Marie-Claude Poulin is a healthcare leader, organizational consultant, and pioneer in the advancement of person-centered care across the French-speaking world. With more than 30 years of experience in Quebec’s health and social services sector, she has dedicated her career to humanizing healthcare by supporting organizations in creating cultures built on compassion, partnership, and respect.
Marie-Claude’s professional journey has spanned clinical practice, leadership, education, communications, research, care humanization initiatives, and organizational consulting. Her multidisciplinary background has provided her with a unique perspective on healthcare transformation and the importance of aligning systems, processes, and organizational culture with the needs and experiences of patients, families, and care teams.
In 2004, Marie-Claude played a key role in implementing the Planetree model within the first Canadian healthcare institution to adopt it. This experience marked the beginning of her long-standing commitment to advancing person-centered care. In 2009, she co-founded the Réseau Planetree francophone, an affiliate of Planetree International dedicated to promoting and supporting the adoption of Planetree principles throughout French-speaking communities.
Through her work with Planetree International, Marie-Claude continues to share her expertise and support healthcare organizations on their journeys toward meaningful cultural transformation. She believes that healthcare excellence is achieved when organizations create environments where people feel heard, valued, and connected.
Marie-Claude holds a bachelor’s degree in psychoeducation, a master’s degree in social work, a certificate in French writing, and a master’s degree in French studies from the Université de Sherbrooke. Her diverse academic and professional background reflects her passion for communication, human connection, and creating more compassionate healthcare experiences.
As a member of the Planetree Global Certification Network, Marie-Claude brings decades of experience, deep knowledge of person-centered care, and a commitment to helping organizations transform the way care is experienced and delivered.
