From Hospitals to the Boardroom: A Career Guided by Purpose

With over three decades of executive leadership in Ontario’s hospitals, Mary Wilson Trider has built a career defined by strategic insight, steady governance, and a deep commitment to collaboration. From navigating complex health-care partnerships to guiding boards in the university, not-for-profit, and charitable sectors, she brings a rare blend of operational expertise and big-picture vision.

Most recently, Mary served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mississippi River Health Alliance, where she led a uniquely governed alliance of health-care organizations in Almonte and Carleton Place. A Fellow of CPA Ontario, a graduate of Queen’s University, and Chair Emerita of its Board of Trustees, she is known for her ability to bring diverse voices together to solve complex challenges.

Now, as one of HealthPRO Canada’s newest Board Members, Mary is ready to share her perspective on the evolving health-care landscape. We sat down with her to discuss what drew her to the sector, the future of procurement, and the values that continue to guide her leadership.

1. What drew you to a career in healthcare?
Having been exposed to many different businesses through my education and professional qualification process, healthcare was by far the most interesting—not just the science behind all of the ways health can be supported, improved and sustained, but the myriad of complex relationships that must work successfully in order for a healthcare organization to deliver care to the communities it serves. Also, the opportunity for my daily work to improve the lives of others—and to see that impact directly every day.

2. In your view, what does the future of healthcare procurement look like?
I expect there to be continued collaboration nationally across the sector to achieve best practice, best quality and best price. Increasing the diversity of suppliers to mitigate supply chain disruptions, which come in many forms, will be an ongoing focus. Recent events suggest that international business relationships will feature more prominently. Strategically, I expect that organizations and their funders will need to think more deeply about how to balance the short-term cost to individual organizations of our collective Environmental, Social and Governance goals against the longer-term benefits to society as a whole.

3. What makes the mission of HealthPRO Canada meaningful to you?
The commitments to connection, exemplary care, innovation, ethics, sustainability and keeping our promises reflect my personal values.

4. With an accomplished and impressive career, what are you most looking forward to in this next chapter?
Putting all that I have learned in my employment and volunteer lives to use in helping HealthPRO Canada deliver on its mission while continuing to learn from the people I will work with and the issues we will tackle.

5. What are your personal interests outside of work?
I enjoy reading, gardening, yoga and watching Formula One racing. I continue to work on improving my skills in both golf and curling. Travel has also been an interest for many years and I have been fortunate to be in many interesting places around the world, but there is always more to explore.

6. Favourite quote or motto?
Always look on the bright side of life. I am not a particular Monty Python fan, but I do believe that each of us has control over our responses to the situations and circumstances in which we find ourselves. Happiness, fulfilment and success rarely result from focusing on the negative.

7. With decades of executive and board leadership experience, what do you see as the most critical factor in building effective partnerships across the healthcare system?
Trust that each party is motivated by the desire for their partnership to improve care for all of the constituencies served by the collective without harm to stakeholders including patients, clients, employees, physicians, volunteers, and communities.