Strategy and Innovation
Michelle Schmalenberg - Vice President, Strategy and Innovation
Michelle Schmalenberg is the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, leading a talented team responsible for strategic planning, performance measurement and evaluation, project stewardship, leading and supporting change initiatives, corporate policy and SHA Innovates.
As part of the SHA’s leadership team, Michelle brings a collaborative leadership style, a strategic focus and an ability to see the big picture. Through collaboration and engagement, Michelle and her team will work cross functionally as strategic integrators to provide leadership and support on a number of transformational initiatives across many portfolios. Michelle is committed to playing her part in achieving a high performing health system for the benefit of the patients and families we collectively serve. Under her leadership, the Strategy and Innovation portfolio is known in the SHA as a team who is responsive, collaborative, and delivers results.
Michelle has worked in the Saskatchewan health care system for the past 17 years. Prior to joining the SHA, Michelle held several progressively responsible roles with the Ministry of Health including, Communication Consultant, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister, Assistant Director Kaizen Promotion Office, Director Health Information and Privacy and Director Health Policy and Innovation. Michelle was a member of the Transition Team responsible for leading the health-system amalgamation, moving from 12 regional health authorities to a single provincial health authority in 2017 as a Project Manager.
Michelle is a certified Lean Leader, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina, and a Masters in Administration – Leadership from the Lavene School of Business. In 2022, she was a recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contributions to health care.
As part of the SHA’s leadership team, Michelle brings a collaborative leadership style, a strategic focus and an ability to see the big picture. Through collaboration and engagement, Michelle and her team will work cross functionally as strategic integrators to provide leadership and support on a number of transformational initiatives across many portfolios. Michelle is committed to playing her part in achieving a high performing health system for the benefit of the patients and families we collectively serve.
Adrienne Danyliw – Director, Strategy and Innovation
As Director of Strategy and Innovation in the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Adrienne provides leadership in advancing Large Scale Change initiatives across the organization. She describes her teams’ work in advancing Health Network development as foundational in building skills and experience in what works to advance transformational change initiatives in our complex health-care system. She and the team apply practical approaches to large-scale change initiatives to improve care and outcomes for the people of Saskatchewan.
Adrienne has been working in health care for over 20 years. Prior to working at the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Adrienne spent 10 years at the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council in various roles and projects including Releasing Time to Care™ and the ED Waits and Patient Flow initiative, deepening her knowledge in quality improvement and building partnerships with local and national health-system partners. Her early career was as a Registered Dietitian, working in community-based organizations such as CHEP Good Food and the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute. She has provided community and public health nutrition services to First Nation communities across Northern Saskatchewan and in the former Saskatoon Health Region as a public health nutritionist and population health promotion practitioner. Adrienne has an Masters of Science in nutritional epidemiology, completed a Fellowship in Health System Improvement from the University of Alberta in 2023, and is a Certified Health Executive from the Canadian College of Health Leaders.
Michael McGill – Director, Corporate and Clinical Policy, Strategy and Innovation
As Director of Corporate and Clinical Policy in the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Michael leads a dynamic team that facilitates policy development and manages SHA policies provincially by providing a standardized process to develop, approve and manage policy in the SHA.
Michael brings a leadership style that resonates with the teams he leads and that starts with an approach of trust, accountability, and continual improvement. Michael strives to see his team members grow and evolve, wanting them to achieve their best professional and personal selves. Michael’s energy and commitment to excellence is palpable and contagious, in a good way! His actions daily, contribute to achieving the goals and milestones, not only of the portfolio, but of the broader organization.
Michael has worked in health care for nine years in both Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Michael has spent time with the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency as a Health Information Practitioner. As well, Michael has worked for the SHA in the capacity of Privacy and Access Officer and Internal Auditor. Prior to rejoining the SHA in March 2024, Michael spent the previous three years on Vancouver Island, where he led the Information Stewardship, Audit and Privacy team (Privacy Operations) for Island Health.
Michael is a nationally recognized leader and subject matter expert in health-care privacy and access. He continues to volunteer his time with the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA) as a contributor of content and emcee of events as well as with the Health Information Management (HIM) Program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic through speaking engagements, mentorship, and coaching.
