(Photo of Windsor-Essex County Health Unit CEO Nicole Dupuis)(Photo of Windsor-Essex County Health Unit CEO Nicole Dupuis)
Windsor

Windsor-Essex Health Unit CEO announces resignation

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is looking for a new CEO after Nicole Dupuis publicly announced her resignation on Tuesday.

The health unit's board of directors received her resignation last Friday, and Chair Gary McNamara said the search for a permanent replacement would begin immediately.

"Family is extremely important. It is at the centre of everything we live for. We can't stand in the way," he said, hinting at the reasons behind Dupuis' unexpected departure.

Dupuis, 44, said she is not retiring and hopes to return to public health one day.

"I love public health, and I love healthcare," she said. "Despite the difficulties, the pandemic has not sent me running. I hope to continue working in public health in the future."

Eleanor Groh is the Interim CEO.

McNamara told reporters he hopes to introduce a permanent CEO in October.

Both he and Dupuis expressed confidence in the senior management team at the health unit.

"We have a tremendous senior management team here," said McNamara. "They are well versed on the health promotion and protection of our community."

"The health unit is an organization filled with more than 200 professionals, and it is an amazing team," added Dupuis. "It's not me or any one specific leader who gets the job done. It's the over 200 people who are within this building."

Dupuis took over the job from Theresa Marentette, who retired last year.

Her last day is September 23.

Meanwhile, McNamara gave an update about the ongoing search for a new Medical Officer of Health. Acting Medical Officer of Health Doctor Shanker Nesathurai has been the Acting Medical Officer of Health since the departure of Doctor Wajid Ahmed a year ago.

He pointed out the Eastern Ontario Health Unit just filled its vacancy left when Doctor Kieran Moore was appointed the Medical Officer of Health for the province.

"You want to make sure you've got the right person at the right time to fit a great organization like ours," he said. "We do have a consultant that is working on our behalf, and it's a search across the country."

McNamara said he hoped to make an announcement soon.

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