Leadership
Leadership
- Adam Topp President and CEO
- Dr. Zeke Milkovic Chief of Staff
- Natalie Clark Chief Nursing Executive and Clinical Director
- Aaron Ryan Vice President, Performance and Chief Financial Officer
- Caen Suni Vice President, Clinical Programs and Operations
- Justin Turkington Chief Human Resources Officer
- Fannie Vavoulis Director, Communications and Patient Experience
- Christine Mitchell CKHA Foundation President and CEO
- Annette Zimmer Senior Executive Assistant and Governance Coordinator
Adam Topp is a proven strategic healthcare leader who brings over 30 years of experience in the sector. Adam’s vast expertise and experience consists of a combination of leadership in hospital clinical and financial operations, as well as consulting, government and entrepreneurship. He has successfully facilitated the resolution of complex strategic challenges including provincial health system transformation, health system ownership transfers and amalgamations, post-transformation change management, governance and priority setting, and facilities planning and redevelopment.
Adam’s previous roles include President and CEO of Shared Health Manitoba; Director, Health Transformation for the Government of Manitoba’s Priorities and Planning Committee Secretariat; Senior Associate Consultant, Hay Group Health Care Consulting; Chief Operating Officer for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and various leadership roles at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre including Vice President, Clinical Operations, Vice President, Corporate Performance and Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, he is the Founding Partner and CEO of Benchmark Intelligence Group Inc. (BIG Healthcare) – a management consulting service exclusively tailored for the healthcare industry.
With almost a decade of dedicated service to CKHA, Natalie Clark first joined the organization in 2008. Following a tenure as Operations Manager at Windsor Regional Hospital, she returned to CKHA in 2016 and was appointed to the role of Director in 2020.
A seasoned health care leader, Natalie has held management roles since 2014, including positions as Clinical Manager of Inpatient Surgery, Pre-Surgical Screening, Ambulatory Care, and the Emergency Department. Her extensive leadership experience spans a broad portfolio, including Women and Children’s, Inpatient Surgery, Emergency, Ambulatory Care, Critical Care, Chronic Disease, Medicine, Mental Health, and Patient Flow.
Natalie holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN), a Master of Nursing (MN), and is registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Her leadership is grounded in a deep commitment to high-quality patient care, interprofessional practice, and operational excellence across the organization.
Since joining the executive team in 2019, Aaron Ryan has driven corporate performance and financial strategy, and previously stepped up to serve the hospital as Interim President & CEO.
Bringing over 16 years of progressive health care leadership experience, Aaron plays a key role in advancing local health care integration by building collaborative partnerships with external organizations and Ontario Health Teams.
Aaron began his health care leadership career as Director of Finance at the former Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre. He first joined CKHA as Director of Finance and Decision Support from 2013 to 2015, establishing strong interprofessional and community relationships. He then served as Director of Financial Services at Windsor Regional Hospital before returning to CKHA in his current executive role.
Aaron earned his Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Business Administration from the Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor. He also holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) designation.
A professional strategist, Caen Suni brings extensive leadership experience in corporate strategy, performance management, program development, and operational execution. His expertise spans stakeholder engagement, change management, board governance, and strategic communications. In his current role, he drives clinical operations and strategic initiatives across the organization.
Prior to joining CKHA, Caen held several senior executive roles within the regional health care system, including Vice President of Integrated Delivery Systems at the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), as well as Senior Director of Strategy & Performance Management and Senior Director of Partnership Development & Strategic Planning at the Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre (CCAC).
Caen holds a Master of Business Administration from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Social Science in Political Science from the University of Ottawa. He has also completed executive education in Disruptive Innovation at Harvard Business School and is fully bilingual in English and French.
An accomplished human resources leader, Justin Turkington oversees the organization’s workforce strategy, driving initiatives in leadership development, employee relations, talent management, and organizational development.
He brings deep expertise in collective bargaining, workplace mediation, policy compliance, and executive coaching, working collaboratively across teams to foster a culture rooted in respect, integrity, and inclusivity.
Prior to his appointment as Chief Human Resources Officer, Justin served as Director of Human Resources, Occupational Health, and Organizational Development at CKHA.
Justin holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Windsor and is designated as a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) and Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) through the Human Resources Professionals Association.
Fannie Vavoulis is a versatile health care leader with a background in organizational messaging, physician engagement, and patient relations. Fannie oversees the hospital’s strategic communications and patient experience portfolios. Her leadership focuses on strengthening community trust, enhancing the patient voice across care pathways, and championing transparent, compassionate communication.
Fannie’s career at CKHA spans multiple key leadership positions, having previously served as Director of Medical Affairs, Director of Communications & Lead Physician Recruiter, and Medical Recruitment & Medical Education Specialist. Through these roles, she played a vital part in regional physician recruitment, medical education programming, and corporate communications strategy.
Fannie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communications & Public Relations.
Christine Mitchell serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation (CKHAF).
In her role, Christine provides overall strategic vision and operational leadership to advance the Foundation’s mission in support of health care excellence in the community. Reporting to the CKHAF Board of Directors, she oversees core fundraising programs, talent acquisition and development, financial and legal compliance, risk management, and organizational governance.
Christine works in close partnership with CKHA’s executive leadership team to align philanthropic priorities with the hospital’s strategic goals. Her leadership ensures strong stakeholder relations, community engagement, and sustainable financial support to enhance patient care and hospital infrastructure across the region.
Annette Zimmer serves as Executive Assistant to the President & Chief Executive Officer and Governance Coordinator at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA).
A skilled and bilingual administrative professional, Annette brings a demonstrated history of excellence within the health care sector. In her role, she provides executive-level support to the CEO, manages board governance processes, and coordinates strategic administrative operations across the organization. Her expertise spans program and project management, team building, leadership, and operational administration.
Prior to joining CKHA, Annette served as Executive Assistant at the former Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre (CCAC).
Annette is a graduate of St. Clair College. Committed to ongoing professional excellence, she has completed the Leadership in Administration program through the Initiative for Women in Business at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.
