Suzanne Obiorah

Monday 13 March 2023

Somerset West Community Health Centre welcomes Suzanne Obiorah as new Executive Director  

Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC) is pleased to announce Ms. Suzanne Obiorah will assume the role of Executive Director on March 13, 2023. Ms. Obiorah will replace Naini Cloutier who is retiring after nearly seven years of distinguished leadership as ED of SWCHC and over 35 years of dedicated service to the community.  

Ms. Obiorah is a nationally-recognized leader in the fields of health, social services and municipal government.  She served with distinction as SWCHC’s Director of Primary Care and Regional Programs between 2018 to 2021. Her 22 year career has also included, most recently, 2 years as Director, Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development at the City of Ottawa, 6 years in leadership roles at the Ottawa Hospital, as well as 7 years as a front-line practitioner. She holds an MBA from Saint Mary University and a Bachelor of Science from Toronto Metropolitan University.  

Throughout her career, Ms. Obiorah has gained extensive experience in community engagement, strategy, and tactical execution, as well as built an outstanding reputation as a trusted community partner and an equity leader. 

A strong advocate and known community convenor, Suzanne has established relationships with many community leaders and organizations. She is driven to lead and model equity work, advancing social development initiatives by centering approaches that are community informed and community led. 

As the past Director of Primary Care and Regional Programs of SWCHC, she worked to ensure health programs and services were accessible, culturally competent, and reflective of the communities it’s meant to serve, while also leading discussions of health system reform to advance health equity at regional and provincial tables.  

The success of SWCHC has been due in large part to strong community partnerships, dedicated and innovative staff, and an unwavering commitment to anti-racist and anti-oppressive approaches, diversity, equity and inclusion.  It is in this light that we are thrilled to welcome Suzanne Obiorah to our organization and look forward to her contributions in advancing the strategic priorities of SWCHC’s recently updated strategic plan.