Executive Director Clinical Practice & Centre of Excellence, Thrive Group

Bahar Karimi is an accomplished and respected nurse, healthcare executive, and visionary leader in healthcare system transformation. A two-time Mohawk College graduate from the Personal Support Worker (2004) and Practical Nursing (2006) programs, Bahar is the inaugural Executive Director of Clinical Practice and Centre of Excellence in Healthcare Innovation at Thrive Group.

After working as a PSW and RPN, teaching at a Toronto-based college, and completing her BScN at Ontario Tech University, she pursued leadership roles. In 2013, she was the only student accepted into the combined Master of Nursing/Master of Health Science in Health Administration at the University of Toronto. She completed the program while working full-time and raising two young children.

Currently a Lecturer at Western University, Bahar is completing her PhD in Nursing, Leadership in Health Services Delivery. Her research focuses on the conditions, contributions, and sustainability of the personal support worker workforce in long-term care—an often overlooked but essential pillar of the healthcare system.

Bahar led St. Peter’s Residence at Chedoke in achieving one of the inaugural RNAO Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) designations for long-term care homes.

As Administrator of Idlewyld Manor, she spearheaded the launch of an award-winning Medically Complex Care Program, which grew from an 8-bed pilot into a permanent 20-bed unit within a year. The program offers a person-centred, evidence-informed alternative to prolonged hospital stays for individuals with complex needs. Under her leadership, Idlewyld Manor received the 2024 Excellence and Innovation in Supporting Seniors Award from AdvantAge Ontario, and the 2023 Dr. Tony Kerigan Award for Leadership in Integrating Palliative Care in Long-Term Care from McMaster University. The home also became a BPSO and was identified to provide French Language Services, reflecting a commitment to equity and culturally responsive care.

As part of her executive leadership role, Bahar leads the Centre of Excellence in Healthcare Innovation at Thrive Group—a platform that bridges research, education, and collaborative innovation to improve care in non-acute care settings. Mohawk College is one of several partners supporting the Centre’s work to co-design new models of care and advance workforce development.

She serves on the editorial advisory board of the Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership and has contributed to numerous community and professional initiatives, including two terms as RNAO Hamilton Chapter President. She also represented Thrive Group at the CICan national conference, highlighting its Future Ready Premium partnership with Mohawk College.

Bahar continues to advocate for compassionate, inclusive, and practical solutions that honour the people who live, work, and lead in health and social care. She brings her voice—and invites others—to reimagine what’s possible when care is grounded in dignity, equity, and collective purpose.