Julia Hanigsberg
President and CEO | Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Toronto, ON, CANADA
Champion for children and youth with disabilities & healthcare CEO. Expert speaker and leader on diversity, innovation and inclusion.
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Biography
Julia Hanigsberg joined Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital as its President and CEO on January 12, 2015. Holland Bloorview is Canada’s largest paediatric rehabilitation hospital and each year serves over 8,000 children and youth with disabilities and complex medical needs. Holland Bloorview is an academic hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. It carries out its academic mission through its research institute, the Bloorview Research Institute, and the Teaching and Learning Institute.
Prior to joining Holland Bloorview, Julia spent nine years at Ryerson University, first as General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Governors and then as Vice-President, Administration and Finance. She was also interim Dean of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education.
Her previous positions included numerous roles with the Ontario government including: Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General; Counsel and Special Advisor to two Secretaries of Cabinet; and Chief of Staff to the Attorney General of Ontario. Julia also led the project teams responsible for two transitions of provincial government leadership.
A lawyer by training, Julia has law degrees from McGill University (where she was Editor in Chief of the McGill Law Journal) and Columbia Law School. Following graduation from law school, she clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada. She has held Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Fulbright Fellowships.
Julia has served on numerous volunteer boards. Currently, Julia is a member of the boards of the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, the Canadian Association of Pediatric Heath Centres, and Canadian Business SenseAbility. She is on the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario, the CEO Committee of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network, the Executive Advisory Board of FIRST Robotics Canada, the Girls in STEM Council, and McGill University’s Women, Leadership and Philanthropy committee.
Industry Expertise (1)
Health Care - Services
Areas of Expertise (18)
Children's Health
Disabilities
Patient Centred Care
Leadership
Women in Leadership
Diversity & Inclusion
Girls in STEM
Women in STEM
Women in Science
Patient Engagement
Healthcare
Health Policy
Social Media for CEOs
Governance & Board Relations
Women on Boards
Childhood Disabilities
Hospital & Health Care
Non - Profit Organization
Accomplishments (6)
Top 100 Most Powerful Women 2021 (professional)
Inducted into the 2021 Hall of Fame for winning the Top 100 Award for the fourth time
Top 100 Most Powerful Women 2020 (professional)
Named as a WXN Canada's top 100 most powerful women in the Canada's Most Powerful CEOs category.
Top 100 Most Powerful Women 2019 (professional)
Named as a WXN Canada's top 100 most powerful women in the public sector category.
Top 100 Most Powerful Women 2018 (professional)
Named as a WXN Canada's top 100 most powerful women in the broader public sector category.
Viola Desmond Award (Ryerson University) (professional)
In recognition of fostering a culture of equity and inclusion for Black faculty, staff and students at Ryerson University.
Women of Influence Diversity Champion (professional)
In honour of championing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Education (4)
Rotman School, University of Toronto: Certificate, Not For Profit Governance 2007
Columbia Law School: LL.M., Law 1995
McGill University Faculty of Law: B.C.L./LL.B., Law 1991
McGill University: B.A., Philosophy 1987
Affiliations (7)
- Canadian Business SenseAbility Board of Directors
- Children's Healthcare Canada
- Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario
- FIRST Robotics Executive Advisory Board
- International Women's Forum
- Kids Health Alliance
- Toronto Academic Health Science Network
Links (2)
Media Appearances (17)
Do vaccine mandates really put health care systems at risk?
Global National tv
2021-11-04
Julia Hanigsberg speaks to why it was important and necessary to have a mandatory vaccination policy and clarifies that it has not affected its ability to care for its patients.
Julia Hanigsberg - ON Point with Alex Pierson
Global News Radio radio
2021-04-07
Alex talks with Julia Hanigsberg, President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Member of the Children’s Health Coalition about the school closures in Toronto, and how it is negatively effecting the children and not helping to stop the spread of COVID-19
10-year-old girl encourages others to wear masks
CTV News Toronto tv
2020-07-17
In response to the mandatory masking bylaw in Toronto and surrounding areas, Pauline Chan speaks with Holland Bloorview ambassador, Gavi, and her parents about the importance of wearing masks to protect those that may not be able to due to a disability or medical complexity. Julia Hanigsberg also comments on the topic – asking everyone to show some “COVID kindness” by either wearing a mask or accepting those that can’t.
Julia Hanigsberg: Odd One Out
Accidental Intellectual online
2019-10-19
Discussion about her unique career trajectory, the positive impact that shared personal experiences can have on health care, the importance of representation in media, blurring the line between professional and personal content on social media, family partnership in health care, and much more.
Students from Japan visit Toronto children's rehab hospital
CTV News Toronto tv
2019-07-23
Holland Bloorview hosted a cultural exchange experience for nine Japanese students at its Spiral Garden through Support our Kids, a not-for-profit organization aimed at providing support to children who have survived the 2011 earthquake in Japan.
New Priorities in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
TVO The Agenda tv
2019-01-07
Panel discussion on latest research findings, family experience and health system perspective.
