B.C. Names New Interior Health CEO to Tackle Crisis

Interior Health in B.C. Gets New CEO Amid System Challenges
British Columbia’s Interior Health Authority has announced the appointment of a new Interior Health CEO, marking a pivotal leadership shift at a time when the regional health system is facing deep operational and staffing pressures. The change comes after months of public scrutiny over service disruptions, particularly at major facilities like Kelowna General Hospital, where closures have spotlighted the system’s ongoing struggles.

With hospitals under strain and healthcare workers voicing fatigue, the board’s decision to install new leadership underscores both urgency and opportunity. The new Interior Health CEO will inherit a complex landscape balancing financial sustainability, rebuilding public trust, and restoring stability across dozens of communities that depend on Interior Health services daily.

The move is widely seen as an attempt to reset direction, improve accountability, and rebuild the organization’s connection with patients and staff alike. For many, it represents a chance to finally confront long-standing issues that have hindered care access across B.C.’s interior region.

Summary

The regional health authority Interior Health (IH) has appointed a new interim CEO, signalling a major leadership transition as the authority grapples with service disruptions and staffing crises. The change comes amid intense scrutiny of IH’s ability to deliver reliable care. The new leadership will be tasked with restoring confidence, stabilising operations and charting reform across the region.

The announcement that the Interior Health CEO role is changing hands has triggered both cautious optimism and considerable concern across British Columbia’s southern interior. With health-care services under strain from staffing shortages, rural access issues and rising demand, the timing of the change could not be more pivotal.

The outgoing executive, Susan Brown, had previously committed to remaining until year’s end but has stepped aside earlier, opening the way for the board to search for a permanent replacement. Global News+1 In the interim, Interior Health CEO duties are being assumed by Sylvia Weir, who until now served as CFO and vice-president of corporate services for IH. Radio NL – Kamloops News+1

This transition is more than a personnel change it reflects deeper cracks in the system that the new Interior Health CEO will be expected to address. Service disruptions such as the temporary closure of the inpatient-pediatric unit at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) have raised alarm bells. KelownaNow+2CityNews Vancouver+2 Stakeholders view the change as an opportunity to reset trust, re-engage with front-line staff and recalibrate the health authority’s strategy.

Why the change in leadership came

The decision to replace the Interior Health CEO arises from multiple converging pressures:

Service disruptions: The KGH 10-bed inpatient pediatric-unit closure was attributed to insufficient physicians, which drew scrutiny from community leaders and physicians. KelownaNow+2CityNews Vancouver+2
Loss of confidence: Local MLAs and front-line staff publicly questioned IH leadership’s ability to steer reform. For example, MLA Gavin Dew called for Brown’s immediate resignation, citing “an organisation in crisis.” CityNews Vancouver+1
Operational pressures: IH covers a vast and varied geography including remote and rural communities serving over 900,000 people, requiring complex coordination. PFM Executive Search+1
Leadership transition timing: Brown had announced her retirement in 2025, but accelerated her departure in the face of mounting criticism which allowed the board to install the interim Interior Health CEO sooner. Global News+1

Clearly, the board judged that a new face in charge an incoming Interior Health CEO was necessary not just for optics but for realignment of strategy and operations.

Meet the interim CEO and the leadership context

The new interim Interior Health CEO, Sylvia Weir, brings key credentials:

Over 25 years’ experience in health care and the financial sector, including work overseas and in the UK’s NHS. Interior Health+1
Internal experience at IH: 11 years as Corporate Director of Business Integration & Development, followed by five years as CFO. Interior Health
Community-engaged leadership: She serves as vice-chair of the Kelowna Women’s Shelter and mentors immigrant employment programs locally. Interior Health

Her appointment is important because the incoming Interior Health CEO must balance both strategic oversight and strong community and clinical relationships. The board’s stated search for a permanent CEO emphasises candidates who “champion innovation in a complex and diverse health system” and demonstrate effective partnership with Indigenous, urban and rural communities. PFM Executive Search

The board itself, chaired by Robert Halpenny (appointed February 2024), provides the governance backdrop for the transition. Interior Health+1

The challenges facing IH and the next Interior Health CEO

For the incoming Interior Health CEO, the agenda is formidable. Key issue areas include:

1. Staffing and human-resources crisis

IH has publicly acknowledged “significant pressures… a growing demand for health-care services … and a competitive global market for a limited number of available health-care professionals.” Interior Health+1
The pediatric ward closure is a conspicuous example of physicians and nurses being unable to maintain service levels. KelownaNow+1
The next CEO Interior Health will need to swiftly strengthen recruitment, retention and working-conditions to stabilise front-line delivery.

