PBN Leaders & Achievers 2023
Christine Gadbois
CareLink
CEO
CHRISTINE GADBOIS ALWAYS wanted to help people, and caught the bug at a young age.
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At 13, she volunteered as a candy striper at the Little Sisters of the Poor Pawtucket assisted living facility, assisting staff caring for the elderly residents. From there, Gadbois went on to pursue a career in nursing. working at Rhode Island Hospital, Fuller Hospital and Butler Hospital, to name a few.
She decided she wanted to transition into leadership when she realized she could make a change in the system, “seeing how things could work better, having ideas that I thought could make things work better and make systems work better,” she said.
“I wanted to impact a population, and training in public health allows you to do that,” Gadbois said. “You have to get into leadership to make substantial change, right?”
After holding a myriad of leadership roles with local health organizations, Gadbois became CEO of CareLink in 2019. She now leads the East Providence-based nonprofit through administrative restructuring to meet new funding priorities, and creating new programs providing community-based supports, health care and wellness.
Gadbois says she enjoyed developing programs that brought expanded care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also liked creating prevention programs for older adults and people with disabilities, including fall prevention and loneliness intervention. Gadbois also helped CareLink secure grant funding and launched new programs to provide needed support for adults with dementia.
One volunteer cause Gadbois holds dear to her is working with the Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps. In late July, she helped administer first aid at the Newport Folk Festival’s field hospital. Other opportunities she participated in include administering immunizations at vaccination clinics and staffing nursing homes during the pandemic.
She is also an adjunct health professor at both Salve Regina University in Newport and Brown University in Providence. As a professor, Gadbois wants to build the next generation of leaders within the health care sector.
Gadbois’ advice for future leaders stresses the importance of collaborating and building relationships within the community, and “to put yourself out there.
“[Older] professionals really do want to help you develop,” Gadbois said, “and see you succeed.”