Transforming the care of children and youth with disabilities with Julia Hanigsberg, president and CEO, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada online
2018-12-05
Speaking candidly about leadership, driving change, disability stigma and the intersections of personal and professional life in HIROC's Healthcare Change Makers podcast.
'I'll break the barriers': New ad campaign tries to end stigma plaguing youth with disabilities
cbc.ca online
2018-08-27
The year-two launch of Holland Bloorview's Dear Everybody campaign, which is aimed at changing the way people look at children with disabilities.
Capes for Kids continues mission to help children with disabilities
thestar.com online
2018-03-05
Capes for Kids raises awareness and funds for children and youth with disabilities. Julia Hanigsberg, campaign ambassador, Abby, and her mom Beth, speak to the initiative's importance.
'Dear Everybody' campaign aims to end disability stigmas
ctvnews.ca online
2017-09-05
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital launches 'Dear Everybody' - a public awareness campaign dedicated to breaking down disability stereotypes.
Robotics Programming Inspiring Young Minds at Holland Bloorview
CityTV tv
2016-11-12
Children with disabilities are getting a STEM education as well as learning about robotics thanks to a new program at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
The Mistake of Defining a Child by a Diagnosis
Huffington Post online
2016-11-10
If everyone could see what I see, I’m convinced Canadians would rethink their beliefs about childhood disability. Like any child, kids with disabilities experience happiness and fulfillment in a variety of different ways.
Health Leaders Series: Interview with Julia Hanigsberg on Innovation and Children's Rehabilitation
Figure 1 online
What are some treatments, technologies, therapies, or programs Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital has pioneered? One of the amazing things about having a research institute at the hospital is that we develop innovative technologies that directly benefit kids with disabilities. Often our clients are the first to benefit from these innovations, but the goal is to benefit kids across Canada and the world.
#CEOJulia (or how to be a Social CEO)
The Social C-Suite online
2016-06-01
Active on Twitter and LinkedIn and also a regular blogger, Julia caught The Social C-Suite’s attention and we decided to interview her for our Social CEO of the Week feature. As usual, the interview was conducted entirely via Twitter. We are the Social C-Suite after all!
Why Women Executives Need to Get Social
Forbes online
2015-04-19
Women executives need to get on social media.
Julia Hanigsberg Knows First Hand That Every Family is Unique
BLOOM online
2015-02-10
Interview with President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital who is also a mom of a daughter with a disability.
What I Learned From My Wildly Busy Mentor
The Globe and Mail print
2014-03-17
Experience of job shadowing Julia Hanigsberg.
Event Appearances (4)
Remaking Yourself as an Executive After Law
Women General Counsel National Conference Toronto Board of Trade
2017-01-19
Leading Culture Change in Patient and Family Centred Care
HealthAchieve (Ontario Hospital Association) Metro Toronto Convention Centre
2016-11-09
Diversity on Boards Panel
DiverseCity on Board Expansion G Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Ryerson
2016-11-07
Emerging Health Leaders Speed Mentoring
HealthAchieve (Ontario Hospital Association) Metro Toronto Convention Centre
2016-11-08
Articles (9)
OPINION: Grown-ups, we are failing our children
Toronto SunJulia Hanigsberg, Dr. Jeffrey Pernica, Kimberly Moran
2021-01-12
Julia Hanigsberg co-authors an opinion piece with the chief of pediatric infectious diseases at McMaster’s Children’s Hospital and the CEO of Children’s Mental Health Ontario re: importance of keeping schools open during the pandemic.
Today’s pediatric health-care crisis felt acutely by the most vulnerable
Toronto.com2020-10-02
An opinion piece about the crisis in health care experienced by kids in Ontario, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The Children’s Health Coalition (Holland Bloorview is a member) is sounding the alarm and calling for $375 million to “clear the backlog and seal the current gap in surgeries and procedures, mental health support, child development and rehabilitation services, and home care solutions to those waiting.”
Health care transformation - the view from the kids' table
Hospital News2019-08-01
Ontario's health care transformation and its implications for children.
Disability often excluded from the drive for diversity
The Globe and Mail2018-10-12
In light of National Disability Awareness Month, sharing tips for employers to reflect on regarding inclusive hiring practices for youth with disabilities.
Harnessing creativity and risk-taking for impact
Hospital News2018-07-26
Embracing an innovative mindset to bring about change in healthcare.
A Future of Possibilities
Hospital News2016-10-29
What does a children's rehabilitation hospital do? Learn more.
Connecting2care for children and families
Hospital NewsWhere we once saw “incurable,” we now see possibility. Kids and youth and their families actively partner with their care teams at the hospital to set their own goals and plan their transition to home and community.
There is no such thing as work life balance
Globe and Mail2014-07-29
Women need to rethink work-life balance. Learn more.
Put People First and Reap the Rewards
Globe and Mail2014-06-06
How you treat your team is the most important thing a leader can do.
Social