Cynthia Johansen, BCCNM’s Registrar & CEO, will be leaving the college to serve as Deputy Minister of Health with the B.C. provincial government. Her last day with the college is Tuesday, April 1.
The Ministry of Health works with health authorities, health-care providers, and others to support the physical and mental health of British Columbians. In accordance with the Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the Ministry also partners with Indigenous organizations to uphold Indigenous human rights and support their health and wellness. As Deputy Minister of Health, Cynthia will help to develop policies, plan and implement cross-ministry initiatives, and provide strategic advice to the Minister of Health.
In her 19 years with BCCNM and its legacy colleges, Cynthia has driven transformation within our industry. She has a record of bringing people and organizations together to apply best practices and collaborate on shared regulatory approaches. And she has been a tireless champion for our work to help dismantle the Indigenous-specific racism that exists within the province’s health-care system.
The board has appointed Louise Aerts as Interim Registrar and CEO, effective April 2. Louise brings more than 15 years of executive-level experience in the regulatory arena, including six years as Registrar & Executive Director of the College of Midwives of British Columbia. Since 2020 she has held leadership roles within BCCNM, most recently as Chief Officer, Strategy, Reconciliation and Transformation.
On behalf of the board, leadership and staff of BCCNM, we congratulate Cynthia on her exciting new role and thank her for her many contributions to health profession regulation. We look forward to collaborating with Cynthia in her new capacity as Deputy Minister of Health.