Director & Executive Coach
Elisha Schafer
Profile
In the dynamic realm of leadership, Elisha Schafer shines as a visionary trailblazer whose transformative journey has left an indelible imprint on healthcare, psychiatry, and leadership development.
Guided by an unwavering passion for leadership, Elisha has skillfully navigated diverse triumphs across both private and public sectors. Her profound understanding of business intricacies and unparalleled ability to redefine healthcare services make her a beacon of transformative change.
At the core of Elisha's narrative lies her role as the visionary founder and proprietor of Lotus Counselling Services. Under her astute leadership, this endeavour blossomed into a prominent psychotherapy clinic, fostering a cohesive team of 12 dedicated professionals. Elisha's guidance cultivated a culture characterized by compassion, innovation, and collaboration, propelling Lotus Counselling to the forefront of mental health and addiction care and effecting profound transformations in countless lives.
Elisha's influence extends to the realm of academia, where she serves as an Adjunct Clinical Professor in McMaster University's esteemed Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences program. Elisha weaves together behavioural and neuroscience theories to equip students with a deep comprehension of human behaviour and effective communication strategies.
Elisha’s commitment reverberates throughout the healthcare landscape. Her innate ability to tackle challenges head-on with innovative solutions, driven by a results-oriented ethos, has redefined healthcare services. Armed with a green belt in lean Six Sigma, Elisha spearheads tangible improvements, setting new benchmarks for leadership and innovation.
Elisha's journey is a testament to the harmonious fusion of passion and purpose. An influential leader, entrepreneur, and advocate, she reshapes the landscape of leadership, empowering others to embrace their potential, radiate compassion, and ignite meaningful change within healthcare and beyond.
Elisha Schafer's narrative is an inspiring symphony—an embodiment of the potency that arises when passion is united with purpose. Embark on a transformative journey guided by an influential luminary, a guiding light who fuels metamorphosis, champions compassion, and drives profound change within healthcare and the broader world.
For inquiries and collaborations, reach out to Elisha at elishaschafer@ondemandleaders.com.
Current Engagements
Co-Founder and Managing Director – OnDemand Leaders
Notable Achievements
★ Lotus Counselling Services: Pioneered a rapidly expanding private psychotherapy practice, now employing a dynamic team of 12 staff members.
★ Community Psychiatry Clinic, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton: Revamped the Borderline Personality Disorder program, resulting in a reduction of wait times by 1.5 years, improved clinical outcomes, and the introduction of 'same day services' for the Concurrent Disorders Outpatient program.
★ Homewood Healthcare: Instrumental in shaping addiction care within the Comprehensive Psychiatry unit.
Leadership Experience
Elisha’s leadership experience is in logistical operations and clinical management.
For several years she led the largest outpatient psychiatry department at St. Joseph’s Health Care in Hamilton, which housed several intensive psychiatric programs including Concurrent Disorders Outpatient and Capacity Building Team, General Psychiatry, Rapid Consult Psychiatry, Borderline Personality Disorder Services, and the Psychotherapy Centre. This pivotal experience provided both challenges and opportunities rich with learning. Elisha knows what it takes to create success in healthcare organizations while always considering patient’s access and quality of care.
Elisha leadership style is innovative and pioneering, she likes to challenge the status quo and makes business decisions with the bottom line in mind. She is ambitious and enthusiastic about creating success within her organizations and is not afraid of working hard to achieve her goals.
Passions
Elisha is passionate about the business of health care and creating systems efficiencies to better serve patients. Her unique blend of ‘clinical commerce’ allows her to balance the needs of the health care system on both a business and patient level. The events of the last few years have brought the operational challenges of the healthcare system into the public spotlight and now more than ever people are aware and talking about our national need to do better. Health care optimization is an area of focus that Elisha has been passionate about for years, she continues to work alongside many leading healthcare organizations by offering support, education and coaching to those on and managing the frontline.
Areas of Expertise
The Business of Healthcare – private and public sector
Building Efficiency through Lean Six Sigma
Corporate Interpersonal Dynamics
Health care workflow optimization
Entrepreneurial Development
Change Management
