Patrick Clifford recently retired as Director of Research and Innovation at Southlake Regional Health Centre’s Research Institute and the CreateIT Now health innovation centre in Newmarket, Ontario.
Over a 34-year career in healthcare, he oversaw research operations and infrastructure—including the Research Ethics Board—and led innovation, commercialization, and culture-building initiatives through strategic partnerships with academic institutions, industry, and funders.
Alongside his leadership work, Patrick maintained a clinical practice in emergency mental health for 22 years, and he continues this service post-retirement, working with both Southlake and Clinical Trials Ontario.