Bahar Karimi is the Executive Director of Clinical Practice and Centre of Excellence at Thrive Group, a multi-site organization providing long-term care and community-based services in Ontario. She is a nurse leader and health system executive with over 22 years of experience across frontline care, clinical leadership, operations, and system transformation in long-term care.
Bahar’s career spans roles as a PSW, RPN, and RN, ADOC, DOC, and LTC Administrator, giving her a deep, practical understanding of the realities of care delivery and the leadership challenges faced by administrators and clinical leaders. She has held senior leadership roles overseeing clinical practice, quality, risk, education, and workforce development, and is recognized for her work in designing and implementing sustainable models of care and leadership in long-term care settings.
As the lead for Thrive Group’s Centre of Excellence in Healthcare Innovation, Bahar supports applied research, quality improvement, and workforce initiatives that are directly embedded in practice. Her current work focuses on management of care, clinical governance, relational and emotional leadership, and building cultures that support both staff well-being and resident quality of life.
Bahar holds graduate degrees in Nursing and Health Sciences (Health Administration) and is currently completing her PhD in Nursing at Western University, where her research focuses on the sustainability of the personal support worker workforce in long-term care. She also holds adjunct academic appointments and teaches in undergraduate, graduate, and bridging nursing programs. Her approach to leadership and education is grounded in co-creation, social accountability, and practical strategies administrators can apply immediately in their homes.
