Deena Hinshaw


Deena Hinshaw is currently the chief medical officer of health for the province of Alberta, and has provided daily updates on the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta and recommendations to Jason Kenney, the Premier of Alberta and the Emergency Management Cabinet Committee.

Education

Hinshaw was born in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and grew up in Sylvan Lake, Alberta. She graduated from École H.J. Cody High School in 1993 and was class valedictorian. Hinshaw received her undergraduate degree at the Augustana University College in Camrose, Alberta in 1997. She completed her medical degree and residencies in family medicine and community medicine at the University of Alberta. In 2008, she received her Master of Public Health degree at the University of Alberta, while completing her public health and preventive medicine residency.

Career

On January 28, 2019, Hinshaw was appointed as Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health. She reports to the Deputy Minister of Health.

Chief Medical Officer of Health

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Alberta, Hinshaw has held nearly daily media events in Edmonton, since the first case of the new coronavirus in Alberta was announced on March 5. Global News described Hinshaw as a "trusted face for Albertans, calmly delivering the facts as cases of COVID-19 are confirmed in the province."
On March 17, on the advice of Hinshaw, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney declared a public health state of emergency under the Public Health Act.

Media

and the Canadian Press said that the there was a demand for the "charcoal grey half-sleeve dress emblazoned with the periodic table of elements" that Hinshaw wore on March 17 during her daily briefing in Edmonton. The periodic table dress is made by the British Columbia-based company, Smoking Lily. The article cited a Tweet that said, "Hey national media. Alberta has a folk hero. She's calm, clear, forceful. And she wears the periodic table while she delivers information. It's wonderful."