As a teenager, Sean Secord was involved in a severe car accident which led to a long road to recovery. After encountering countless walls of adversity, this event transformed into self-perpetuation. By recognizing the positive influences of healthcare on the livelihood of similar victims in addition to the plethora of career avenues to pursue in the industry, he manifested a sense of motivation and engagement to join the cause.
Sean began his promising healthcare career as a nurse in the Transplant and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) departments in London, Ontario, after earning degrees in the fields of Biology and Nursing at Western University. As his curiosity expanded, he continued his adventure by following educational, clinical, and leadership prospects across the nation. Once he reached Canada’s North, he supported the establishment of a dedicated MedEvac service for the Yukon then on to lead the opening of two new rural hospitals. Furthermore, Sean worked tirelessly at MedEvac, Emergency, Public Health, Communicable Disease, and the Outpost setting during this period. To communicate his gratitude for the venture, he mentions, “The Yukon has been home for the last couple of decades and has been a land of opportunity for both clinical and leadership pursuits, both locally and nationally.” Sean also references his greatest accomplishment as a health leader by stating, “I am proud of helping to keep the Midnight Sun Chapter of the Canadian College of Health Leaders alive and representing the Northern Health Leader voice nationally.” Sean is currently a Program and Policy Analyst at CADTH. As he embarks on his next chapter as a Global Executive MBA candidate, it is undeniable that his healthcare leadership mentality will continue to positively influence surrounding communities.
As a member of the Midnight Sun Chapter, Sean Secord has continued to demonstrate dedication and persistence for his accomplishments. Although the respective chapter is small in numbers, it covers approximately 40% of Canada. Sean also advocates that although the dynamic of delivering and leading healthcare in a northern setting is quite challenging, it reciprocates equally through rewarding attributes. In addition, Sean believes that the opportunity to network with other members both locally and nationally is beneficial from a business perspective. The unique nature of the chapter inevitably creates a priority to preserve the voice on a national stage.
Sean Secord maintains a committed approach in his involvement at CCHL and is a key figure for the conservancy. He also values the fulfillment derived from finding success based on his efforts. An example of a memorable experience at the College includes building the foundation for the new executive of the Midnight Sun Chapter and the Northern and Indigenous perspectives being represented in the Canada West Health Leaders Conference. He shares that although the local chapter was on the brink of extinction numerous times due to busy schedules and the demanding realities of three Territories and four time zones, his perseverance allowed him to witness the initiation of four newly committed executive members. Sean Secord reflects on his passionate experience by stating, “It’s worth the effort to maintain connections with health leaders across the North because although delivering healthcare in the Arctic is difficult, no one is smarter than all of us.” In recognition of his efforts, Sean Secord was selected by the Midnight Sun Chapter as the recipient of the 2022 Chapter Award for Distinguished Service.
