Dr. Etches was appointed medical officer of health (MOH) for Ottawa Public Health (OPH) in April 2018, having served as deputy MOH for three years and associate MOH for five years before that. She is passionate about preventing illness and injury and working with partners across many sectors to keep people well and promote population health. She is known for fostering a culture of community and client engagement and providing information to help people navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also committed to public health work to address inequities in health status stemming from racism and colonialism.
Prior to joining OPH, Etches served as an associate medical officer of health, acting medical officer of health and director of clinical services for the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU), after completing her specialty training in public health and preventive medicine in 2005 at the University of Toronto.
Etches is also an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa and continues to learn about and further public health by supervising residents. She is thankful for the support and opportunity to keep growing that her family provides.