The Sault Ste. Marie YMCA has a new chief executive officer.
The organization’s board of directors says James Chan will take over the role on May 20.
Chan has held both clinical and senior management roles in large complex health systems for over 25 years.
He moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 2020 and worked as Sault Area Hospital’s director of innovation where he spearheaded a remote care monitoring program.
Find the full news release from Sault Ste. Marie YMCA below:
The Board of Directors of the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA is pleased to announce James Chan as the Chief Executive Officer of the local YMCA, effective May 20, 2025.
The appointment of James Chan is the result of an intensive search process undertaken by the YMCA’s Board of Directors in collaboration with YMCA Canada and the YMCA Ontario Resource Development Centre.
The CEO search committee was led by Co-Chairs Chris Graham and Virginia McLeod of the local YMCA Board of Directors and was supported by Jim Janzen, Senior Vice President YMCA Ontario Regional Development Centre, Kevin Muir, Chief Operating Officer YMCA Canada, and members of the SSM YMCA Board of Directors. The recruitment process was completed with additional community support.
“The YMCA in Sault Ste. Marie will benefit from the experience of a long-standing health leader as its next CEO,” says McLeod. “We are excited by the remarkable spectrum of talent, skills, and successful achievements James brings to our organization and to the community.”
James Chan is a proven leader who has held both clinical and senior management roles in large complex health systems for over 25 years.
He started his career at Vancouver International Airport, where he worked for major airlines for over a decade. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University majoring in Industrial and Organizational Psychology – but pivoted to healthcare following his desire to focus on helping people.
He completed his Master’s degree at the University of British Columbia and transitioned to clinical work in the field of Mental Health and Addictions. From there, he helped form a research and evaluation department in northern BC before developing quality management systems there and in the interior of the province. During this period, James finished his PhD in Health Sciences, where his research centered on health system measurement and evaluation.
Throughout his career, James has endeavored to create and share knowledge through peerreviewed articles, professional reports, and book chapters published in the scientific literature.
James moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 2020 to be with family and worked as the Director of Innovation at Sault Area Hospital. One of his pioneering efforts was spearheading a Remote Care Monitoring program that was recognized nationally and internationally as a significant contribution in digital health.
“It is both an honour and a privilege to join an organization with over a century of history in Sault Ste. Marie,” states Chan. “It's also a perfect alignment of values, given the YMCA’s principles of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, excellence, and inclusiveness. I am absolutely thrilled to join a great team and have the opportunity to serve the people of Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding communities in this new capacity.”
Graham notes that “James also holds the highest designation of Fellow with the Canadian College of Health Leaders, which will serve him well as he leads our YMCA in activities and collaborations planned to strengthen and grow our organization in this region.”
The Sault Ste. Marie YMCA welcomes James Chan in his new role as CEO.