New CEO takes over at Sault Area Hospital

Sault Ste. Marie -

Sault Area Hospital has a new face at the top. The facility's new president and chief executive officer is Ila Watson.

Watson replaces Wendy Hansson, who stepped down earlier this summer. Watson acknowledges she is taking over the top spot at a challenging time.

"It has been an incredibly busy time for healthcare and for so many in the community as well," said Watson. "We are still in the pandemic. We don't exactly know what the fourth wave will be bringing us."

As she moves into her new role, Watson said she has the benefit of having worked at the hospital since 2009. She said her first order of business is to establish a strategic plan.

"There are some things that I'm really looking forward to as we bring that plan together," Watson said. "One is a focus on diversity and inclusion. We've already started some very exciting work to be a better service provider to the Indigenous people that we serve. That's something that I'm hoping that we can expand upon."

Watson's appointment takes effect immediately. She said she's aiming to unveil the hospital's new strategic plan sometime in the fall.