Jennifer Munick-Watkins joins McGill Health Centre board

Jennifer Munick-Watkins has been appointed to the governing board of the McGill University Health Centre for the next four years, representing the interests of Inuit communities in Nunavik and Montreal. 

“I’m really hoping that I can be the voice at the board and ensure our cultural safety is at the priority of receiving services here in Montreal,” Munick-Watkins said in an interview.

The appointment is effective for four years, from July 4 to July 3, 2029, said a July 11 news release from Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services.

The McGill University Health Centre board of directors serves on a voluntary basis and meets a minimum six times a year. Its responsibility is to set and monitor goals and objectives for the hospital, and manage its administrative structure, says the McGill University Health Centre website. 

Munick-Watkins has served as the executive director of the Nunavik health board since 2022. 

While there are two primary health centres in the region, patients are typically transferred to Montreal for specialized health services such as surgery and CT scans.

She said her vision for the McGill board will be focused on advocating for better health-care services for both Nunavik Inuit and the Inuit population in Montreal. 

“I really hope our future is getting lighter and brighter for safer communities, safer programs, safer services,” she said.