Through her career dedicated to advancing women's health and health equity, Heather McPherson, President and CEO of Women's College Hospital in Toronto, has journeyed from a clinician to a prominent executive shaping the health system. Through her experiences, she has learned the profound importance of listening to diverse voices, advocating for health equity and championing unique programs to make our health system stronger. Read about Heather's inspiring path, and the key learnings and advice she shares with aspiring young leaders in health care.
What inspired you to pursue a leadership role in women's health, and what have been some of your key learnings?
I have spent my career committed to women's health – first as an Occupational Therapist and then as an administrator and executive shaping programs and policy. The health of all women, their families and communities has always been at the centre of my work.
Women continue to be an equity deserving group in health care. When you intersect gender with race, disability, and sexuality, the disparity is exponential. I have had the privilege of learning from so many people, but the most important lessons always came from considering experiences from a diverse chorus of voices. As leaders, we must remember that listening is among the most important tasks we do each day – to patients, their families and communities that shape our thinking and influence our decision-making in service of better care for everyone.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter health care leadership roles?
I think curiosity is an important leadership trait. The willingness to learn, consider perspectives different from your own and try new things – even if they're uncomfortable – will expand horizons, shape new viewpoints and ultimately expose young leaders to opportunities they may have never considered.
I believe it is our role as leaders to ensure that young women see themselves as having leadership opportunities and to make those opportunities happen. Fostering the growth of our next generation of diverse health leaders is critical for a sustainable health system. Programs like our Emily Stowe Scholar Program and our Zka'an ni-bmiwdoowin Gchi-kinoomaadwinan (ZNGBK) Program for Indigenous students are designed to break down barriers to careers in academics and health leadership for those who have been systemically and historically excluded in health care and health science career trajectories. These programs provide access to leaders and role models who have overcome these barriers themselves and reflect the diverse communities we serve – opening the door to a world of unlimited possibilities for our future leaders.
Women's College Hospital (WCH) has a rich legacy. How do you see its history influencing its current and future direction?
WCH was founded in pursuit of equity and with a steadfast understanding that health care is for everyone. This is the ethos that continues to underpin our hospital values today and the commitment we have made to our patients, their families and the diverse communities we have the privilege to care for. It resonates within our hospital walls and through every level of our organization. It is the promise we have made to everyone who receives care, works, volunteers or learns at WCH.
Our new hospital strategic plan, Healthcare Revolutionized 2030, is our roadmap to the future. Our strategy is built on the pledge that the founders of our hospital made 140 years ago and reaffirms our commitment to providing equitable, accessible, best-in-class health care for everyone – meeting people where they are on their health care journey and partnering with them to reach their goals of living their healthiest lives possible.
What initiatives or programs are you particularly proud of that address the unique health challenges women face?
We have been leaders in women's health for more than 140 years and are proud to continue this legacy today as we drive precision health care with an intentional focus on understanding and addressing the most pressing health issues impacting women, while mitigating the risks of exacerbating current health inequities.
Our scientists are doing incredible research that is having a direct impact on patients and their wellbeing. In February (2025), we launched first-of-their-kind clinical guidelines that were co-developed by expert clinician-scientists at Women's that focus specifically on the diagnosis and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and postpartum. These guidelines provide clinicians across the country with practical recommendations to improve early identification and treatment.
For the first time in years, a new breast cancer susceptibility gene has been identified. Co-discovered by a WCH scientist, the ATRIP mutation is associated with a significant risk of developing breast cancer – knowledge that can have important implications for patient care. Genetic testing for breast cancer susceptibility genes, including BRCA1 and BRCA2, is a powerful tool. It can lead to more frequent and intensive cancer screening, earlier diagnosis and more targeted therapies or treatments – but it is important to ensure that everyone has access to these tools.
Black and Indigenous women have historically been under-screened for breast and cervical cancers due to fear, stigma and other barriers within the health system. While genetic testing rates are on the rise, Black women's participation remains low. Take Action, Take Control is a new initiative that is tailored to Black women and empowers them to learn more about what hereditary cancer genetic testing can mean for them and their families. Our teams are also working with community partners to build trust and increase access for Black and Indigenous patients to mammograms and pap tests through culturally appropriate and safe cancer screening events.
How does the hospital continue to innovate and lead in the field of women's health?
We are energized by our new hospital strategy and the priorities within that will guide our revitalized mission to transform health care for women and gender diverse people. Reinforced by our core values, together, we will lead the new era of sex and gender in health, move the needle on health equity and reimagine the health system with and for patients.
As part of this work, we are establishing Canada's first Centre for Sex and Gender in Health, which aims to tackle bias in health care and research that lead to poorer health outcomes, evidence gaps and inefficient spending for women, trans and gender diverse people.
In partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis (FNIM) peoples, we are addressing the systemic inequities experienced by Indigenous patients. Through the integration of our Indigenous Health Clinic in Epic (our hospital's electronic medical record system), FNIM patients and community members can be referred to see the Traditional Healer and Knowledge Keeper, just as they would any other practitioner at the hospital. The Ganawishkadawe Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health has also partnered with priority clinics to provide FNIM patients with easy access to smudging kits containing a variety of plant medicines. These are just two examples of how traditional healing and ways of knowing are being integrated throughout our hospital to better support FNIM women and their families
We are also committed to expanding access to care through innovative primary care models, partnerships to coordinate care and realize system efficiencies. A great example of this work is our collaboration with four Toronto hospitals to tackle the backlog of benign gynecological surgeries through optimizing operating room space utilization across the hospitals. The initiative has proven to be a success, with last year's collaboration resulting in providing 535 surgeries over the course of four months to Ontario patients who had surpassed their surgical wait time targets.
Our legacy of leadership is not just about where we've been; it's about how we continue to lead and shape the future of health care in our hospital and beyond our walls.