ABOUT ME
Helping Teams Turn Complex Challenges into Executable Plans
I'm Uzma Aqbal - a healthcare strategist, project leader, and program builder based in North Bay, Ontario.
I hold a Master of Health Administration from Dalhousie University, a PMP certification, a Lean Healthcare Black Belt, and a Prosci Change Management certification. But what those credentials represent is less about letters after a name and more about years of working inside healthcare organizations, figuring out what actually makes things move.
I've built the first dedicated PM function at North Bay Regional Health Centre for the Mental Health Portfolio from scratch; no existing framework, no playbook, just real work. I've launched a geriatric outpatient clinic in eight months, managed a $2 million capital project to every deadline, relocated an interdisciplinary team in support of a community homelessness initiative, and created vocational programming for forensic psychiatry inpatients. Each of these required the same thing: translating a good idea into a structured plan, and then seeing it through.
My consulting practice exists because healthcare organizations deserve an advisor who's actually been in the room. Who understands the constraints, the politics, the capacity pressures, and what it takes to move something from a board slide to a real outcome.
I work with hospitals, community health organizations, LTC providers, and government bodies across Ontario. Engagements are typically short and focused, with a clear scope and deliverable.
Here's a selection of initiatives I've led across hospital, community health, and government settings.
Established the Project Management Framework
No PMO, no framework, no playbook. I designed and implemented the full intake, prioritization, governance, and reporting infrastructure from zero, replacing ad hoc decision-making with a repeatable system. Leadership now has a structured basis for resource allocation and portfolio visibility for the first time.
$2M Capital Project Delivered on Time + Scope
Stepped in last minute to lead a complex $2 million Mental Health & the Law program project. Sourced products, coordinated vendors, managed multiple departments, and drove the project to completion in just three months, hitting every deadline without exception.
Interdisciplinary Team Relocation for Homelessness Initiative
Managed the relocation of a hospital-based interdisciplinary team to a community facility in support of a chronic homelessness initiative. Coordinated facilities, IT, finance, and quality assurance, ensuring seamless, uninterrupted service delivery for a vulnerable population throughout the entire transition.
Launched geriatric outpatient clinic in 8 months
From concept to fully operational in eight months. I built the entire plan, which included: recruitment of the interprofessional team, securing clinic space, designing intake and clinical triage workflows, and developing financial and performance measurement frameworks. The clinic launched on time and immediately began serving clients.
Quarterly Strategic Planning Days - 4DX Framework
Designed and now leading quarterly strategic planning sessions with directors and the VP, using the Four Disciplines of Execution (4DX) framework. Built a Smartsheet project repository with PICK chart prioritization, replacing informal decision-making with a structured, repeatable execution model that improved portfolio consistency.
Vocational Empowerment Canteen - Forensic Psychiatry Program
Created a first-of-its-kind on-site employment opportunity for inpatients in the Forensic and Psychiatric Rehabilitation program. From securing executive support to a fully operational canteen in four months, giving long-term patients meaningful work, income, and a tangible role in their own recovery.