Central Line: Leadership in Healthcare

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of abuse, violence, and forensic nursing. Please prioritize your well-being before listening.

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With 50 years in nursing and decades at the forefront of forensic care, Liz Louden — president of the Canadian Forensic Nurses Association — pulls back the curtain on a field most people don't know exists.

We explore what forensic nursing really is, why survivors of violence are so often failed by the healthcare system, and what it takes to close that gap. From sexual assault to human trafficking to death investigation, Liz makes the case for why every emergency department in Canada needs a forensic nurse examiner.

A powerful conversation for anyone in healthcare — or anyone who cares about how we treat people in their most vulnerable moments.

In this special re-release, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation with Ila, in honour of her passing on April 20, 2026.

Ila was not only an incredible leader, but also my friend. She inspired me on many levels—through her courage, her perspective, and the way she showed up so fully for the people around her.

In this episode, she shares her perspective on leadership, resilience, and what it really means to show up for others in complex, demanding environments. Her words carry a depth that feels even more meaningful now.

As you listen, you’ll hear the clarity, honesty, and strength that defined her. This conversation is a reminder of the impact one person can have—through how they lead, how they connect, and how they care.

I’m deeply grateful to have known Ila, and to share this conversation again in her memory.

In this episode of Central Line, Leah Wuitschik sits down with Kelly Baskerville, a nurse leader with 25 years of experience across frontline care, education, and system-level leadership in continuing care.

Now the Executive Director of the Institute for Continuing Care Education and Research, Kelly shares how her career in gerontology unfolded—and why working with older adults is among the most complex and overlooked work in healthcare.

At the heart of this conversation is a simple but powerful truth: leadership is a long game, and you can’t do it alone.

Together, Leah and Kelly explore what it really takes to sustain yourself over time—why connection matters, how to find your people, and the role community plays in navigating pressure, uncertainty, and change.

They also get practical about what holds people back from reaching out—and how to start building meaningful connections, even when it feels uncomfortable.

This episode is a reminder that the leaders who last aren’t the ones who go it alone—they’re the ones who stay connected.

What happens when you’re 21 years old and suddenly responsible for leading people twice your age?

In this episode, I sit down with Max to explore his journey from the Canadian Armed Forces to senior healthcare leadership. We talk about leading under pressure, navigating imposter syndrome, and the transition from structured military systems to the complexity of civilian healthcare.

We unpack what healthcare can learn from military leadership — especially around communication, closing the loop, and building trust — and why emotional intelligence and coaching are essential, not optional, for today’s leaders.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you belong in the seat you’re in, this conversation will resonate.

This week, we’re revisiting our most-listened-to episode — a powerful conversation with Caroline Brunt, RN, street nurse, educator, and co-creator of the award-winning documentary Bevel Up.

Caroline shares what decades of outreach and harm-reduction work have taught her about leadership, trust, and meeting people where they are. This episode explores the quiet, often invisible skills that matter most in healthcare leadership: presence, humility, non-judgment, and genuine human connection.

It’s a conversation about learning through discomfort, challenging assumptions, and remembering that people are never problems to be fixed — they are human beings shaped by complex systems, trauma, and resilience.

If this episode resonated the first time you heard it, it’s worth returning to. And if you’re listening for the first time, this conversation offers a powerful reminder of what compassionate leadership truly looks like.

In this episode, Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah, Co-Director of Policy and Advocacy at Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, shares her path from an early, instinctive feminism to becoming a respected national advocate. She offers a clear look at Action Canada’s work advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada and globally, and why this work remains as urgent as ever.

Debbie breaks down the systemic and political barriers that continue to limit equitable access to care, highlighting how narratives shape policy—and how shifting those narratives can change outcomes. She also speaks to the power of communities working together to influence decision-makers and push for a more just, responsive healthcare system.

Grounded, thoughtful, and deeply informed, Debbie’s insights cut through noise and rhetoric. She closes with practical, realistic advice for young activists who want to contribute meaningfully to this work.

A thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in advocacy, equity, and the future of healthcare.

Marilyn Wacko, Executive Director of the Alberta Nurses Educational Trust (ANET), discusses her role in advancing nursing through education and research. ANET, a unique charity in Alberta, provides grants for continuing education, research, and scholarships to improve nursing practice and patient care. Marilyn highlights the importance of funding nursing projects with immediate healthcare impacts and shares inspiring stories of beneficiaries. She also addresses the challenges in nursing research funding and emphasizes the need for greater awareness and support for the profession.

After leaving a successful advertising career, Kate Grant set out to find work with deeper meaning. That search led her to a hospital in Ethiopia, where she witnessed women suffering from obstetric fistula—a preventable childbirth injury that had left them incontinent, isolated, and forgotten.

Moved to act, Kate joined the Fistula Foundation. What began as support for a single hospital has grown under her leadership into a network spanning 32 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia—restoring health, dignity, and hope to thousands of the world’s poorest women.

 

Join host Leah as she talks with Hilary, a Labrador Inuk nurse and policy analyst, about her journey in nursing, the importance of community, and advancing cultural safety in healthcare. Hilary shares insights on Indigenous leadership, overcoming challenges, and practical steps for creating more inclusive care. A powerful conversation on reconciliation and making a difference in Canadian health.

 

If you would like to learn more about Truth and Reconciliation and other Indigenous events please check out these links:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/indigenous-people/new-relationship/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-calls-to-action

https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/news-events/upcoming-events/air-knowledge-sharing-event-2025

https://www.nccih.ca/634/Resources__Indigenous_Cultural_Safety,_Humility_and_Anti-racism.nccih?id=3973&col=3

https://www.healthcareexcellence.ca/en/events-and-opportunities/spotlight-series/2023-12-06-spotlight-series/

In this episode of Central Line Leadership in Healthcare, nurse and healthcare technology manager Claire Phillips shares her journey from a sociology major to a nursing leader. Discussing her passion for systems thinking, Claire highlights how this approach can revolutionize healthcare by addressing complex issues, such as burnout and patient care efficiency. Through her company, Nursing the System, she aims to train 10,000 nurses in systems change by 2030. Claire emphasizes the importance of practical tools and education in empowering nurses, thereby making healthcare more resilient and effective.