The Heart of Health: Mark MacKenzie grateful to be able to “use my skills to affect change in my own community”

With The Heart of Health series, we’re shining a light on the many dedicated employees, physicians, learners, and volunteers who make Nova Scotia Health such a remarkable place to work and receive care. Today we’re featuring Mark MacKenzie, Talent and Organizational Development Consultant.

Mark MacKenzie brings his heart to his work as a consultant for Nova Scotia Health’s Talent and Organizational Development team. With a background in teaching, sales, social/emotional learning and customer service, Mark came to the role in June 2023 because “Nova Scotia Health seemed like an opportunity to use my skills to affect change in my own community. It’s led me to this job that I never want to leave.”

Along with his Talent and Organizational Development colleagues, MacKenzie works with Nova Scotia Health teams and groups to support their learning and growth through team building and the facilitation of sessions like Courageous Conversations and Giving and Receiving Feedback. He’s also the team’s lead for the Communicate with Heart service excellence program. He said feedback from leaders and teams helps he and his colleagues create new material and offerings that meet the needs of leaders and teams.

MacKenzie described the Talent and Organizational Development team as “Amazing and collaborative. Everyone’s got a figure-it-out attitude. It’s a supportive place to work.”

For MacKenzie, the most rewarding part of the job is “hearing back from a group or manager weeks or months later and hearing there’s been growth. Our team isn’t a magic bullet but affecting positive change at an organization is so important. I want to help make Nova Scotia Health a good place to work, where people feel supported and heard. I want everyone to feel safe in their work. I want to help keep people here. Nova Scotia is made up of very special people who know it’s a very special place to live.”

We want to learn and share your stories. What keeps you going, despite challenges? What does working in health and health care mean to you, both personally and professionally? Who is that colleague or teammate that makes going to work easier when things feel hard?

Whether you’ve had a defining moment that reaffirmed your purpose or want to recognize a colleague who embodies the heart of health, share your story with us. Let’s celebrate each other! E-mail: heartofhealth@nshealth.ca