Katharina (Kathy) Kovacs Burns, MSc, MHSA, PhD is a volunteer patient/caregiver voice, advocate and founding patient member of Patients for Patient Safety Canada. She was and continues to be involved as a volunteer member and/or Chair of other local, national and international Boards, task forces and committees focused on patient/caregiver considerations, health/social programs, government initiatives and healthcare standards. She is also an academic scholar, educator and researcher with the School of Public Health, University of Alberta and Senior Provincial Consultant in Clinical Quality Metrics with Alberta Health Services. All her work at all levels involves engaging/partnering and co-designing with patients, families, public, healthcare providers and decision makers, students, researchers and other stakeholders. This has been important to her in her volunteer, researcher, educator and health systems measurement lead efforts to better understand and inform improvement strategies or decisions related to care access and delivery, quality, safety, patient health outcomes, and person-centred care. During her career, she has authored over 320 peer-reviewed publications, reports, guidelines and book chapters in her areas of interest; presented at over 450 conferences and invited events; taught in different academic and health settings in different countries; and received awards for her work and contributions.
