After almost 11 years as the Health Services Administrator in Terrace and Stewart, Chris Simms’ last day at Northern Health (NH) will be July 17. As he heads down to Vernon to start a new position with Interior Health, Chris reflects on his proudest moments and favourite memories from living in Northern BC and working for NH.
Firstly, why are you leaving?
I’m originally from the Lower Mainland. Before moving to Terrace, I lived in Coquitlam, Port Moody, and Vancouver. In November 2011, I was commuting home one day from my work at the BC Cancer Agency and that commute took over two hours. I talked to my family about changing our work/life situation, and we decided to look for somewhere in the province where we could raise our kids, along with having good professional experiences and a much better work/life balance. Just over six months later, on August 20, 2012, I started with Northern Health.
It was time for a change then, and now it’s time for another change. My kids are getting older. One is at UBC in Vancouver, and a second is planning on UBC Okanagan. Moving to the Okanagan will allow me to be closer to my kids, their schools, family, and friends.
What are some of the accomplishments you are most proud of during your time at Northern Health?
I really enjoyed the work environment at Northern Health. While it’s a large organization, in many ways it still has the same feeling that comes from working in a smaller work environment. The senior leadership team has always been supportive. There’s a lot I’m proud of during my time here - for example:
- Hiring and developing a strong, committed leadership team that is passionate about delivering a high-quality health service, along with a having a strong commitment to their teams.
- Being involved with the Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project - from functional planning and programming, to helping develop the concept plan and business plan - it’s been a very rewarding experience.
- Putting members of my team ‘in jail’ as part of the Terrace Riverboat Days community fundraiser (the laughs and humour tied into this cannot totally be explained).
What are some of your best memories of living in Northwest BC?
There’s so much to like about living in the Northwest. The area offers a good lifestyle with easy access to outdoor activities and recreation. Some of my favourite memories include skiing on Shames and teaching my three kids how to ski, ocean fishing on my boat with friends near Prince Rupert, golfing, and hiking local trails.
What will you miss the most about working here?
I will miss the staff and physicians in the Terrace and Stewart area, the community I associate with outside of work, and the organization as a whole. I’ll also miss the incredible scenery of the North. The wildlife I’ve seen when travelling to Stewart is definitely a highlight.
Tell us about your new position
I’ll be working for Interior Health as the Executive Director of Clinical Operations, North Okanagan. The role is similar to the position I have with Northern Health in that I will be leading a team that delivers health services over a large geography, in this case the North Okanagan - Vernon, Salmon Arm and Revelstoke being the larger communities. My first day will be July 24.
In taking this new position, I’ll be able to be closer to my son who is at UBC, along with being closer to family and a large friend group who have settled in the Okanagan. I plan to immerse myself and the kids in the Okanagan lifestyle, similar to what we were able to do and thoroughly benefited from, in the North.
Will you come back and visit?
Definitely. I would like to attend the opening of the new Terrace hospital!
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