Homewood Health President and CEO, Jagoda Pike Honoured as Woman of Distinction

YMCA-YWCA of Guelph 2018 Women of Distinction Event Announced

GUELPH, ON, Feb. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - The 1,500 team members at Homewood Health, together with the Homewood Research Institute, are proud to announce that President and CEO Jagoda Pike has been honoured as a Woman of Distinction by the Guelph Region YWCA. The 2018 'It Takes a Village' campaign recognises remarkable role models, pioneers, and outstanding achievers.

"I'm truly honored," said Pike. "Guelph has been such a welcoming community, to me, and of course to Homewood for 135 years. I can't think of anything more special than to be recognized by the community in this way. The idea of "It Takes a Village" is one that not only personally resonates with me, but also because it so closely matches our philosophy here at Homewood."

Prior to joining Homewood Health, Pike was the first woman to serve as President of Star Media Group and Publisher of Canada's largest daily newspaper, The Toronto Star. She was the first woman to serve as Chair of McMaster University's Board of Governors, and as leader of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games bid, she brought the first international multisport games to Ontario since 1930.

"Since joining Homewood in 2012, Jagoda has guided the organisation's growth to become a national leader in mental health and addiction care, while also developing an important research mandate working with the Homewood Research Institute," Dr. Laurie Potter, Chief of Regional Services and Clinical Education explained.

"She has set the tone for our organization, both through exceptional management and her personal style. She has encouraged colleagues to be innovative in ways we had never been before," Potter added. "She brings an unrelenting focus on the patient and she has raised the bar for the clinical education of our staff."

This year's awards will be presented at The Women of Distinction gala, which also serves as a fundraiser for programs benefiting girls and women at all stages of life in Guelph and Wellington County, including:

• Power of Being a Girl – a one day conference for girls that helps build self-esteem and raises awareness about healthy relationships
• Teenage Parents Program (TAPPs) – a program that supports the personal growth and development of pregnant and parenting teens and their families and connects them with valuable resources
• Encore – a holistic program for women with breast cancer to help them build their own physical strength, as well as feel the strength and support of a community

"Being a part of this remarkable community is such an honour and this year we want everyone from family members, to coworkers and community champions to be celebrated for their support of these remarkable Women of Distinction," said Marissa Teeter, 2018 Women of Distinction Honorary Chair. "These amazing women build villages up, have villages that surround them and support them, and together these 20 honourees will join a new village, a new community of Women of Distinction."

To learn more about each of the award categories, or to purchase tickets to the fundraiser please visit www.guelphy.org. 

About Homewood Health

Homewood Health is Canada's leader in mental health, addiction and trauma treatment. With 135 years of experience, we achieve outstanding outcomes every day through our national network of over 4,500 local employees and clinical experts, The Homewood Clinics, The Residence, Homewood 360⁰dtx, and through the Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, ON – Canada's largest and leading facility for medical treatment of mental health, trauma and addiction disorders. We support individuals and their families, employers and organizations, insurers, and medical professionals with a full suite of outcome-focused services for prevention, assessment, treatment, return-to-work, and ongoing recovery management.

SOURCE Homewood Health inc.

Homewood Health Media Contact: Cherie Payne, BA, LL.B, Director of Communications, 778.386.4347 or [email protected]; YMCA-YWCA of Guelph Media Contact: Alexandra Reid, Marketing and Communications Associate, 519-824-5150 or [email protected]