MUHC Foundation President and CEO Awarded Medal of the National Assembly

“I want to leave my children a better world than we inherited.”

These were the words of Julie Quenneville, President and CEO of the MUHC Foundation, as she accepted the Medal of the National Assembly. A fierce believer in standing up for what is right, Quenneville received the award in recognition of her accomplishments in service to society, especially in the improvement of health care and medical innovation.

Quenneville was nominated by the Honourable Monsef Derraji, MNA for Nelligan, and received the award in a ceremony at Kirkland city hall on July 13, 2022. City of Kirkland mayor Michel Gibson was also in attendance.

The Medal of the National Assembly is awarded by members of the National Assembly to individuals deserving of recognition. Derraji referred to Quenneville as “exceptional, dedicated and committed” and “one of the most influential women in Canada.”

At the ceremony, Quenneville gave an impassioned speech about her commitment to her community and the importance of raising your voice.

“Being part of the community means that we actively contribute to the community. Standing up for injustices is not just the responsibility of our politicians—we all have a role to play,” says Quenneville.

Throughout Quenneville’s career, the common theme has been service to others. As Associate Chief of Staff for Philippe Couillard, she was instrumental in the adoption of the law banning tobacco in public places. In her leadership roles with the MUHC, she ensured the success of the opening of the new Glen site hospital, which brought numerous health centres and over 60 research sites under one roof. Today, as President and CEO of the MUHC Foundation, she has created a powerhouse of fundraising, raising hundreds of millions of dollars to benefit excellence in patient care and cutting-edge medical research.

“At the MUHC, I am surrounded each and every day by some of the world’s most brilliant minds, and I get to help them cure disease and advance medicine,” says Quenneville.

Quenneville’s inspiration is her grandmother, who walked the streets in many protests to ensure the rights of her children and grandchildren. Today, Quenneville hopes to motivate others toward changemaking.

“I hope to inspire the next generation of leaders to dream bigger and fight harder to make sure that we defend our rights, our great institutions and the community we have built,” says Quenneville.

In terms of changing our country for the better, Quenneville is just getting started.

“There are still one million things I haven’t done. I hope to have the opportunity in the decades to come to contribute towards positive change in our city, in our province and in our country,” says Quenneville.

With over $100 million raised for the MUHC Foundation’s Dream Big Campaign, Quenneville and her team at the MUHC Foundation are well on their way to changing the course of lives and medicine.