New president and CEO at North York General Hospital

TORONTO – North York General Hospital (NYGH) is excited to announce Dr. Everton Gooden (pictured) has been appointed as its next president and CEO, following a thorough search process. Dr. Gooden’s first day as president and CEO will be December 1, 2023. Dr. Gooden joined NYGH more than 20 years ago, and over that time has combined clinical, administrative, and leadership experience, serving as chair of the Medical Advisory Committee, president of the Medical Staff Association, division chief of Head and Neck Surgery, and as a member of the NYGH Foundation Board.

In addition to being an active surgeon and physician leader, Dr. Gooden’s compassion and concern for the wellbeing of others extends well beyond his clinical work to his involvement in local, national, and global humanitarian organizations driving progressive change. Currently, Dr. Gooden sits on the Board of Face the Future Foundation, volunteers with the Kenya Relief Organization, and is a member of the Black Opportunity Fund’s Healthcare Working Group.

“North York is growing rapidly and is home to one of Toronto’s most culturally diverse and largest seniors’ populations,” said Bert Clark, chair of NYGH Board of Governors. “Dr. Gooden is the ideal person to lead us forward as we transform patient care in North Toronto and undertake the largest capital redevelopment in NYGH’s 50-plus years to meet changing community needs. As a standard-bearer for NYGH’s people-centred culture, Dr. Gooden has earned trust throughout NYGH and with partners locally, across Canada and beyond our borders, for his unwavering commitment to the betterment of our communities and patient care.”

Dr. Gooden is a trailblazer for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and has long viewed health equity as integral to excellent quality of care. This passion led him to establish and co-chair NYGH’s First Anti-Black Racism Steering Committee, and to champion the establishment of NYGH’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office, EDI Framework and action planning to tackle Anti-Black Racism at NYGH and in our communities.

“I am deeply honoured for the opportunity to work with the incredible staff, physicians, learners, volunteers, partners and donors of North York General, each of whom has a shared purpose: to ensure compassionate, timely and exceptional care to our patients and their families,” said Dr. Gooden. “Together, we will advance new standards of care in the hospital, in the community, and in people’s homes. I am committed to increased investment in our people, strengthening our clinical, community and academic partnerships, advancing our philanthropy, and building the North York General of the future for all the communities we serve.”

Known for his inspirational and collaborative leadership, Dr. Gooden is uniquely positioned to both reinforce and build upon NYGH’s exceptional culture and galvanize our team, partners, and community around a long-term vision to position the organization to provide exceptional care for everyone for many generations to come.

Specifically, Dr. Gooden will lead the charge, together with our Foundation, government, and community partners, on a major capital renewal that will see NYGH double the number of beds in its hospital, community locations and new long-term care home within a decade.

“On behalf of the Board of Governors and the North York General Community, I would like to thank Karyn Popovich, who has been our president and CEO since October 2020, following her distinguished 40-year career at NYGH,” said Clark. “It is impossible to do justice to Karyn’s extraordinary contributions. Karyn was a key architect of the organization’s outstanding Quality and Safety, and Patient-Centred Care Programs, which are recognized across Canada and beyond, and reflected in our five-year standing as the country’s top academic community hospital by Newsweek. She has been a highly effective leader and advocate for people-centred care throughout her career and served as our chief nursing executive and vice president for Clinical Programs, Quality, and Long-Term Care, for over a decade.”

About North York General
NYGH is a top-ranked academic community hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto that provides high-quality acute, ambulatory, and long-term care to approximately half a million people in one of Toronto’s most diverse and rapidly growing areas and to patients across the GTA. NYGH has been named the number one community academic hospital in Canada for five consecutive years by Newsweek Magazine.