Colautti garners prestigious award

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — The Executive Director of the Erie Shores Health Foundation, Christine Colautti, recently received a prestigious award from the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP).

Colautti is one of only seven Canadian recipients of the award, which recognizes the Top 40 Under 40 healthcare philanthropy leaders across North America.

‘These award honourees are part of a select group of health care philanthropy professionals who have demonstrated impressive career achievements, deep community involvement and display executive leadership in our profession,’ said Alice Ayres, AHP President & CEO.

Colautti would have travelled to Texas to accept her award in person, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the presentations have been postponed until next year, when she will travel to Boston to accept.

Accolades and congratulations poured in locally from all levels of healthcare.

‘On behalf of Erie Shores HealthCare, I wish to extend our sincere congratulations to Christine on this impressive accomplishment,” said Dr. Ross Moncur, Interim CEO of Erie Shores HealthCare. “ We feel very fortunate to have Christine and her team leading our foundation.”

CHRISTINE COLAUTTI

Colautti joined the Erie Shores Health Foundation in 2018 as its Executive Director and has been instrumental in introducing marketing strategies and campaigns that have helped both the hospital and hospice grow.

After 20 years in the healthcare field, she felt it was time to give back.

“I wanted to give back and be the reason for change, by raising the much needed funds to support patients and their families,” she said.

Her appointment to her current position in 2018 became a pivotal point in her career.

“I feel so blessed to be a part of an organization that believes in the power of generosity to save and change lives,” she said.

Among Colautti’s achievements is the current ‘Care Happens Here’ campaign, which has brought the hospital recognition through its own award — the recently announced 2020 Platinum Hermes Creative Award recipient for public relations and community awareness.

The recent Erie Shores HealthCare Golf tournament, organized by Colautti and her team, raised over $100,000 in one single day.

As for Colautti, she is grateful to the community for the support they’ve shown to their health care facilities, which makes her job that much more fulfilling.

“I am grateful every day for the experiences that have led me to become the person I am today, so that I can continue to put patients and donors at the forefront of everything I do,” she said.