After 14 years, the CEO of Interior Health has announced she is retiring at the end of the year.
Susan Brown has worked in the provincial health system for 34 years and was the CEO of IH for the past seven.
She will continue to serve as CEO until December 2025 while IH’s board of directors begin recruiting the next president and CEO.
“On behalf of British Columbians, I extend our deepest appreciation to Susan for her leadership and dedication to serving patients and communities during her 34-year career in the provincial health system,” said Minister of Health, Josie Osborne.
“From her first days as a nurse in the emergency department at Vancouver General Hospital to her current role at the helm of Interior Health Authority, Susan’s lifetime of service has made a lasting impact to patients and their families across the province.”
Interior Health said innovation was a constant focus of Brown’s leadership.
A few projects that happened during her tenure include the opening of the first Urgent and Primary Care Centre in the province in Kamloops in 2018.
Since then 10 more have opened, the latest being in February in Williams Lake.
New specialized cardiac and stroke services were added at Kelowna General Hospital and the approval of the Kamloops Cancer Centre also happened during her tenure.
Additionally, IH advanced its work to embed cultural safety and antiracism in the organization in an effort to improve health outcomes in 54 First Nations and 14 Métis communities.
“During a time of profound uncertainty, through the COVID-19 pandemic and several natural disasters in the interior, Susan has been an extraordinary leader and a force for positive change; her leadership and presence enabled the continuation of high-quality patient care while keeping people throughout the interior safe,” said Dr. Robert Halpenny, Chair, Interior Health Board of Directors.
