In Memoriam

Sten Ardal was the Chief Executive Officer for Touchstone Institute from 2013-2023. Prior to joining Touchstone Institute, Sten was directing the Ontario government’s Health System Funding and Policy Branch and was the founding Director of Ontario’s Health Analytics Branch. His non-profit leadership included six years as the director of a Health Intelligence Unit that developed health information products to support a consortium of academic researchers, public health epidemiologists, and health system planners. Sten wrote many reports and papers on health system planning and consulted internationally for the World Health Organization on health system performance assessment.

During his time at Touchstone Institute, Sten oversaw the expansion of services from physicians and nurses to include other allied health professions, such as dietitians, optometrists. Some of his key accomplishments include the rebranding of Touchstone Institute (formerly the Centre for the Evaluation of Healthcare Professionals Educated Abroad or “CEHPEA”), the establishment of the Perspectives Symposium, the founding of the Communicative Competence Centre, and much, much more. Sten provided dedicated leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding staff through the transition to remote work, the development of technological infrastructure necessary for virtual and hybrid programs and assessments, and the completion of the Future Proofing project charter, intended to guide and sustain Touchstone Institute through and beyond the turbulence of the pandemic.

Aside from his many professional accomplishments, Sten was a dedicated people leader who cared deeply for the well-being of his staff. A noted practical joker, he never failed to rouse a smile and a laugh from those who were fortunate enough to work by his side. He was a great man who will be dearly missed by all staff, present and past.

We offer our condolences to his many colleagues and friends, and to his family most of all.