Meet Our 2026 Research Symposium Keynote Speaker: Susan Stevens

As we prepare for the upcoming 14th Annual Research Symposium, we are pleased to share two short videos featuring our keynote speaker, Susan Stevens.

Susan is an Adjunct Professor at Mount Saint Vincent University and the former Senior Director of Continuing Care with Nova Scotia Health. With decades of leadership experience across the continuing care system, she brings a rare combination of research insight, operational expertise, and lived system knowledge.

In the first video, Susan introduces herself and reflects on the path that has shaped her work in continuing care. It’s a thoughtful look at the experiences that inform her perspective on leadership, quality, and system change.

In the second video, she explores an important question: What makes a great healthcare worker?

Her response speaks to more than skills and credentials. She highlights the human qualities at the heart of care — empathy, resilience, commitment, and the ability to connect meaningfully with those we serve. It’s a timely reflection as organizations across the country consider how best to support and strengthen their workforce.

Workforce Well-Being as the Foundation of Quality

Susan’s full keynote, “Workforce Well-Being as the Foundation of Quality: Evidence-Informed Strategies for a Resilient Continuing Care System,” will explore how the well-being of the continuing care workforce underpins every dimension of quality — from safety and experience to organizational performance and long-term sustainability.

Drawing on research evidence, leadership lessons, and system-level reflection, she will challenge us to see workforce well-being not as a supportive add-on, but as a strategic quality imperative.

For those working in healthcare, research, policy, and leadership, this session will offer practical insights and a compelling framework for strengthening continuing care systems through intentional investment in the people who deliver care every day.

We invite you to join us at the Research Symposium to hear Susan’s full keynote.

You can register for the event here: https://www.northwoodcare.ca/research-symposium