New executive program with Waterloo Region Health Network helps health care executives navigate ongoing AI transformation
WatSPEED, the University of Waterloo’s professional, executive and corporate education arm, recently joined forces with the Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) to deliver a new executive education program focused on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on health care.
The two-day program, held earlier this week, was designed to equip WRHN senior leaders with the strategic insights and skills required to lead transformation initiatives in a rapidly evolving AI landscape. It responds to growing demand among health organisations for leaders who can navigate the operational, clinical and ethical implications of generative and agentic AI.
“This collaboration with WRHN reflects the urgent need for senior decision-makers in health care to not only understand AI, but to lead with it responsibly,” says Aaron Pereira, executive director of WatSPEED. “AI is shaping patient care and hospital operations, and this investment in our region’s health care leaders will strengthen their capacity to drive innovation, improve system performance and confidently lead transformation.”
As part of the learning experience, more than 30 participants gained a practical understanding of how AI can be strategically applied within hospitals and health systems.
“Building literacy and leadership capacity around AI is essential for any health system preparing for the future,” says Danina Kapetanovic, vice president of innovation and chief health innovation officer at WRHN and Waterloo. “Working with WatSPEED to shape this program ensured it supported the leadership capabilities we need as we build WRHN’s AI strategy. It helped spark meaningful conversations among our team about the future of health in Waterloo Region, the vision we are defining for WRHN, and the conditions we need to put in place to adopt AI responsibly.”
The course featured sessions led by several Waterloo faculty experts, including Dr. Joël Blit, professor of economics; Dr. John Hirdes, professor in the School of Public Health Sciences; Dr. Jimmy Lin, Cheriton Chair in the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science; Mark Weber, special advisor to the provost on leadership strategy and development; Dr. Ian McKillop, associate professor of management and systems in the School of Public Health Sciences; Dr. Ana Crisan, assistant professor at the Cheriton School; and Michael Page, WatSPEED program advisor and director of AI commercialization at Unity Health Toronto.
Their cross-sector expertise enabled in-depth exploration of strategic AI adoption, the evolution from predictive to generative AI, agentic systems, digital maturity and leadership approaches for driving transformation in health care.
Part of Waterloo’s broader efforts to support Canadian health-care leaders as they respond to — and help shape — the technological and societal shifts driven by AI, this collaboration with WRHN connects research with real-world outcomes to prepare leaders to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
As AI continues to reshape industries, continuous learning and development are essential to building capacity for innovation, resilience and ethical decision-making. Through initiatives like this, Waterloo invests in inclusive, future-focused education that empowers professionals, executives and organisations to lead with impact.
