Leadership Lessons for Empowering Others with Andrea Robertson

Today we sit down with Andrea Robertson. Andrea is the President and Chief Executive Officer of STARS. STARS is a not for profit organization that has provided helicopter emergency medical care to help save the lives of more than 45,000 critically ill and injured patients across Western Canada for over 35 years.

 

Prior to joining STARS, she served in a variety of leadership roles in health care. Andrea held the positions of Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Alberta Health Services; operational experience spanned roles such as the Vice President for the Foothills Medical Centre and Alberta Children's Hospital; and planning roles including the Vice President of the South Health Campus.

 

In a very candid conversation Andrea shares her experiences with Imposter Syndrome in the early days of her career and the strategy she employed to manage it. She tells us the amazing origin story of STARS, the impact they have on caring for the most critical ill and injured, and the current challenges they deal with as a result of COVID-19. She also shares with us her leadership approach for empowering a team of highly trained and committed professionals. Finally, she talks about how mental wellness is perceived, particular in a field that deals with tragic and traumatic events on a daily basis, and the steps we can take to support each other on our mental wellness journey.