EDMONTON – Vickie Kaminski (pictured), the head of Alberta Health Services who recently announced her resignation, is taking on the role of chief transformation officer with SA Health in South Australia.

The CEO of SA Health, David Swan, wrote in a memo to staff that Kaminski brings more than 35 years of experience in the Canadian healthcare system to her new role.

“Vickie has overseen the development of plans for large-scale transformation processes across the full spectrum of services in the AHS and implemented changes which would result in significant and effective reform,” said Swan.

Prior to her post as CEO of Alberta Health Services, she headed the Eastern Health in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Vickie has also been president and CEO of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, where she successfully initiated change through efficiencies, rebuilt trust within the public health system, and developed an effective plan which achieved necessary productivity measures to meet government requirements.”

Kaminski hasn’t said why she is stepping down as CEO of Alberta Health Services – a job which included a base salary of $540,000 a year. However, it has been suggested that Kaminski did not see eye to eye with the new NDP government in Alberta, and that tensions were rising.

AHS says under the terms of her employment contract Kaminski will not receive a severance package and that her pay and benefits stop effective the date of her termination, which is said to be the new year.