Leadership is a vital part of our workplace culture at VHA. Each year, we celebrate four incredible recipients of our Leadership Awards in four unique categories:

• Leading with Purpose
• Empowered Everyday
• Building Bonds that Matter
• Leading the Future of Health and Independence at Home

This year, Banu Sundaralingam, Project Manager, is the recipient of our Leading with Purpose category award winner. This category recognizes leaders who look for continuous improvements of our process, innovative ways to deliver spectacular care, bring a solution-focused mindset to problems, and champion the voice and needs of clients and families, to name a few qualities. Their involvement helps influence system level change or leads improvement in everyday practice or processes.

As this year’s winner we asked Banu to tell us a little about her journey at VHA and what Leading with Purpose means to her.

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As the winner of the Leading with Purpose category, can you tell me what Leading with Purpose means to you?

To me, leading with purpose means leading with our frontline staff and clients at the heart of every decision. Whenever I’m leading a project, implementing best practices, or developing educational initiatives, I’m always thinking about how to meet the needs of our service providers and our amazing clients, because they are truly the foundation of VHA. Without their dedication and trust, VHA wouldn’t be what it is today.

Having worked on the frontlines myself for several years, I deeply understand both the challenges our clients face and the incredible commitment of our service providers who deliver exceptional care every day. That experience drives me to put my heart and soul into my work, to ensure that our staff feel seen, heard, and supported through every initiative, and that our clients continue to receive the highest quality of care.

Leading with purpose also means being a trailblazer for continuous improvement, seeking innovative, solution-focused ways to make our processes more efficient, our care more spectacular, and our teams more empowered. Instead of dwelling on challenges, I focus on solutions, positivity, and next steps, asking, “How can we make this better?” To me, it’s about championing the voices of our clients and families, fostering collaboration, and inspiring change that makes a real difference every day.

What is it about your work that inspires you?

What inspires me most is the incredible people I work with and the clients we serve. Our frontline providers are some of the most resilient individuals I’ve ever met. Working in the community isn’t easy, especially when resources can be limited, yet they continue to go above and beyond to deliver the highest quality of care. Their dedication and compassion truly inspire me every day.

I’m also deeply inspired by the leadership teams I’ve had the privilege to work with at VHA. Across all my roles, I’ve been surrounded by colleagues who are hardworking, empathetic, innovative, and deeply committed to doing what’s best for our staff and clients. They continuously strive to find new and better ways to support our frontline teams and improve care delivery.

Being part of such a passionate and purpose-driven organization motivates me to bring my best self to work each day, to continue learning, growing, and striving for excellence so that I can support our teams and clients as much as possible.

Can you tell us about an achievement that you’re proud of?

One achievement I’m particularly proud of is being selected as a recipient of the TASHN-UHN VHA Research Fellowship in 2019–2020. At the time, I was working as a frontline Occupational Therapist at VHA, and I began to notice the significant challenges faced by caregivers, many of whose needs often went unrecognized or unaddressed. I also observed that many frontline providers didn’t always feel confident in supporting caregivers in a structured way.

Motivated to make a difference, I developed and submitted a project proposal focused on raising awareness of caregiver needs and building provider confidence in addressing them. The project was selected for the fellowship, and through this opportunity I had the privilege of collaborating with inspiring trailblazers and change agents across VHA. Together, we brought more attention to the vital role of caregivers and the importance of supporting them within the healthcare system.

The project was a success, I had the opportunity to present our findings at several provincial and national conferences, helping to spark broader conversations about caregiver support. This experience not only deepened my passion for system-level improvement but also opened new doors for me at VHA. It led to opportunities to grow professionally, first as a Professional Practice Lead and Educator on the Professional Practice Team, and now as a Project Manager on the IC&CC team.

That fellowship experience was truly transformative, it allowed me to develop new skills, gain confidence as a leader, and contribute meaningfully to improving care for both clients and caregivers.

How does what you do help make care better for our clients at VHA?

As a Project Manager at VHA, I have the privilege of leading and supporting projects that directly enhance the quality of care we provide for our clients. My work focuses on improving systems, processes, and practices that empower our staff and service providers to deliver safe, efficient, and person-centered care.

In healthcare, the role of a Project Manager is about bridging strategy and practice, turning ideas and opportunities for improvement into meaningful, sustainable change. This involves identifying key priorities, engaging the right subject matter experts, collaborating with leaders and frontline teams, and ensuring that every initiative is grounded in evidence, best practices, and the real needs of clients and families.

By coordinating these projects and keeping a solution-focused lens, I help ensure that our initiatives are well-organized, achievable, and impactful. Whether it’s improving workflows, implementing new tools or training, or refining care delivery models, my ultimate goal is to make the work of our service providers easier and more effective, because when our staff feel supported and equipped, our clients receive better care.

At the heart of everything I do is the belief that every project should lead to a tangible improvement in the client experience, whether that means more timely care, more consistent communication, or greater confidence and satisfaction among those we serve.

What advice would you give for others that are working on their leadership skills?

My biggest advice is to never be afraid to ask questions and to connect with people who inspire you or who you feel you can learn from. Every leader has their own unique style that works in different situations, and by speaking with a variety of leaders, or finding a mentor, you can gain valuable insights into what leadership approaches resonate with you.

Take the time to learn about others’ career journeys, how they got to where they are and what challenges they overcame. These conversations can help you identify areas where you might want to grow, whether that’s building confidence, improving communication or public speaking skills, or pursuing further education.

Is there anyone that you would like to give a shout-out to and why?

I’d like to give a huge shout-out to Neetu Kumar, Clinical Lead for Central West, and Maya Majmudar, Central Clinical Lead. Both of these incredible individuals have been instrumental in my growth at VHA. From the day I started, they mentored me, believed in me, and consistently pushed me to reach my full potential. They are not only exceptionally hardworking and thoughtful Occupational Therapists, but they also put their heart and soul into every project they lead and every client they support. Their unwavering encouragement, especially during the toughest moments in my career, has helped me grow both personally and professionally. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without their guidance and belief in me.

I’d also like to recognize Leonor De Biasio, Learning and Development Specialist. Although she joined VHA only a couple of years ago, she quickly became an incredible career mentor and leadership coach, even if unintentionally! Leonor has helped me reflect deeply on my career path, build confidence, and learn how to advocate for myself and my goals. Her advice and support have played a huge role in helping me strengthen my leadership skills and continue to grow.

So, a heartfelt thank-you to Neetu, Maya, and Leonor, your mentorship, encouragement, and belief in me have made all the difference.