The board of directors of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation (CKHAF) announced it has completed its search for a new president and CEO.
Effective June 27, Christine Colautti takes over from Mary Lou Crowley, who leaving the foundation to take a position with the St. Thomas Elgin Hospital Foundation
Bob Hockney, chair of the board, said hiring Colautti followed a thorough local and national search.
“Christine is a dynamic and visionary leader who is very civic minded and demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to health-care philanthropy. On behalf of the entire CKHAF board of directors, we are thrilled to welcome her to the CKHAF family,” He said in a media release. “The Foundation and Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) are currently working on the ‘Our Hospital, Our Future’ Wallaceburg Site Redevelopment project, which will require an $8.9-million community investment. Christine will lead our team in successfully reaching this goal.”
Colautti joins CKHAF from Erie Shores Health Foundation (ESHF), where she has served as CEO since 2018.
Working in health care for more than 23 years and the philanthropic sector for 17 years, she has held leadership roles in hospital foundations, leading and supporting teams that have raised millions.
During her tenure at ESHF, Christine exceeded revenue expectations, elevated the brand of the foundation to new levels in the community, and established a new operational framework that diversified programming and safeguarded the foundation against the challenges presented by the pandemic, according to the CKHAF media release.
Colautti has an MBA from the University of Windsor, a Masters Certificate in project management, is a certified fundraising executive, has a Graduate Certificate in human resources and contract law, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Additionally, Colautti was recently awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Award in recognition of her dedicated efforts and continuous service to the community. She was also the recent recipient of the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy’s Top 40 Under 40 Award. Applications for this award are accepted each year from across North America, and Colautti was one of seven Canadians among the 40 honored in 2020.
“I’m thrilled to take on the role of president & CEO of CKHAF, leading an organization that is so important to the community and its hospital,” Colautti said. “There is no greater calling than supporting local health care. I look forward to working with the staff, board, hospital colleagues, and the incredible community of Chatham-Kent.”
