Vickie Kaminski stepping down as Eastern Health CEO

Vickie Kaminski has announced that she is stepping down as the president and CEO of Eastern Health.

She spoke to reporters on Friday afternoon.

Kaminski will assume a position as president and CEO of Alberta Health Services in June. 

In a media statement issued on Friday, Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne said Kaminski will commence her duties on June 2.

“Ms. Kaminski brings with her over 35 years of experience, most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Regional Health Authority in Newfoundland and Labrador," Horne said in the release.

Michael O'Keefe, chair of the Board of Trustees of Eastern Health, said on Friday that he had accepted Kaminski's resignation.

O'Keefe said during Kaminski's term at Eastern Health, she led the organization through "tremendous change as it addressed the issues coming out of the Cameron Inquiry into one of the most significant patient-related adverse health events experienced by a health authority – the errors in estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER/PR) testing."

Kaminski told reporters on Friday that this was "a tough decision."

"We came here five years ago, five years yesterday actually, and certainly have enjoyed every moment of it," she said.

"Lots of challenge, lots of opportunities. Still lots of work to be done and whoever is lucky enough to get this job after me has 13,000 great people to work with. It is probably one of the toughest places I've ever had to leave ... it gets in your heart and your soul, and certainly makes you want to stay and come back often."

Kaminski has been at the helm of Eastern Health since 2009. The authority is currently in the midst of a three-year cost-cutting program to trim almost $50 million from its budget.

O'Keefe said the recruitment of a replacement for Kaminski will begin in the near future. 

She was recently named as one of Atlantic Canada's Top 50 CEOs.