Shirlee M. Sharkey, President & CEO CHE, MHSc, BScN, BA, LLD (honoris causa)

Shirlee’s background as a registered nurse combined with her experiences in a variety of health care settings, have infused her two and a half decades of leadership of Saint Elizabeth by allowing her to influence and guide her staff and the health system from a solid foundation of authenticity. Under her strategic and people-powered vision, the not-for-profit charitable organization has enjoyed exponential growth and expansion, and facilitated transformative solutions in areas such as Indigenous health, end of life care, and caregiver wellness and support.

Today, Saint Elizabeth is a national social enterprise providing home care, health solutions and education to people where they are and when they need it. Through its team of 9,000 leaders and professional, Saint Elizabeth delivers 20,000 care exchanges daily.  Active in public service, Shirlee is the current Chair of Excellence Canada. Academically, Shirlee is cross-appointed to the University of Toronto’s Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation as an adjunct professor. In 2017, she was presented with an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.