Windsor Regional Hospital names next CEO, with familiar face set to take over in 2026

Windsor Regional Hospital building in Windsor, Ont. on Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor)

Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) has picked its next leader — and it’s someone well known in Windsor-Essex health care circles.

Kristin Kennedy has been named the hospital’s incoming president and CEO, with plans to step into the role in April 2026.

Kennedy is currently president and CEO of Erie Shores Healthcare, a position she has held since 2020.

Before that, she served as the hospital’s chief nursing executive.

According to a media release issued by WRH, Kennedy previously worked there in several senior roles, including director of critical care and cardiology and operations manager for the neurosciences program.

She also has experience in stateside hospitals — having worked in Michigan and starting her career as a neonatal intensive care nurse and flight nurse in Texas.

Alongside her executive work, Kennedy is also an educator. She works as a part-time professor in McMaster University’s Master of Health Management Program.

WRH Board Chair Ian McLeod says her experience comes at a key moment for the hospital, as it moves toward the construction of the new acute-care facility planned for the coming years.

Kennedy, in a statement, says she’s looking forward to joining WRH while also emphasizing her commitment to a smooth transition at Erie Shores Healthcare.

Current WRH President and CEO Karen Riddell will remain in the role through the transition period before retiring in spring 2026.

What does this mean for Erie Shores HealthCare?

Erie Shores HealthCare has confirmed Kennedy will remain in her role there until March 22, 2026.

In a statement, Erie Shores’ board credited Kennedy with steering the hospital through some of its most challenging periods — including the COVID-19 pandemic and a recent cyberattack — while overseeing day-to-day operations and long-term planning.

Kennedy acknowledges the decision to leave wasn’t an easy one, pointing to the relationships she’s built with staff and leadership during her time at the Leamington-based hospital.

The Erie Shores board says it plans to name an interim CEO later this winter, with Kennedy staying on to help ensure continuity and support transition planning.