Maryam Vafaei is a highly accomplished Information Services and Digital Health executive whose career reflects more than three decades of progressive leadership across healthcare, technology, and system transformation. Known for her ability to deliver results in complex, high-pressure environments, she has consistently led large-scale initiatives that improve clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and organizational performance. Her leadership is grounded in a deep understanding of both healthcare operations and advanced technology systems, enabling her to bridge the gap between strategy and execution with clarity and confidence.
Maryam currently serves as a Strategic Advisor, providing executive guidance to healthcare organizations navigating the complexities of large-scale Health Information System implementations. In her advisory roles with OCINet and Sinai Health, she plays a critical part in shaping onboarding strategies, governance frameworks, and system readiness for hundreds of clinics and major institutions. Her work involves aligning provincial priorities, funding models, and operational structures to ensure scalable and sustainable transformation across the healthcare ecosystem.
Her ability to design and implement comprehensive onboarding models for over 600 clinics demonstrates her strength in managing complexity at scale. Maryam brings structure to ambiguity by developing governance models, implementation toolkits, and phased delivery strategies that reduce risk while maintaining momentum. She is also a trusted voice in addressing critical challenges such as data governance, regulatory compliance, and system interoperability, ensuring that transformation efforts are both innovative and secure.
Prior to her advisory work, Maryam served as Associate Vice-President of Digital Health Transformation at Santé Québec, where she led province-wide initiatives aimed at modernizing healthcare delivery. In this role, she provided strategic direction for the integration of key systems including electronic health records, laboratory platforms, and imaging technologies. Her leadership helped align diverse stakeholders and drive the adoption of digital solutions that enhanced patient care and system performance.
Maryam’s tenure as Program Regional Director for the Atlas Alliance Health Information System further solidified her reputation as a transformation leader. She oversaw a $30 million program supporting ten healthcare organizations, leading a team of 80 professionals responsible for the full lifecycle of system delivery and optimization. Under her leadership, multiple hospitals and care centers successfully implemented the Epic Health Information System, achieving on-time and under-budget outcomes while maintaining high standards of quality and collaboration.
One of her most notable achievements includes leading the implementation of Epic Beaker laboratory systems across the region and pioneering the integration with Canada Health Infoway’s PrescribeIT platform. This accomplishment marked the first hospital integration of its kind in Canada, setting a benchmark for digital interoperability and demonstrating her ability to deliver innovative solutions with national impact.
Maryam also contributed to advancing data sharing and research capabilities through her leadership in enabling participation in Epic Cosmos. By guiding risk assessments and legal frameworks, she helped position Canadian healthcare organizations to securely leverage data for clinical insights and innovation. Her forward-thinking approach reflects a commitment to using technology not only for operational efficiency but also for broader societal benefit.
Earlier in her career, Maryam played a pivotal role in Project Fusion, a large-scale initiative to implement a common Health Information System across six regional organizations. Managing a $150 million budget and a multidisciplinary team of over 100 professionals, she successfully delivered the program within a tight timeline. Her leadership in governance design, stakeholder alignment, and operational planning ensured the long-term sustainability of the initiative.
Maryam’s professional journey began in technical roles, including Programmer Analyst and Senior System Analyst positions, where she developed a strong foundation in system design, integration, and optimization. These early experiences provided her with a deep technical understanding that continues to inform her executive decision-making. Her initial career as a Medical Laboratory Technologist further strengthened her clinical insight, allowing her to approach healthcare transformation with a uniquely holistic perspective.
Her academic achievements include a Master’s degree in Project Management and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences, complemented by extensive leadership and technical training. Fluent in English, French, and Persian, Maryam brings a global perspective and cultural fluency that enhance her ability to lead diverse teams and collaborate across complex organizational environments.
Throughout her career, Maryam has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement. She is widely recognized for building high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, and delivering measurable results that align with organizational priorities. Her leadership style balances discipline with empathy, enabling her to guide organizations through transformation while maintaining focus on people, performance, and purpose.
Maryam Vafaei continues to be a driving force in the evolution of digital health, bringing together strategy, innovation, and operational expertise to shape the future of healthcare systems. Her career stands as a testament to the power of thoughtful leadership and the impact of technology when applied with clarity, integrity, and vision.
Character: Maryam demonstrates integrity and accountability in every aspect of her leadership, consistently prioritizing outcomes that benefit both organizations and the patients they serve. She brings a calm, steady presence to complex environments, earning trust through reliability and ethical decision making.
Knowledge: She possesses deep expertise in digital health transformation, healthcare systems, and large-scale program delivery developed over decades of hands-on and executive experience. Her ability to integrate clinical knowledge with advanced technology strategy enables her to drive meaningful and sustainable innovation.
Strategic: Maryam excels at aligning complex initiatives with long-term organizational goals, ensuring that transformation efforts deliver measurable and lasting value. She anticipates risks, structures solutions, and guides organizations through uncertainty with clarity and precision.
Communication: Her communication style is clear, inclusive, and effective across technical and executive audiences, fostering alignment and shared understanding. She translates complex concepts into actionable insights, enabling informed decision making and strong collaboration.
