Community Engagement & Communications
The Community Engagement and Communications Team has four main roles. We work with the media to provide the public with important health information. We also talk with people in their communities to find out what health services they need most, and coach health providers on how best to share their messages. We also have a team responsible for planning what goes on our website, social media channels, and a team that designs the look of our website and many other health information materials.
Our goal is to provide the right message to the right people, at the right time, using the best methods to reach as many people as possible. We do this by planning what we hope to achieve, providing training, discovering and sharing the best ways of doing things, and offering assistance. Our team lives in towns and cities all across Saskatchewan.
Our Team
Jim Billington, Vice President, Community Engagement and Communications
Jim Billington is the Vice President of Community Engagement and Communications for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). Jim and his team are responsible for internal and external communications, working with the media to provide the public with important health information, engaging communities, and supporting our valued partnerships with our Health Care Foundations.
Before joining the SHA, Jim worked on the Western leadership team of a leading national public affairs firm, where he provided advice to clients across Western Canada in the areas of strategic communications, issues and crisis management, and government relations.
Jim has also held several leadership positions in the Governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta, including serving as Deputy Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Communications for Executive Council with the Government of Saskatchewan. In this capacity, he led communications for the province's COVID-19 response, oversaw government media relations and strategic communications, and managed stakeholder relations.
Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary and has received executive education in Finance from the Ivey Business School.
Liddy Hilderman, Interim Executive Director, Community and Foundation Relations
Michele Bossaer, Executive Director, Media Relations and Public Affairs
As Executive Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs, Michele Bossaer leads a talented team of communications experts with focus on media relations, social media and content management. She moved into this role after a decade of communications and media relations experience in the health-care sector. In addition to issues and crisis management, she has led communication strategy development and implementation for major capital projects such as Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, as well as other complex service delivery initiatives. Michele was part of the Communications team supporting the transition to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, serving as team lead for brand development.
Prior to her move to health-care communications, Michele worked as a broadcast journalist in Saskatchewan and Alberta, graduating from the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Journalism. She also received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan and started off her career working as a change management consultant and teaching marketing and business communications.
Growing up on a farm in northwest Saskatchewan, Michele is excited about Saskatchewan’s journey to better coordinate health services across the province and is passionate about supporting patient-first health-care delivery.
Patty Martin, Executive Director, Communications Services
As the Executive Director of Communications Services, Patty leads a talented team of communications professionals who work to build relationships in order to collaborate and create messages to inform, educate, and build public trust in the Saskatchewan Health Authority, with the ultimate goal to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
As a seasoned communications strategist, Patty Martin has led the creation and implementation of marketing and communications programs and plans in sectors as diverse as agriculture, education and health. With a degree in business from the University of Saskatchewan and certification in LEAN, she is known for her team-building approaches, her innovative and creative problem-solving techniques and her commitment to patient-first outcomes. Saskatchewan born and raised, Patty is passionate about helping others and supporting the delivery of high quality health care for everyone in the province.