Executive Council
October 22, 2009
New Chair for Eastern Health�s
Board of Trustees Announced
The Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of
Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced that Michael
J. O�Keefe is the new Chair of the Board of Trustees of
Eastern Health, effective today.
�Mr. O�Keefe brings a wealth of senior executive
experience in health care administration to his role as
chair,� said Premier Williams. �I look forward to the
leadership and guidance he will bring to the Board of
Trustees.�
Mr. O�Keefe is currently Senior Advisor with Pan
Canadian Medical School Alliance, an alliance of nine
Canadian medical schools. Prior to taking that position
in 2008, he held many other senior executive positions
in health care, including Chair, Canadian Hospitals
Network International; President and Chief Executive
Officer, Interhealth Canada Ltd.; Executive Vice
President/Chief Operating Officer, The Toronto Hospital;
and, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer, Ottawa Civic Hospital.
Formed in 2005 from the merger of seven health
organizations, Eastern Health offers a full continuum of
health and community services and covers the area from
St John�s to Port Blandford, including the Avalon, Burin
and Bonavista Peninsulas.
With over 12,000 employees, Eastern Health is the
largest integrated health organization in Atlantic
Canada, serving a regional population of 300,000. It
also offers province-wide tertiary health care services
and is a highly respected teaching and research
organization.
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Biographical Information
Michael J. O�Keefe
Michael J. O�Keefe is currently Senior Advisor, Pan
Canadian Medical School Alliance, an alliance of nine
Canadian medical schools, a position he has held since
June 2008. His earlier positions included Chair,
Canadian Hospitals Network International, an
international healthcare management company with
projects in the Middle East and United Kingdom. He was
also President and Chief Executive Officer, Interhealth
Canada Ltd., where he had served earlier as Chief
Executive Officer, Shaikh Khalifa Medical Centre in Abu
Dhabi, and later as Regional Director Middle East.
Mr. O�Keefe also worked as Director of Newcourt
Capital�s institutional care division; Director of the
health care division of Ray & Berndtson Lovas Stanley;
President and Chief Executive Officer of Ontario�s
Workplace Safety & Insurance Board; Executive Vice
President/Chief Operating Officer, The Toronto Hospital;
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
Ottawa Civic Hospital; President and Chief Executive
Officer, York-Finch General Hospital, Toronto. Early in
his career he was Assistant Executive Director at the
Health Sciences Complex in St. John�s.
His professional activities include having served as
Chair of the Toronto District Health Council. Among his
current activities, he is a member of the International
Expert Panel � Canadian Council on Health Facilities
Accreditation, and member of the Governance and
Leadership Council, Ontario Hospital Association.
Mr. O�Keefe holds a master of hospital administration
degree from the University of Toronto, and a bachelor of
commerce from St. Mary�s University in Halifax.
2009 10 22
1:40 p.m.
