Marie-Claire Richer, inf., MSc(a), MM, PhD, ASC

Marie-Claire Richer

Woman of Distinction 2025

Business leadership

Presented by

Marie-Claire Richer is the executive director of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ), where she works to strengthen public trust in the profession, support clinical excellence, and contribute to the evolution of the healthcare system. A trained nurse with two master’s degrees and a doctorate in nursing services organization, she has recognized expertise in organizational transformation, collaborative leadership, and large-scale change management. Marie-Claire Richer embodies deeply human leadership that unites, listens, brings people together, and drives transformation. She builds healthcare environments where professional knowledge, collaboration, and dignity take their full place.

Before joining the OIIQ, she held strategic leadership roles at the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal and the McGill University Health Centre, leading major transition projects, including the rollout of new hospital centres, the reorganization of clinical teams, and the implementation of innovations to enhance quality and continuity of care.

Simultaneously, as an adjunct professor at McGill University, she mentors graduate and doctoral students while contributing to research in nursing leadership, team engagement, and the improvement of care environments. Her work is guided by a deep conviction: organizations are transformed sustainably when they recognize the human and clinical value of those who work within them. She is also engaged in the community, serving on various boards related to health and social causes, including PROCURE and the Regroupement pour la Trisomie 21.