Northern Health (NH) is proud to celebrate the achievement of Stacey Pickering, Regional Director of Employee Experience and Organizational Development, who last year completed the Certified Health Executive (CHE) program and was awarded the CHE designation through the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL). This program is designed to support leadership development in the health sector, and promotes self-directed, lifelong learning. This milestone reflects not only Stacey’s personal commitment to leadership excellence but also the opportunities NH provides for professional growth that helped prepare her for this undertaking.
A career built on purpose and people
Stacey joined Northern Health in 2017 as the Coordinator for Specialty Education, balancing part-time work with raising a young family. With a background in cultural anthropology and a career that began in public relations at the University of Northern BC, Stacey brought a unique perspective to her roles in health care. Her journey also included time as an academic advisor in the School of Nursing, where she deepened her understanding of the health care landscape.
Driven by a desire to contribute to meaningful change, Stacey transitioned into leadership roles within NH, including Regional Manager of Organizational Education and Training, Strategic Lead in Workforce Sustainability, and now Director of Employee Experience and Organizational Development. Along the way, she also served as the Regional Manager, Student Practice Education, where she led the growth of a small team into a thriving regional portfolio, including the expansion of the Employed Student Nurse (ESN) program from a summer to year-round employment opportunity for future nurses.
Why the CHE?
Stacey is no stranger to higher education and has sought out opportunities to expand her people-centered approach. She has completed internal leadership development programs, including CORE LINX and Experience LINX, Coaching out of the Box, and Crucial Conversations. She also holds a Masters certificate in Change Management, and is nearing completion of a Masters certificate in Health Care Management. Stacey pursued the CHE designation to deepen her leadership practice and align with the LEADS framework – a set of skills, behaviours, abilities, and knowledge required to lead in the health care system - which underpins the national framework for health leadership training and NH’s LINX leadership programs. The CHE journey involved a year-long commitment of coursework, mentorship, a 360-degree feedback assessment, and a comprehensive leadership development plan.
“This program gave me the opportunity to reflect deeply on my leadership style, embrace feedback, and grow my practice as a leader,” Stacey shared. “It helped me lean into my strengths and be intentional about how I support others in their development.”
Key learnings and impact
Through the CHE program, Stacey honed competencies in self-awareness, self-management, and self-development — essential skills for creating culturally and psychologically safe workplaces. She credits the program with transforming her leadership practice and reinforcing the importance of humility, vulnerability, and continuous learning.
“The CHE helped me see my competencies, where I had room to grow, and gave me the tools to do so,” she said. “It’s not an easy program—it requires courage, critical self-reflection, and support—but it’s incredibly rewarding.”
She is grateful for the support she received from her mentors, including Vash Ebbadi-Cook, who provided a thoughtful sounding board to be able to debrief, dialogue, and review her progress throughout the assessment process.
Looking ahead
Stacey continues to invest in her leadership development, currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Health Administration. She’s passionate about embedding the CHE pathway into NH’s leadership development offerings in the future and is eager to support others on a similar journey.
Stacey was quick to offer her support for others looking to grow in their own leadership and wanted to acknowledge that she was not the first to achieve this success.
“There are others within NH who also hold the CHE designation, and I’d love to see more of our leaders take this step,” she said. “If anyone is curious about the program, I’d be happy to share my experience.”
A model of growth and opportunity
Stacey’s story is a great example of how Northern Health supports leadership development and fosters a culture of continuous learning. Her journey—from part-time coordinator to CHE-certified director—demonstrates what’s possible when passion, purpose, and opportunity align.
Please join us in congratulating Stacey on this incredible achievement!
Comments