National Capital Region's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 30
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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
Queensway Carleton marks 50 years of care and respect
W
hen Milena
Shiferaw first
walked through
the doors at
Queensway
Carleton Hospital (QCH) as a
COVID-19 screener in 2020, she
was seeking more than just a job
— she was looking for connection
and purpose. “At the time I was
working from home — with
COVID, everyone was,” Shiferaw
recalls. That sense of belonging
was immediate, and it set the
stage for a remarkable career
journey. “I connected right away
with the people, the culture and
the sense of purpose here at
Queensway Carleton Hospital.
I’ve never thought of leaving after
that,” she says.
I connected right away
with the people, the
culture and the sense
of purpose here at
Queensway Carleton
Hospital.
— Milena Shiferaw
Team Lead, Talent Acquisition
The last five years have been
a whirlwind for Shiferaw. From
COVID screener she moved into
the vaccination clinic for patient
scheduling and registration. After
that, she joined human resources
on the front desk and gained
experience as a talent acquisition
specialist. Today she is the team
lead on the talent acquisition
team.
“I’ve grown a lot in the past
Milena Shiferaw, team lead, talent acquisition, at Queensway Carleton Hospital.
five years,” she says. “I’ve had
very supportive mentors and
colleagues who consistently
encourage me to take on new
challenges. QCH has always
provided valuable education and
training opportunities that have
strengthened my skills and helped
me to grow professionally and
personally.”
QCH’s close-knit environment
is a product of its core values,
according to president and CEO
Andrew Falconer. As a 355-bed
acute care facility, QCH fosters
innovation and collaboration
among staff, making it a place
where every voice is heard. “About
half the population of Ottawa
lives west of Woodroffe Avenue,”
says Falconer. “That’s in excess of
500,000 people, and we’re the only
hospital serving that population.
In addition, we’re a major referral
centre for the Ottawa Valley
and we have one of the busiest
emergency departments in
Ontario.”
To meet the growing demand,
QCH is preparing for major
expansion, including an
emergency department more than
two and a half times its current
size and 90 additional inpatient
beds — adding three floors to the
James Beach Health Care Centre.
Despite major growth, the
hospital stays focused on
maintaining its culture of
caring, says Falconer. QCH’s
commitment to its people is
evident in its robust programs
for professional development,
wellness and continuous
improvement. Employees benefit
from leadership development,
LEAN management training, and
participation in daily huddles
that connect front-line staff with
hospital leadership.
The hospital’s equity, diversity,
inclusion and belonging (EDIB)
strategy is designed to reflect the
rapidly changing demographics of
the workplace. “We’ve taken a very
meaningful, thoughtful approach
to our EDIB strategy, which has
