A new executive director has been hired by the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health.
The centre says Dr. Leslie Walker has been welcomed as its Executive Director.
Dr. Walker completed her Doctorate of Social and Economic Sciences at the Vienna University of Technology in Austria, in collaboration with the United Nations and Rotary International.
Her research was focused on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in low-resource settings, particularly within the lens of rural healthcare.
Hailing originally from Goderich, Dr. Walker holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce and Psychology Degree from McMaster University and a Master of International Business Degree from Queen’s University.
"We are excited to welcome Dr. Walker to the Gateway CERH team," said Dan Stringer, Chair of the Board at Gateway CERH. "Her impressive background in digital innovation, healthcare, and leadership, combined with her deep roots in our region, makes her uniquely positioned to advance our mission to improve the health and quality of life for rural residents."
"Let's not mince words. We're in the midst of a healthcare crisis with rising rates of chronic illness, an aging population, and shortages of healthcare workers," Dr. Walker stated. "We need to address the cause of these issues, rather than treating symptoms if we hope to lighten the load on the healthcare system. It is my pleasure to join Gateway CERH in conducting high-impact research that contributes to objective, intelligent, and nuanced discourse within the local community."