Our Senior Leadership Team

Donald Sanderson has proudly served the West Parry Sound Area in his current role since 2009. His career in health administration spans more than thirty-five years and is honoured to bring his skills to our area.

Donald is a graduate of Western University and holds a master’s in health administration from the University of Ottawa. He is also a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders and a member of the Ontario Hospital Association’s Medium Sized Hospitals Leadership Council.

Donald is an active volunteer and is currently the Chair of the West Parry Sound Recreation & Culture Centre. He is a Paul Harris Fellow, member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Parry Sound. Formerly, Donald served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Hospital Association, Canadore College, North Bay and President of the Festival of the Sound. Donald is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Community Service.

Victoria has been a nurse for 25 years, starting at the bedside in the Intensive Care Unit. She worked for 13 years in organ and tissue donation and transplantation and has spent the last 8 years at West Parry Sound Health Centre, holding various leadership positions. Victoria earned her diploma in nursing from Mohawk College, went on to obtain her BScN from Ryerson University, and later earned her Master’s in Health Administration from the University of Regina in 2019. Victoria has overseen many clinical departments at WPSHC and recently added the WPSHC’s Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic and Parry Sound District Emergency Medical Services to her portfolio upon becoming the Chief Nursing Officer.

Heidi is a graduate of the University of Guelph and has been a CPA for 27 years. She began her career at West Parry Sound Health Centre in 2000 as a payroll supervisor and has since held roles including Accounting Manager, Director of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, and is currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer. Before joining the health center, Heidi worked at Dan Ball CPA for 11 years. A lifelong resident of Parry Sound, she has also contributed to the community as a board member for both the Parry Sound Golf and Country Club and the Agility Association of Canada.

Cara graduated from Lakehead University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts before earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) from Trent University in 2008. She began her nursing career at West Parry Sound Health Centre, where she held a variety of positions in both bedside care and leadership roles, primarily within the emergency department. With a deep passion for patient advocacy, Cara is committed to ensuring that every patient has a positive, safe, and supportive experience throughout their entire healthcare journey.

Laura brings over 20 years of experience to her leadership role, with a strong focus on quality improvement and a solid foundation in laboratory medicine. Since joining the team in 2005, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to enhancing operational excellence and patient care. Throughout her career, Laura has championed continuous improvement initiatives, driving efforts that prioritize staff safety, foster positive work environments, and enhance overall quality. In addition to her degree in Health Services Management and diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology, Laura has pursued additional professional development to continually expand her expertise. Her leadership continues to shape the success and growth of the organization.

Born and raised in the Parry Sound area, Lindsay began her career with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services in 2001. After joining WPSHC in January 2007, Lindsay completed her CPA designation while working full-time. She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Laurentian University, and diplomas from Seneca Collage in Small Business Management and Business Administration Management.

Wendy Richardson is a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) with extensive leadership experience in both the public and private sector. She provides expertise across all WPSHC’s programs and consults for our community’s long-term care partners with union, personnel, and related matters. Wendy’s expertise is combined with a strong customer service focus that reflects the health centre’s values, in particular our acknowledgment that staff members are our most valuable resource. She has been a leader in supporting WPSHC’s organizational commitments to a healthy work culture, union partnerships, and safety, for all staff members.

Jim received a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Indiana University and a B.A. (Hons.) Kinesiology from Western University. Prior to his career in health care, he spent 17 years as a practicing journalist and served as editor of the local newspaper. Along with many other community activities, Jim is proud to have been a Charter Member of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Board, and he currently serves on the Festival of the Sound board.

Jim believes that positive health system transformation is possible by building on the incredible capacity and expertise that exists in northern Ontario. He is personally motivated by the goal of creating a healthier and more sustainable future for his children and grandchildren.

Dr. Smith is a great example of the successful efforts to train physicians in the north. Having grown up in the Maritimes and earning his MD from Dalhousie, he moved to northeastern Ontario and completed his Family Medicine and Anesthesia residency training at locations ranging from Timmins to Parry Sound. After working for five years in Cochrane, he moved to Parry Sound in 2009 and has been here ever since.

An accomplished orienteer and triathlete, Wil has represented Canada internationally at multiple World Championships. Having “retired” from elite athletics, he now enjoys trail building and mountain biking on the fantastic Canadian Shield terrain, and cheering on his daughters in Nordic skiing. Prior to taking on his role as Chief of Staff in 2020, Wil was instrumental in the launch of the Meditech EXPANSE system across the northeast, and served as President of the WPSHC Medical Staff from 2013-2020.

Originally from the suburbs of Vancouver, B.C., Dr. Jonathan Witt has been a staff member at the West Parry Sound Health Centre since June 2014, Chief of the Hospitalist Department since 2016 and President of the Professional Staff since 2024. Dr. Witt completed his undergraduate training in Physical Education and Health at the University of Toronto in 2004 and a Master of Science in Human Kinetics at the University of British Columbia in 2007 before returning to the University of Toronto to complete his Medical Degree in 2011. Dr. Witt finished his residency training in Family Medicine at Queen’s University and received Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada in 2013 and Fellowship status with the College in 2024. When not at work, Dr. Witt enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Dr. Ali Witt, and their three children: skiing in the winter, paddling in the summer and volunteering and participating in Parry Sound’s various recreational sport leagues.