Meet John, Marketing Manager
Last December I summited my first ever mountain – a 6,000 metre tall Huyana Potosí in Bolivia. Not having any experience, I just went for it knowing there was a one in three chance I wouldn’t make it. As I climbed up the mountain, people were sick from altitude, exhausted and had go back down. When I finally reached the summit at 5am, I saw the sunrise in one direction, the city of La Paz waking up in another, and the highest lake in the world off to the side. At that moment, I knew it was worth the effort. The whole experience reminds me of the challenge and drive here at HSO – people pushing themselves to make health care better for everyone.
At the top of Huyana Potosí
I joined HSO in January 2017 as a Marketing Manager. After leading a digital marketing agency for several years, I was ready for something new. So I jumped at the chance to enter the health care field and hoped I would still find a place for my entrepreneurial skills—independence, creativity, and working with a diverse crowd of people.
My role at HSO has all of these.
For me, it’s the best of both worlds. I’m still managing people and projects, and also have a lot opportunities for give and take with like-minded folks. We bounce ideas off each other and sometimes we butt heads, but it’s all part of the process of coming up with something that works for our clients and the people they serve.
HSO is open to new ideas and gives us the freedom to find our own solutions. I manage our digital communications and marketing campaigns, and get to unleash my creative side to help our clients and the public understand why standards and quality in health care matter.
The travel bug bit me early. After graduating from Carleton University in Ottawa, I took off for six months of backpacking through Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. And my love of adventure continues to this day. That’s what landed me atop that mountain in Bolivia after a three-day hike.
In the salt flats of Bolivia
I like to think I bring that same perseverance to my work. If I have a work superpower it’s my ability to connect the dots—to take ideas and concepts and make them make sense to others. This is not an environment for someone who wants a structured job where they can collect a pay cheque and knock off when the clock strikes four. But for people want to own what they do and can think on the fly, this is the right place.
Right now my next adventure, to Poland and Ukraine, awaits.
HSO and Accreditation Canada – Two organizations on a mission
HSO and AC are close affiliates, working together to develop and deliver world-class standards and assessment programs to help bring quality health care to all. Employees of both organizations enjoy the same benefits, flexibility and work-life balance. HSO and AC are People Powered, with driven, passionate individuals at the centre of everything we do.