A friend pursuing a doctorate in immunology handed Alcia a brochure for U of T's health administration program. She cold-called the program's then associate professor and director, Ron McQueen, who arranged a one-year placement for her at Queensway General Hospital.
A year later she was admitted to what is now the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, graduating in 1989. She went on to hold senior roles at UHN, Queen Square Doctors, Holland Christian Homes and Villa Colombo Toronto, including 18 years as Executive Director and Chief Research Operations Officer at UHN.
When her mother, a retired CEO, was diagnosed with cancer, the gaps Alcia saw in her care pulled her toward elder care; she is now CEO of two cultural ethnic seniors' organizations. “You’ve got to be brave. You’ve got to be bold,” she says of the leap a cold call can start.
Reported from Alum Lisa Alcia shares how a cold call put her on a path to becoming a health care executive, by Ishani Nath (U of T Alumni News, May 19, 2026).
More from the original reporting: alumni.utoronto.ca/news/alum-lisa-alcia-shares-how-cold-call-put-her-path-becoming-health-care-executive