Senior Management Team

		Ron Gagnon, President & CEO - Ron holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Laurentian University and is a Certified Management Accountant. He is the Secretary to the Board and is a member of all SAH’s Board committees. A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ron joined SAH in April 2001 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer accountable for Finance, Information Technology, Logistics, Clinical Support Services and Environmental Services. He also served as Interim President & CEO in 2004 and 2006. Ron brings experience in public service and competitive industry in both administrative and operational leadership capacities. Prior to joining the SAH, he spent six years as a senior executive with the largest water services organization in Canada. Ron is a past Board member of the Innovation Centre and Sault College. When away from work he and his wife Patty enjoy time with their three children, Alyssa, Deandra and Brodie.
		Marie Paluzzi, Interim Chief Operating Officer - Marie has worked at SAH for the last fifteen years in a number of roles and has been a member of the senior management team for five years. Most recently, she was appointed Interim Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this role, Marie was the Chief Allied Health Professional and Director Clinical Support Services. She has her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Toronto and is a registered Pharmacist with the Ontario College of Pharmacy. Marie received the Jim Mann Ontario Branch Past President’s Award and the Pharmaceutical Care award from the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists. She is a member of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists and has held leadership positions with the Society at the local, provincial and national levels. In addition to having held preceptor positions with the University of Toronto, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marie has volunteered with several professional organizations. She has served on various Catholic School Councils locally and is an active volunteer at St. Gerard Majella Church. Marie enjoys spending time with her family, reading and gardening.
		Max Liedke, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer - Max is a Chartered Accountant and has a Bachelor and Masters degree in Business Administration. He began working at SAH in 2009. Max is a member of the Senior Management Team and is responsible for finance, information management, information and communication technology, supply services, legal services, insurance, decision support and performance improvement as well as being the executive lead overseeing the new hospital project. Max brings over twenty years of experience to SAH. Most recently, he held the role of Chief Financial Officer at Sault College for over six years. He was also the acting President at Sault College for over eighteen months. Max volunteers on several boards with a primary focus on enhancing children's services within the community.
		Ila Watson, Vice President Human Resources - Ila has a Bachelor of Arts, Industrial Relations degree from McGill University. She came to SAH in 2009 and brings with her, twenty years of experience with the Ontario Public Service in various leadership roles in Human Resources, including Director Enterprise Recruitment, Ontario Ministry of Government Services and Director Human Resources, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Ila has been credited with significant achievements during the transformation of human resources service delivery in the Ontario Public Service, and has been a participant and past instructor in Executive Programs, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management. An avid equestrian, Ila is a member of the Board of Directors of Theraputic Ride Algoma. Ila and her husband Ben enjoy sailing in the North Channel.
		Jeff Weeks, Chief Information Officer - Jeff holds a Personal Computer Specialist Associates degree, a Bachelor degree in Business from Lake Superior State University, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Management from Athabasca University. He is currently completing his Masters of Business Administration degree. Jeff came to SAH in 2010. As a member of the Senior Management Team, he is responsible for Information Management and Technology, Health Records, Decision Support, Bio-Medical Engineering and Privacy. Jeff comes to us from Sault College where he has been the Manager of Network Services for the past six years. Before joining Sault College, Jeff was the Manager of Network Services at Fanshawe College and also spent three years as an Adjunct Professor at Lake Superior State University. Jeff is also an active member of the Ontario College Council of Chief Information Officers.
		Dr. Emmalee Marshall, Vice President Medical Affairs - Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Dr. Marshall holds a BSc degree from Laurentian University and a PhD from the University of Guelph. She completed her medical school and residency training in psychiatry at McMaster University and has been a practicing with SAH for six years. She is the clinical director for the mental health inpatient units and the Transitional Care Program, and in October of 2008, took on the role of Vice President Medical Affairs and joined the Senior Management Team. She is also an active member of SAH’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and the Sault Ste. Marie Physician Recruitment and Retention committee.
		Dr. Alan McLean, Chief of Staff - Dr. McLean has played an active role on the Board of Directors as Chief of Staff for the past three years. He is the Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee and serves on various other committees including the Quality and Services Committee of the Board and the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee. Dr. McLean received his medical degree from the University of Western and completed his residency at McMaster University. He is a Family and Emergency department physician and is one of a number of physicians that operates the Sault Care Clinic. Dr. McLean is very active with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM). He has served as the Northern Ontario Family Medicine Program Regional Coordinator, Northern Ontario Medical Education Corporation Area Coordinator of the Algoma District and Assistant Professor, as well as mentoring students in his private practice. Dr. McLean is an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying soccer coaching, biking and camping with his family.
		Johanne Messier-Mann, Chief Nursing Officer & Director Mat/Child Program & Nursing Practice - Johanne has a Nursing Diploma, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and Masters degrees in both Education and Business Administration. She has served on the Senior Management Team for over two years. Johanne has over thirty years of experience in the health care field and has held numerous education and management positions in areas including Intensive Care and Surgical Unit, Long Term Care, Psychiatry, Hospital Information Services and Decision Support to name a few. Johanne has also served as the Chief Privacy Officer. She has taught the Masters Diploma Nursing Program Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology. Johanne has been active on several local and provincial organizations and volunteers for the SAH Foundation. She is a Certified Health Executive through the Canadian College of Health Services Executives (CCHSE) and is an evaluator for the CCHSE, marking papers, reviewing papers for publications and interviewing candidates.
		Mario Paluzzi, Director Communications & Public Affairs - Mario joined SAH and the Senior Management Team in 2008. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Business Administration degree in Marketing from the Schulich School of Business, York University. He worked for approximately fifteen years in the advertising business in Toronto developing Marketing and Communications strategies/campaigns for a diverse group of clients. During this time, he served in various client-servicing capacities of increasing responsibility, most recently as Vice President, Group Account Director at Bates Advertising Canada Inc. prior to returning to Sault Ste. Marie 1994. Before joining SAH, Mario spent almost seven years at Industry Canada/FedNor as a Communications Officer. He was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie and is married to Marie with three children - Tara, Michael and AJ. In his spare time, he enjoys watching sports, boating and fishing.
		Cheryl Pavoni, Executive Director Sault Area Hospital Foundation - Cheryl is responsible for developing, implementing and managing a comprehensive development program that ensures the Foundation maximizes its fund raising potential. She is a graduate of Lake Superior State University and has over 21 years of fundraising experience. Cheryl has been a member of the Senior Management Team for seven years. She has worked with SAH’s Foundation in all areas of fundraising including the annual, major and planned giving programs as well as managing all donor recognition, cultivation and stewardship programs. Cheryl was actively involved in the successful Capital Campaign to build and equip the new hospital which raised over $28 million. She and her husband Andy enjoy spending quality time with their two sons Jordan and Jake.

* Photographs by Neil MacEwan