Don Newsham to leave post as CEO of COACH

TORONTO – Don Newsham (pictured), CEO of COACH: Canada’s Health Informatics Association, announced that he will be stepping down from his position at the end of May, after nine years at the helm of the organization.

Mike Barron, President & Board Chair, circulated a letter stating the following:

“Don has made a phenomenal contribution to COACH as CEO over the last nine years. His keen insight about and passion for the vital role that health informatics (HI) professionals play in patient care and healthcare transformation have been true driving forces behind COACH’s success through the changes and significant growth that occurred during his tenure as CEO.

On behalf of all members, I want to express sincere appreciation to Don for his steadfast commitment to our Association and the HI profession at large. He has been instrumental in leading and developing COACH’s diverse professional resources and service offerings that promote the adoption, practice and professionalism of HI in this country.

Don has also been a most effective ambassador for our Association, spreading the word about what we do and forging valuable partnerships at home and around the world. Don has truly enhanced COACH’s visibility, profile and impact as the Voice of Health Informatics in Canada, as few others have.

We thank Don for steering the course to keep COACH relevant and up-to-date during a period of rapid foundational change in Canadian healthcare that saw the pan-Canadian development of electronic health records, significant growth in telehealth and mHealth as well as the increased awareness and need for robust data governance, information management and applied analytics.

We wish Don well on his future plans and extend heartfelt appreciation for his many contributions to COACH. As a COACH Past President and Life Member, we know Don will remain part of the COACH family wherever life takes him.

And from me personally, I thank Don for his significant contributions to our industry and for encouraging me to more fully participate in COACH and its mandate.

Looking ahead, the COACH Board of Directors has initiated activities to search for a new CEO who will lead the organization through the next phase of our collective journey.”

About COACH

COACH: Canada’s Health Informatics Association is the voice of health informatics (HI) in Canada, promoting the adoption, practice and professionalism of HI. COACH represents a diverse community of accomplished, influential professionals who work passionately to make a difference in advancing healthcare through information technology. HI is the intersection of clinical, IM/IT and management practices. Members are dedicated to realizing their full potential as professionals and advancing HI through access to information, talent, credentials, recognition, programs and a broad range of services and specialized resources.