Whos Listening

Dr. Verna Yiu is a longtime front-line care provider and healthcare administrator who currently serves as President and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS), Canada’s first and largest provincewide health system.

Under her leadership, AHS has completed the rollout of the organization’s vision, values and four foundational strategies. Dr. Yiu helped oversee the development of the 2017-2020 AHS Health Plan and Business Plan, which will act as a roadmap for AHS as it enters the next decade. Dr. Yiu believes healthcare is a people business and, as such, she continues to focus on strengthening relationships with AHS’ many partners, including government; academic institutions; health foundations; the AHS workforce; patients, clients and families; and communities across the province.

In her previous AHS role, Dr. Yiu served as Vice President, Quality and Chief Medical Officer between August 2012 and December 2015. She managed the integration and co-ordination of a diverse, complex, end-to-end health delivery model for the province through accountabilities for five functional areas: Quality & Healthcare Improvement, Strategic Clinical Networks, Clinical Informatics and Clinical Information Systems, Medical Affairs, and partnerships with academic institutions and other physician-led organizations.

Prior to joining AHS, Dr. Yiu served as Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta and also held senior positions in the dean’s office from 2000.

Dr. Yiu is a graduate of the University of Alberta (U of A) and Harvard University, and is currently a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta.

Dr. Yiu has also led various areas of health administration for more than 15 years, both within the healthcare delivery system and in academic settings.

She continues to practise as a pediatric nephrologist.

Colleen is an experienced communications leader skilled in government relations, issues management, stakeholder engagement and strategic communications. She is a former journalist with a passion for storytelling, and connecting individuals and organizations to support and further common goals.

In her current role, Colleen manages a number of complex issues that define Alberta’s health care system, from emergency services to home care and public health issues.

It’s also her role to make sure the organization’s community partners, and four million Albertans, have input into changes that affect their health care system.

Colleen draws from skills and experience gathered over more than two decades spent communicating with Albertans. She worked as an editor at the Calgary Herald and as a vice president in the Communications Department of the University of Calgary prior to joining AHS in 2010.

Colleen holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in journalism, a Bachelor of Arts in French literature, and a Master’s degree in education. She also is an accredited business communicator through the International Association of Business Communicators.

Colleen is an active volunteer in the community, participating in various activities in the school systems and volunteering with ringette, hockey and lacrosse teams.

Colleen is the proud mom of two children, and spends her free time running, cycling, skiing, and driving her children to rinks across the province.