Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care is announcing the appointments of three senior leaders as the hospital realigns its resources to best meet its current and future goals.
These appointments will ensure Waypoint continues to successfully execute on its ambitious and inspiring strategic commitments, focusing on providing exceptional experiences for and with patients, clients and their families and care partners, supporting staff wellness and retention in a positive and fulfilling care environment, and collaborating to advance mental health, addiction and geriatric care within the broader health care system.
We have been thoughtful about the next steps for our organizational structure given the upcoming September retirement of Linda Adams, our Vice President, Patient Experience & Chief Nursing Executive. These leadership changes are aligned with our values, continue to develop leaders in our organization, are budget neutral, and will support the Waypoint team to continue to lead, collaborate and partner to advance a better future.
Dr. Nadiya Sunderji, Waypoint’s President & CEO
Summary of Senior Leadership Changes
Effective June 3, 2024, Rob Desroches assumed the role of Senior Vice-President, Clinical Services and will assume the role of Chief Nursing Executive effective July 22, 2024.
Between now and September 13, 2024, Adams and Desroches will work closely together to ensure a seamless transition within our organization and with our partners and stakeholders.
The portfolio includes the current Clinical Services portfolio as well as the Patient Experience portfolio. This decision reflects Desroches’s demonstrated deep expertise and dedication to Waypoint’s mission and values. With several decades of service at Waypoint, he brings unparalleled experience and knowledge of the hospital’s valuable and challenging work, and everyone who knows him appreciates the deeply compassionate and patient-centred mindset he brings to identify creative solutions and advance strategic initiatives.
“It is an honour to serve our patients and work alongside such a dedicated and talented team,” says Desroches, who joined Waypoint as a staff nurse in 1992 and was most recently Vice President, Clinical Services & Chief Operating Officer. “Waypoint is committed to providing excellence in mental health and addiction care, and I am excited to continue this mission in this new role.”
To support Desroches, Waypoint has created two interim Assistant Vice President positions that will report directly to him. These appointments take effect July 22, 2024.
Chad Draper, currently the Director of the Awenda, Bayview & Beckwith programs, will assume the role of interim Assistant Vice-President, Clinical Services. Draper will have all of the inpatient forensic mental healthcare programs, including the High Secure Provincial Forensic Programs and Brebeuf, and the Clinical Liaison Office for Ontario Review Board matters as part of his portfolio.
Yaakov Keilikhis, currently the Director of Quality, Professional Practice and Patient Safety, will assume the role of interim Assistant Vice-President for Patient Experience, Quality & Professional Practice. Keilikhis will oversee Quality, Patient Safety, IPAC & Patient Relations, Practice & Performance, Pharmacy and Ethics & Spiritual Care within his portfolio.
“I look forward to the valuable contributions I know Rob, Chad and Yaakov will make as servant leaders focused on excellent patient care and staff well-being,” says Dr. Sunderji. “I’d also like to express my gratitude to Linda for her leadership and dedication over the last eight years. Her commitment to staff development and quality patient care will have a lasting impact at Waypoint and will inspire us in the future.”