Health PEI Executive Leadership Team

Chief Executive Officer

Melanie Fraser

Melanie Fraser is the Chief Executive Officer of Health PEI, where she leads the province’s health authority with a focus on innovation, equity, and system-wide transformation. With over two decades of senior public sector leadership, Melanie is known for her strategic vision, collaborative approach, and ability to deliver results in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

Since joining Health PEI in March 2024, Melanie has championed a values-based culture that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and a relentless focus on delivering primary care for all Islanders. Her leadership is grounded in a deep commitment to public service and a passion for building high-performing, inclusive teams.

Prior to her role in Prince Edward Island, Melanie served as Associate Deputy Minister of Health in Ontario, where she led major portfolios including the creation of Ontario Health, Mental Health & Addictions, Digital Health Transformation, and Health Human Resources. She has also held executive roles as Ontario’s Corporate Chief Information Officer, Chief Administrative Officer at Treasury Board, and Director of Operations for the Ontario Death Investigation System.

Melanie holds an Honours BA, a Master of Arts, and the President’s Gold Medal from Wilfrid Laurier University. She also completed the Senior Public Sector Executive Program at the Ivey Business School, Western University. Raised in a farming family with Dutch immigrant roots, Melanie brings humility, resilience, and a strong sense of community to her leadership. She and her husband, who is originally from the East Coast, have two children and enjoy golfing, watersports, and time at the barn.

Chief Financial Officer

Christine Sewell

Christine is an experienced finance executive who is committed to team-building and has led through significant transformation, including the health system refocus in Alberta.

Prior to serving as the Senior Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister of Alberta Health (now Primary and Preventative Health Services and Hospital and Surgical Health Services), overseeing an operating budget of $28 billion and a 3-year capital plan of $3.6 billion; Christine was the Senior Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister of Finance and Capital Planning for Alberta Education. Christine’s previous experience in the Alberta Public Service also included roles at Treasury Board, and Finance and Infrastructure.

Christine has a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and holds a Bachelor of Management from University of Alberta Augustana Campus. Christine is dedicated to developing herself and others, and volunteers as a mentor for the CPA program.

Christine has led financial strategy, planning, and operational execution across complex health portfolios; focusing on transparency, accountability and oversight with strong controls and process to achieve financial excellence.

Chief Medical Officer 

Dr. Johan Viljoen

Dr. Viljoen is a distinguished OB/GYN with a wealth of experience in clinical practice and organizational leadership. He is a seasoned leader with a profound understanding of the Canadian healthcare landscape, encompassing its structure, governance, funding mechanisms, and legal framework.

Dr. Viljoen is a dedicated advocate for physician development. From coaching and mentoring physicians to recruitment through performance management, he actively supports and empowers physicians, providing guidance and constructive feedback to ensure their continuous professional growth.

Dr. Viljoen is deeply interested in the future of technology and its transformative potential in healthcare. Dr. Viljoen is passionate about harnessing technology to support the evolution of healthcare for all Canadians. With that eye on the future, Dr. Viljoen combines traditional medical wisdom with a passion for cutting-edge technologies to help shape the future of healthcare.

Dr. Viljoen holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in Health Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, an MBA in Executive Management from the University of Massachusetts (Isenberg School of Business), and certificates in Health Law, Negligence, Risk Management, and Litigation from Osgoode Hall Law School. An avid learner, Dr. Vilogen also achieved a CPE in Medical Leadership from the American College of Physician Executives, an LMCC in Medicine from the Medical Council of Canada, and credentials in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, University of Stellenbosch (M.MED), and University of Stellenbosch (M.B.Ch.B.).

Chief Operating Officer

Chris Nickerson

Chris Nickerson is a seasoned health care executive with over three decades of leadership experience across provincial health systems in Alberta, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and New Brunswick. Known for his collaborative, field-engaged leadership style, Chris brings a deep understanding of health system operations and planning, strategic planning, acute care, and emergency health services, grounded in his early career as a paramedic.

Before joining Health PEI, Chris served as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Acute Care Division with the Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services in the Government of Alberta, in a health system with over 100 acute care hospitals and leading key provincial priorities such as surgical wait time reduction, emergency health services optimization, and critical care capacity improvement. His previous roles include Executive Director of Health System Planning and Quality, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of Health in Alberta, and Director of Emergency Health Services in Nova Scotia, with accountabilities related to the provincial trauma program, critical care transport, community paramedicine, among other key portfolios.

Chris has also held senior operations leadership positions with BC Ambulance Service and the Ministry of Attorney General in British Columbia, where he was recognized with multiple Premier’s Awards for innovation and cross-government collaboration. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Northern British Columbia, graduating cum laude.

As Chief Operating Officer at Health PEI, Chris leads operational teams across the province, with a focus on improving system performance, supporting frontline staff, and advancing integrated, patient-centered care. Originally from the east coast, Chris is proud to return home and contribute to the transformation of health care delivery on Prince Edward Island.

Chief Governance and Risk Officer

Kelli O’Brien, BScPT, MSc, EXTRA Fellow

Kelli O’Brien is a strategic, collaborative, and values-driven health care executive with over 30 years of leadership experience across Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and recently, Prince Edward Island. As Chief Governance and Risk Officer at Health PEI, she leads the organization’s efforts to strengthen quality, risk, and audit systems, supporting safe, effective, and accountable care for Islanders.

