to speak from the heart about leadership.

Built to Lead Podcast Series

The Built to Lead podcast series is an annual student-directed companion initiative augmenting the Dialogue Series for Health Leaders. Built on the leadership tenets of Vernissage Health, this podcast profiles a diverse range of health leaders in reflective conversations about their leadership beliefs and journeys. Each episode is an engaging conversation, hosted by emerging leaders, exploring contemporary aspects of health care leadership. Built to Lead is available on all major streaming platforms.

Early Career Leadership Coaching and Mentoring

As part of the early career health leaders program, established leaders serve as mentors to provide 1:1 mentorship and coaching offerings to support alumni early in their career in health care leadership. Assessment of current leadership practices is provided on entry to the program and coaching is based on leadership development goals to deepend leadership practices early in one's career.

Special Leadership Learning Sessions

For those emerging and early career leaders who want a dive deep into different aspects of their leadership practices, Vernissage Health hosts tailored sessions for small group learning. Topics have included Deepening the Art of Storytelling in Health care, Leadership During Crisis, and Exploring the Mindsets of Leadership. Registration is required. To request to host a small group session, please contact the Project Lead directly.

Our Values and Teaching Touchstones

Leadership is a Garden to be Tended and a Labour of Love

Here at Vernissage Health, we are driven by a single goal - to do our part to develop and support future emerging leaders in health care who will make the world a better place for all. Our approach to leadership development is informed by evidence but emanates from empathy and compassion that grew out of our own leadership journeys. We strive to develop leaders who are self aware, listen deeply to others, are empathic and resilient. They are also leaders who approach the world and their work with appreciation and gratitude.

Project Team

The Vernissage Health Project Team consists of University-affiliated, established leaders with significant leadership experience at the executive level in the health system in Canada. In particular, all members of the project team have focused on leading or facilitating positive health system change and transformation. The Team also includes early career leaders, who have experienced Vernissage Health, who serve as cohosts and role models during the Dialogue Series. All members of the Project Team have a firm commitment to respecting, promoting, and appreciating diversity, equity and inclusion in health care and its leadership practices.

IHPME Senior Fellow, Founder and Project Lead, Vernissage Health

Wendy Nelson

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Director, Sandra Rotman Centre for Health Sector Strategy, Project

Co-Lead, IHPME/Rotman Series

Rosemary Hannam

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IHPME Senior Fellow Project

Co-Lead

Malcolm Moffat

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IHPME Senior Fellow Project

Co-Lead

Dr. Isser Dubinsky

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Assistant Professor, St. Francis Xavier University, Adjunct Scientist, Women's College Hospital, Dialogue Series Cohost

Arlinda Ruco

PhD, MPH, BScH

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Project Advisor, Vernissage Health

PhD Candidate and Senior Research Associate; Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health, DLSPH

Dr. Michael Anderson, MD, MSc, FRCSC

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Gratitude to Partners

A Shared Aim: Developing the Future Success of Emerging Leaders in Health Care

We thank the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH), the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), and the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and Associated Medical Services (AMS), for their past foundational and ongoing support of Vernissage Health.