Children’s Health Foundation board chair, Elana Johnson is being recognized for her contribution to the field of midwifery, her commitment to the success of other women and her exceptional volunteer efforts, with a YMCA Women of Excellence Award.
Elana will be among eight women receiving an award May 19 during a special virtual gala. She will be honored in the the Health, Science and Technology category, which acknowledges outstanding achievement or contributions to the health, wellness, science, or technology industries.
As president of the Ontario Association of Midwives, Elana worked tirelessly to spearhead change and take midwifery from an unregulated profession to being recognized under the Regulated Health Professions Act in Ontario. Her visionary efforts resulted in the establishment and growth of midwifery as a new profession integrated into our health care system, breaking new ground.
Elana became our community’s first registered midwife and first Head Midwife at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). In her career, she educated and mentored many women in this new field.
Even after her retirement as a midwife she continues to advocate for the profession. Most recently, she participated in a successful Ontario Human Rights Act complaint against the Ministry of Health to establish that its policies discriminated against women, as the pay for midwifes had not been increased compared to other health professions less dominated by women professionals.
Elana’s work has inspired a dramatic change in Ontario’s society. She has personally motivated and enabled many women to become midwives and positively impacted the landscape of women giving birth in our province.
In addition to her work as a midwife and for midwifery, she continues to contribute through her volunteer work at Children’s Hospital, Brescia University and at the Aeolian Hall. Elana was recruited to the Children’s Health Foundation Board of Directors in 2015 and currently sits as the chair.
“If Elana were to have a motto it could be ‘lead by example, work with integrity and encourage the heart’,” says Children’s Health Foundation’s Director of Philanthropy, Sara Steers. “Elana understands at her core that empowering women supports healthy families and healthy families support vibrant communities. We are truly fortunate to have Elana as our board chair and congratulate her on this well-deserved award.”