2. Rural access and population dispersion

Interior Health covers urban growth centres and remote communities. The Interior Health CEO must manage care across diverse geographies from fast-growing cities to isolated Indigenous communities. PFM Executive Search
This means balancing high-tech and acute care (in hospitals) with community, home and long-term care delivery models.

3. Culture, trust and stakeholder engagement

Multiple media reports indicate at KGH and more broadly, staff have reported feeling “fearful to speak out” and disconnected from leadership. KamloopsBCNow+1
Restoring workplace culture and trust will fall heavily on the new Interior Health CEO and the board.

4. Financial sustainability and service reform

With constrained resources and increasing demand, IH must drive efficiency while maintaining quality. The board’s CEO job description emphasises “data-informed decision making” and working within the financial realities of health care in British Columbia. PFM Executive Search
The incoming Interior Health CEO must navigate both fiscal discipline and innovation.

5. Public and political accountability

Given the heightened media and political attention, the new Interior Health CEO must demonstrate change, transparency and measurable progress. The board is under pressure from the provincial Ministry of Health and from communities. Radio NL – Kamloops News

What this change means for patients and the community

For patients and the communities served by Interior Health, the leadership shift offers hope if the new Interior Health CEO and broader leadership team deliver:

Improved service reliability: With a renewed mandate, patients may see fewer closures and disruptions, especially in vulnerable areas like pediatrics and rural emergency care.
Better responsiveness to local needs: A fresh leadership approach can focus on tailoring services to specific communities Indigenous, rural, urban rather than a “one-size-fits-all” reaction.
Strengthened communication: With trust fractured, the new CEO has a chance to rebuild engagement with all stakeholders including front-line staff, physicians and the public.
Transparency in operations: With heightened scrutiny, the transition may bring more visible performance metrics, updates and public-facing accountability.
Potential for innovation: With a board seeking a CEO with “innovation in a complex and diverse health system,” the coming leadership may accelerate new care models, virtual health and community-based care opportunities long needed for Interior Health.

However, the community must also temper expectations: leadership change does not automatically translate into immediate transformation. The scale of the organisation serving nearly 900,000 people across dozens of municipalities and many remote communities means change will likely take time. PFM Executive Search

The path ahead for the new Interior Health CEO

As the interim leader settles in, here are the key strategic imperatives for the incoming Interior Health CEO:

Conduct a rapid diagnostic: Identify immediate pain points (staffing, service closures, culture) and set targeted short-term actions.
Engage deeply with front-line staff and clinicians: Lift their voices, rebuild trust and include them in redesigning care models.
Prioritise vulnerable service areas: For example, reopening the KGH pediatric inpatient unit and addressing rural emergency-care gaps.
Develop a bold but realistic strategic plan: Align with the board’s expectations and the Ministry’s performance mandates.
Strengthen partnerships and governance: Improve relationship with the board, ministry, Indigenous partners and municipalities.
Ensure transparent communication: Provide regular public updates on progress, challenges and metrics.
Focus on sustainability and innovation: Use technology, data and new models to stretch resources and improve outcomes.

Risks and potential pitfalls

While the leadership change offers opportunity, there are also risks that the new Interior Health CEO must manage carefully:

High expectations, short patience: With public scrutiny intense, any early missteps could undermine credibility.
Resistance to change: Existing culture and structural inertia may slow progress; the leadership will need to both listen and act.
Competing priorities: Balancing urban acute care and rural service models is inherently challenging.
Resource constraints: Fiscal pressures and staffing shortages may limit what can be achieved in the short term.
Political interference: The health authority operates in a political environment; the new CEO must walk the line between operational independence and governmental accountability.

In conclusion

The appointment of a new interim Interior Health CEO marks a crucial moment for one of British Columbia’s largest regional health authorities. The transition reflects mounting pressures on the system service disruptions, staffing shortages and eroded trust and signals the board’s desire for fresh leadership. For patients, staff and communities across the region, this change may herald a new chapter of reform and renewal. But the proof will lie in results: Can the new leader restore stability, rebuild trust and drive sustainable improvements?

Fact Check & Verification

“Interior Health Authority CEO Susan Brown stepping aside early” – Global News, June 27 2025. Global News
“Interior Health – CEO committed to supporting all health-care teams” (Interior Health media release), June 16 2025. Interior Health
“Interior Health CEO steps down, KGH pediatric unit to remain closed” – KelownaNow, June 27 2025. KelownaNow
“’Organization in crisis’: Conservative Kelowna MLA calling for Interior Health CEO to be removed” – Citynews/Global News, June 13 2025. CityNews Vancouver
“Interior Health board functions & leadership” – Interior Health website, board of directors. Interior Health