The O'Brien Institute welcomes Dr. Kirsten Fiest

After an extensive search, the O'Brien Institute welcomes Dr. Kirsten Fiest, PhD, as Associate Scientific Director - Health Systems. 

The search and selection committee, made up of Dr. Karen Benzies, PhD, Dr. Braden Manns, MD, and Leslie Campbell, narrowed down the field of applicants to three finalists of which Dr. Fiest was selected to serve a four-year term with the O'Brien Institute as Associate Scientific Director - Health Systems.

In her new role, Dr. Fiest will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to integrate innovation and research into citizen-focused health system delivery so that sustainable high-quality care is equitably available to all people. Duties with this position include managing the institute’s health systems catalyst funding, fostering innovations/research initiatives including team grants, promoting a culture of innovation and building strategic links between the institute and partner organizations.

Dr. Fiest is an associate professor of Critical Care Medicine, Community Health Sciences & Psychiatry at the University of Calgary. She is also Director of Research and Innovation in the Department of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Fiest received her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Calgary and completed post-doctoral training in neuro and psychiatric epidemiology at the University of Manitoba. Her research program focuses on advancing the science of patient and family-centered critical care research. She has published over 140 peer-reviewed publications, been cited over 7,000 times, and led and collaborated on research teams that have received over $23,000,000 in funding.