New Chief of Staff Appointed at Queensway Carleton Hospital
May 28, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON - May 28, 2026 - The Board of Directors at Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Joel G.R. Weaver as Chief of Staff, adding him as a key member of the hospital’s senior leadership team.
Dr. Weaver is a General Surgeon and Surgical Oncologist who has been a member of the QCH medical staff since 2009. He brings more than 15 years of clinical and medical leadership experience within the organization, including previous roles as Chief of the Department of Surgery and Medical Director of Peri-operative Services. He has also been actively involved in medical staff governance, interdisciplinary program development, and change management initiatives within the hospital.
In his current and past leadership roles, Dr. Weaver has supported physician engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and quality improvement initiatives. He has contributed to regional and provincial initiatives and also served as Surgeon Champion for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), with a focus on data-driven performance improvement, patient safety, and system efficiency.
“There was a rigorous, thoughtful, and inclusive recruitment process, with valuable input from physicians, hospital leadership, Board members, and patient representatives,” said Chad Schella, Chair of the Board of Directors. “We were fortunate to have an exceptional group of applicants, and we are delighted and confident that Dr. Weaver will be an outstanding Chief of Staff who will continue to strengthen our hospital and the vital role it plays in the community.”
Queensway Carleton Hospital would like to sincerely thank Dr. Kathi Kovacs for her extraordinary leadership and service during her tenure as Chief of Staff. Dr. Kovacs stepped into the role early in the COVID-19 pandemic – at a time of unprecedented uncertainty and immense pressure on the organization. When QCH needed steady, compassionate and principled leadership, she answered that call with distinction. Her impact on QCH is profound, and she leaves a lasting legacy of professionalism, care, and respect.
Queensway Carleton Hospital has built its reputation as a leading acute care hospital by seeing the person in each of the nearly 500,000 people who turn to it for care each year. Its collaborative culture and adaptability continue to support innovative models of care that respond to the needs of a growing community.
About Queensway Carleton Hospital
As the only acute care hospital in West Ottawa, Queensway Carleton Hospital provides quality care to half of the city’s population every year. QCH’s agility and collaborative culture enable it to respond quickly to the most pressing healthcare challenges facing its vibrant and growing communities through advanced programs that reinvent models of patient care. QCH has been named the #1 hospital in Ottawa by Newsweek magazine in 2021 and as a top employer in Canada by Forbes magazine. QCH acknowledges it is located on the traditional and unceded lands of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation.
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Media Contact
Michaela Ianni
Communications Officer
Queensway Carleton Hospital
mianni@qch.on.ca