Welcome Stephen Samis, the new associate scientific director, policy and partnerships, Centre for Health Policy, O’Brien Institute for Public Health

The O’Brien Institute for Public Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Samis as the new associate scientific director, policy and partnerships, leading its Centre for Health Policy. The O'Brien Institute, committed to advancing public health through research excellence, is thrilled to welcome Stephen into a key role that will drive our mission forward.

Stephen brings more than 25 years of experience in health and healthcare, consistently advocating for evidence-informed health policy and population health to enhance health systems and the well-being of Canadians. Currently serving as president of Samis Health Policy Consulting Inc., Stephen collaborates with diverse clients on health and social policy issues, leadership development, and evidence-informed decision-making within the health and social sectors.

His distinguished career includes a tenure as Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services for the Government of Yukon from 2017 to 2022, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership in shaping health policy. Prior to this, Stephen spent seventeen years in Ottawa, holding progressively senior roles with national health-related organizations, including Vice-President, Programs at the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (now Healthcare Excellence Canada), National Director, Health Policy for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and Manager, Research and Analysis in Population Health at the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Stephen's dedication to the health sector is evident through his service on various boards and committees, including the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies for Health (CADTH), the Canadian Institute for Health Information, and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. Currently serving as a senior policy advisor for the Canadian Health Leadership Network, Stephen's wealth of experience will undoubtedly enrich the O'Brien Institute's goal of advancing evidence-informed considerations of health in all policies through its Centre for Health Policy.

Stephen, who commences his role on Jan. 8, 2024, says he is eager to collaborate with researchers at the University of Calgary to leverage their outstanding work for the betterment of public health and healthcare in Alberta, across Canada, and internationally. In the face of multiple challenges affecting the overall health of Canadians and our communities, Stephen emphasizes the critical role of credible evidence in informing health policy.

As he prepares to take on the role, he says he is excited to contribute to the pivotal role played by the Centre for Health Policy in advancing evidence-informed considerations across all facets of health policy. He views the Centre’s role as a collaborative space where researchers, citizens, the public, not-for-profit organizations, and the private sector come together to discuss complex issues, identify and address evidence gaps, and mobilize evidence from the University of Calgary to advance health in all policies. Drawing from his extensive experience working across silos to advance trans-disciplinary health policy, Stephen says he looks forward to bringing this expertise to his work with researchers across the University and the communities in which it serves.