Sonia Chaudhary describes her commitment to fostering supportive networks and diversifying leadership through the Nova Scotia & PEI Chapter

Sonia Chaudhary, BScPT, MHA, has dedicated her career to advancing healthcare through clinical practice, professional regulation, and system-level leadership. With a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy and a Master of Health Administration from Dalhousie University, she has combined frontline care with administrative and governance experience to strengthen health services in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and beyond.

Sonia began her career as a physiotherapist, providing care across acute, rehabilitative, and long-term care settings while also teaching students in both classroom and clinical environments. Her leadership path expanded into regulatory and governance roles, including serving as Registrar and Vice-Chair of the PEI College of Physiotherapy. She also represented the province nationally on the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators Board and its Governance and Nominations Committee. Over the years, she has taken on supervisory and management roles, including implementing vocational rehabilitation interventions.

One of her proudest achievements as a health leader was helping to bring about legislative change by demonstrating the conflict of interest that arises when an individual serves simultaneously on a professional regulatory council and on the board of the same profession’s association. Through evidence and a Canadian jurisdictional scan, she successfully supported the case for separating these roles and establishing a cooling-off period, reinforcing the distinction between public protection and professional advocacy.

Her decision to pursue healthcare leadership stems from early personal experiences. As a teenager, Sonia discovered she could help relieve the pain of family members through her hands and later became a physiotherapy patient herself while recovering from athletic injuries. These experiences, along with encouragement from family, peers, and colleagues, inspired her to pursue physiotherapy and later a Master of Health Administration to expand her contributions as a leader.

She describes one of her most memorable College experiences as the 2024 CCHL National Conference, where she was struck by the generosity of attendees and the opportunity to connect with leaders from across the country. Many of those connections, she notes, continue today. As member of the Canadian College of Health Leaders, Sonia has been active on the NS/PEI Chapter executive, where she has sought to highlight the benefits of chapter membership and build a supportive network of healthcare leaders.

In recognition of her leadership and ongoing contributions, Sonia was selected by the Nova Scotia & PEI Chapter as the 2025 Chapter Award for Distinguished Service recipient. She highlights the value of creating an invaluable network of health leaders, diversifying the leadership landscape, and the meaningful connections built through CCHL events. As the sole executive member representing Prince Edward Island on the chapter, Sonia has been committed to fostering diverse, equitable and inclusive leadership and building connections that strengthen representative healthcare across the region.