Northern Health’s board of directors has selected Ciro Panessa as the next president and CEO of Northern Health.
He will start in the role on September 5.
“After a thorough selection process, I’m thrilled to welcome Ciro Panessa as the next president and CEO of Northern Health,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.
“Ciro brings a wealth of experience that will greatly benefit people in the north, and I look forward to working together to continue to improve the health-care services that people rely on. I would also like to thank Cathy Ulrich for her many years of exceptional dedicated service to the people of Northern B.C. and wish her well during her retirement.”
Ulrich, who served as the president and CEO since 2007, announced her retirement in February.
Panessa was born in Prince Rupert and raised in Vancouver. He holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia and a Family Nurse Practitioner Advanced Graduate Diploma from Athabasca University.
He has lived in Terrace since 2014, where he worked first as the Regional Director, Chronic Diseases and since 2017 as the Northwest Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to relocating to northern BC, Panessa worked in a Ministry of Health policy position as the Director, Blood Borne Pathogens. He has been the recipient of the Premier’s Award for Innovation, the UBC Young Alumnus Award, a CIHR Fellowship for the National Canadian Research Training Program in Hepatitis C and the Canadian Nurses Foundation Fellowship for Hepatology Nursing.
Ulrich’s last day as president and CEO will be Sept. 1 but she has agreed to be available to the Northern Health Board to support the CEO orientation and transition process into the fall.
