Sharon J Matthias

Profile

Sharon provides management and policy services in the human service sector and First Nation's governments - spanning the fields of health, occupational health and safety, social services, education and environment. Her interest is in the development of an integrated, results-based, client focused, Health and Human Services System which respects the physical, mental, social and spiritual dimensions of health. Specific areas of expertise include:

Organization and system design, including accountability systems;

Outcome Based, Client Focused Policy and Program Development;

Mediation/Facilitation of multi-stakeholder decision-making;

Visioning, Strategic Planning and Business Planning; and

Transition management.

Sharon is most helpful in situations where strategic alliances or creative solutions are a requirement for success, and require new solutions at the organization and system level. Her achievements are based on her experience in bringing together community members and professionals to form productive teams. She uses her strong mediation/facilitation skills, conceptual problem-solving ability and her innovation and results orientation, to help groups reach consensus in a timely fashion. This results in programs, management systems and organizations that are purposefully designed to achieve the organization's long term vision in ways that provide creative solutions to complex problems.

Sharon is also an entertaining speaker, and gives presentations and workshops on her various areas of specialty, and on coping with change.

Sharon has been active in consulting over the last 8 years. Her practice includes short and medium - term project relationships, as well as periods of on-site management services. She has over 20 years in government service, including Assistant Deputy Minister of Health and Regional Social Services in Yukon Health and Social Services. Her employment history includes the R.C.M.P. Crime Laboratory (forensic toxicology), Alberta Occupational Health and Safety, and Alberta Community and Occupational Health (corporate policy, planning, legislative, evaluation services and "skunkworks").

Sharon has been appointed to the Alberta Provincial Health Council, a body which monitors and assesses the progress of health restructuring to achieve a health system which is consumer focused, integrated accessible, affordable and appropriate. The Council reports annually to the Legislature through the Minister of Health. This macro-accountability body is the first of its kind in the Canada health system.

She has an academic background in Pharmacy and Business, and holds an M.Sc. (Pharmaceutical Chemistry) and an M.B.A.

Experience

Principal, Sharon J. Matthias Consulting, Matthias Enterprises Ltd. 1986 - Present

Management and policy consulting in public sector organizations, with a focus on supporting 'system reengineering'. Most projects involve public participation and group decision-making and require creativity, conceptual problem solving and conflict resolution. Selected assignments:

System, Organization, or Program Design / Reengineering

Strategic Planning
  Issue Identification and Resolution Policy Development Organization/System Design and Transition Management Accountability

(in addition to accountability element in program development projects described earlier)

Assistant Deputy Minister, Health and Regional Social Services 1991 - 1993
Yukon Health and Social Services

Responsible for managing resources and services of the health care system, and for Regional Operations of Yukon Social Services. Health programs are delivered directly by Yukon Government, through funded agencies, or are contracted through the federal government (e.g. hospital, community nursing stations, environmental health, mental health). Required ongoing liaison with Council of Yukon Indians and First Nations. Major strategic issues included:

 
Executive Director, Management Support Services, 1987 - 1989
Alberta Community and Occupational Health

Provided executive and management support services (strategic planning, policy issues management, evaluation and management audit, and legislative development).

Established the division within the newly formed department, and guided the development of the department's vision and mandate statement.

Created a "skunkworks" capacity to develop innovative solutions for issue areas in department operations. Community and Occupational Health encompassed Public Health, Mental Health, Preventive Social Services and Occupational Health and Safety.

Western Career Assignment Program for Executive Development 1985 - 1987

Sponsored by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety, selected as one of three Government of Alberta participants on the inaugural program. After the education segment, completed three job assignments:

Alberta Occupational Health and Safety
1978 - 1985

Initially an occupational hygienist with responsibility for worksite inspections and toxicological research to support Occupational Exposure Limits. Promoted through progressively responsible management roles to Manager, Standards and Projects, providing Health Services legislative development and province-wide programs. Developed and implemented the New Plants and Chemical Hazards Information Program, and the Worksite Internal Responsibility Program. (Studies for M.B.A. were taken part-time during this period).

Salesperson, Kellough Real Estate 1975 - 1977
Residential Real Estate Salesperson in the Edmonton area.

Section Head, R.C.M.P. Crime Detection Laboratory, Edmonton 1968 - 1975

Initially an Alcohol Toxicologist, then as Section Head, Alcohol Section supervising professional staff (both regular and civilian members), was responsible for laboratory, expert witness support and breathalyzer operator training to assist in the investigation and criminal charges for impaired driving and other alcohol-related crimes for the R.C.M.P. and municipal police forces in Alberta, N.W.T. and Yukon, and the Canadian Forces in Germany.
 
 
Education, Qualifications and Professional Designations

Western Career Assignment Program for Executive Development

M.B.A., University of Alberta

M.Sc. (Pharmaceutical Chemistry), University of Alberta

B.S.P. (Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy), with distinction, University of Saskatchewan

Honored Fellow, Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution

Member, International Association for Public Participation Practitioners (IAP3)

Professional Development

A wide variety of short courses, seminars and personal reading related to management skills. Workshops in Negotiation Skills and Conflict Resolution. Current areas of interest include how to incorporate aspects of chaos theory; respecting diversity, individual differences and personal authority; post-modernist thought and results-orientation to system/organizational design and feedback systems.

References

Members of Health Committee or Chief and Council:
Beaver First Nation, Dene Tha' First Nation, Tallcree First Nation

Chair, NUNEE Health Authority
Fort Chipewyan, Alberta

Ms Ellen Hambrook
Chair, Provincial Health Council of Alberta
(403) 422 0026

Mr. Ron Henriet, Executive Director or Lloyd Mackenzie, Director of Operations
North Peace Tribal Council
High Level, Alberta

Ed Anderson, Chair
Alberta East Central Regional Health Authority
Stettler, Alberta

Gary McPherson, Chairman and Fran Vargo, Executive Director,
Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities
(403) 422-1095

Eric Boyd, Executive Director
Canadian Paraplegic Association
Ottawa, Ontario

Dr. David Moores
Chair, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, U of A.
(403) 492-6611

Mr. Bernie Doyle, Executive Director
Canadian Blood Agency
Ottawa, Ontario

Mr. Steve Petz
ADM Integrated Services
Saskatchewan Health

Mr. Dave Wattling
President, EDM Management Systems Inc.
(403) 448 2492


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