Away from work, Michael spends his time with his best friend and wife, Lesley. He loves the outdoors and finds solace in nature. Michael practices yoga regularly and believes that yoga has provided him many lessons that he carries through all aspects of his life. Finally, Michael approaches each day from a place of gratitude and love.
Laura Schwartz – Director, Strategy and Innovation
Laura is a Director of Strategy and Innovation, providing leadership in Performance Measurement. Laura oversees the design and use of strategic performance measurement in the Saskatchewan Health Authority, supporting health-system leaders to use data to guide decision making and identify improvement opportunities.
She is committed to using data to drive the improvement of care and health outcomes for the people of Saskatchewan. She is accountable for stewarding the Strategic Reporting process that is critical to understanding progress and impact of the goals and priorities in our SHA Roadmap. Laura and her team also lead and provide coaching on measurement, and the design and display of data, as well as expertise in evaluation of key strategic priorities.
Laura has been working within the Saskatchewan Health Authority since 2020. Prior to that, she spent nine years at the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council (HQC) as a Researcher and Improvement Lead, involved in projects such as the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative and the development of Health Network geographies. Her years at HQC fostered a deep knowledge of Quality Improvement, health data, and the value and need for different types of measurement in our health system.
As a leader, Laura aims to provide a positive and psychologically safe work environment. She is skilled at identifying connections across the organization and at using different types of data to amplify needs in our system to better provide people-centered care. Laura has a Masters of Science in Community Health and Epidemiology, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Psychology. Prior to working in health care, she supported health research in the area of Maternal Mental Health.
Robyn Shenner – Director, Strategic Planning, Strategy and Innovation
Robyn fulfills the role of Strategic Planning Director in the Strategy and Innovation portfolio. In this role she maintains an in-depth understanding of strategic planning in a complex and dynamic health-care environment. She easily engages and builds trust with stakeholders at all levels to gather critical information, encourage collaboration, and inspire enthusiasm to apply new solutions. Robyn is a strategic problem-solver with proven analytical skills and creative reasoning as well as a robust understanding of legislation and the need for compliance.
Robyn is a highly motivated, enthusiastic, detail orientated and innovative health-care professional with 30 years of progressive leadership experience working within the Saskatchewan Health Authority. She exhibits a proven ability to adapt and deliver on shifting priorities. Her experiences range from front-line clinical Laboratory Medicine to administrative roles within Privacy, Quality Improvement and Strategic Planning. Throughout her career, Robyn strives to create a positive, productive, and safe environment focused on continuous improvement and patient and family centred care.
Robyn holds a Masters of Administration in Leadership, a Masters Certificate in Organizational Leadership, and a Medical Laboratory Technologist Diploma. Robyn is also Lean Leader Certified and has certificates in several educational programs: Excellence in Healthcare Leadership, Saskatchewan Leadership Program, and Information Access and Protection of Privacy. All of these educational opportunities support Robyn’s desire for employment growth and additional leadership roles. In 2022, she was a recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contributions to health care.
Kerilyn Voigt – Director, Strategy and Innovation
Kerilyn is an experienced facilitative leader, drawing on her work and community volunteer experience in corporate communications, strategic planning, group facilitation, and quality improvement to lead the SHA Innovates team.
Throughout her career, Kerilyn has developed her knowledge and skillset through continuous education, building on her undergraduate degree. She has most recently completed the Excellence in Healthcare Leadership certification from Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (University of Regina) and an Innovation Leadership Masters Certificate from Schulich ExecEd (York University.)
A Certified Health Executive and certified lean leader, Kerilyn is passionate about enabling and empowering teams to do their best possible work in challenging situations.
Robyn holds a Masters of Administration in Leadership, a Masters Certificate in Organizational Leadership, and a Medical Laboratory Technologist Diploma. Robyn is also Lean Leader Certified and has certificates in several educational programs: Excellence in Healthcare Leadership, Saskatchewan Leadership Program, and Information Access and Protection of Privacy. All of these educational opportunities support Robyn’s desire for employment growth and additional leadership roles. In 2022, she was a recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contributions to health care.