Sharon Apopa Promoted to Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute

Bermuda Hospitals Board today announces the promotion of Dr Sharon Apopa to the new position of Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI), effective immediately. This position reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer, MWI, Ms Patrice Dill. The new position incorporates the previous role of Director of Child & Adolescent Services, and includes additional senior leadership responsibilities.

As Executive Director, MWI, Dr Apopa remains directly responsible for the strategic planning of Child & Adolescent Services in the hospital and community ensuring that systematic progressive service user-centred programmes are delivered. In collaboration with the COO, she will also develop MWI’s Strategic Plan, including annual goals and objectives that align with the BHB’s overall Vision and Mission. Dr Apopa will act as COO, MWI, in Ms Dill’s absence and also be responsible for Telecommunications and Transportation at MWI. Dr Apopa will also act as hospital management liaison to internal departments, community and external clinical partners as needed to facilitate patient care.

Dr Apopa has worked at MWI for 15 years. Since 2009 she has been Director of Child & Adolescent Services, and for four years prior she was the Programme Manager of the same service. Dr Apopa was Acting Chief Operating Officer at MWI from 2001-2002, and from July 1995 up until she took on the operating role she was a Social Worker and Acting Manager of Child & Adolescent Services. Prior to joining MWI, Dr Apopa worked for five years as a Guidance Counselor for Sandys Secondary School and from 1982 to 1990 she was a social worker for Child & Family Services. Outside of work, from 1990 to 2003, Dr Apopa was the Director for Counseling Services for the Women’s Resource Centre of Bermuda.

Ms Dill comments: “I’m very pleased to congratulate Sharon on her promotion. Our Succession Planning programme is identifying Bermudians with the talents required for senior leadership and we are seeing the benefits of the process in this promotion. This new position will provide a great development opportunity and will also provide a strengthening of senior leadership at MWI. This will help us more effectively manage MWI operations and ensure a constant and strategic focus on quality, patient safety, and the strategic development of services, in line with the Mental Health Plan released in June. It will also help in involving our stakeholders and giving them a stronger voice in local mental health services, which is a key part of the Recovery Model we are introducing as part of the Plan.”

Dr Apopa has a Bachelor Degree in Sociology from Lee University, a Masters in Social Work from the University of West Virginia, a Masters in Management from Webster University and she is a Doctor of Ministry – Gordon from Conwell Theological Seminary. She has been an Executive Member of the Sexual Assault Response Team since 1999 and on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Resource Centre since 1990. She has been on the BHB’s Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team since 2000.

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