Kelli brings deep expertise in clinical operations, integrated risk management, strategic planning, and system transformation. She has held senior roles at NL Health Services, Western Health, and St. Joseph’s Care Group and is widely recognized for her ability to lead complex change, foster culturally safe care, and build strong partnerships with Indigenous communities and health system stakeholders.

Throughout her career, Kelli has advanced quality and safety across diverse portfolios, including cancer care, long-term care, and rural health. She holds degrees from Dalhousie and Queen’s universities and is an EXTRA Fellow with the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation.

Chief Transformation and Strategy Officer

Tara McCarville

Tara brings over 25 years of leadership experience across Canada’s public and private health sectors, with a focus on system performance, operational redesign, and innovation. She’s committed to building a health care system that is equitable, sustainable, and centered around real human needs—leveraging technology where it truly adds value.

Throughout her career, Tara has led transformative initiatives in strategy, operations, digital health, mergers and acquisitions and performance improvement, helping health organizations turn vision into measurable, lasting results.

Her previous leadership roles include Partner and Health Industries Leader at PwC Canada, Vice President at Trillium Health Partners and Principal at TELUS Health. Most recently, she led Brighton Group Health, a strategy consulting firm focused exclusively on the health sector.

Tara holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Victoria, an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University, and an International Baccalaureate from Lester B. Pearson United World College. She is a Certified Health Executive, Project Management Professional and has earned the ICD.D Designation from the University of Toronto.

As Chief Transformation and Strategy Officer (CTSO), Tara leads strategic transformation across Health PEI, helping to shape and execute initiatives that strengthen the health system, enable innovation, and improve outcomes for Islanders. Originally from Prince Edward Island, Tara is delighted to return home and contribute to the health and well-being of the community she grew up in.

Interim Human Resources Executive 

Maura McKinnon

Maura is a practical and versatile senior leader who is a builder of people, ideas, strategies, plans and approaches. She is an experienced Human Resources professional with 20+ years’ experience in leadership roles. Maura is a change initiator and change agent who energizes others by painting both the big picture and the close up. Before joining Health PEI, Maura had previously acted as the Chief Human Resource Officer for Horizon Health Network, New Brunswick’s largest regional health authority. In addition to her roles in healthcare, she has held senior leadership roles across multiple sectors including gaming, manufacturing, air navigation and in the non-profit sector.

Maura received her MBA from Université de Moncton and is also a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR). She was the 27th person in the world to become a Certified Experience Economy Expert. Maura is also a graduate of the Disney Institute’s Quality Service Program. 

She is active in her community, having chaired both the Board of Directors of Downtown Moncton Centreville Inc. and the Board of Directors for 3+ Economic Development Corporation. Maura has also held Board Director roles with LearnSphere Canada and Moncton HeadStart. Maura acted as co-chair of the Medical Committee for the World Junior Hockey Championships hosted in Moncton and has also co-chaired the Medical Committee for the Atlantic Slam Basketball tournament. 

Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Preston Smith

Dr. Smith holds dual roles as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, UPEI, as well as Chief Academic Officer and an Executive Leadership Team member for Health PEI.

A highly regarded medical educator and administrator, Dr. Smith completed his medical education at Dalhousie University and is a Certificant and Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. In 2010, he completed a Master of Education from Mount Saint Vincent University focused on medical education.

Dr. Smith's career has been marked by his dedication to developing medical education programs. He spent 25 years as a family physician in Moncton, during which he served as VP of Medicine in Moncton, New Brunswick, during the transition from the province’s 52 hospitals to eight regions and then down to 2 health regions. This experience provided him with significant expertise in health system reform and administration. He also held the position of Senior Associate Dean of Education within the Faculty of Medicine at DAL, where he played a key role in developing and overseeing the Dalhousie medical education program launched in Saint John. He was instrumental in starting new family medicine residency programs in PEI, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. His most recent role as Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan saw his team lead a significant restructuring of the College of Medicine.

Provincial Executive Lead, Health System Integration and Flow

Corinne Rowswell, MPA, BSc, RN

Corinne is a registered nurse with over 35 years of health care experience. She has worked as a front-line nurse in acute care, home care, palliative care and public health in Nova Scotia, PEI, Quebec and Ontario. Throughout her career she has worked with patients, families, health care providers and community programs towards safe and supportive transitions in care, particularly from acute care settings to home based care. Corinne credits working with people and their families, particularly at their most vulnerable time of life, as fundamentally shaping how she practiced nursing in a collaborative inter-disciplinary team and working towards patient-centred care.

In 1998, Corinne moved home to PEI with her family and put those skills to use leading program and policy development for home care and palliative care before joining the Chief Public Health Office where she worked as part of the team to develop healthy public policy for a stronger public health system in PEI. In 2018, Corinne transitioned to working with the broader Health and Wellness team, leading key strategic initiatives and played a leadership role in the COVID-19 response before returning to operations with Health PEI in 2021.

Corinne holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Francis Xavier University and a Master of Public Administration from Dalhousie University.  She lives near Hunter River with her husband and they have launched three adult sons.