Community Unwrapped: this Estonian-Canadian is Shaping the Future of Healthcare in Toronto (+video)

Põldre’s strongest connection to being and feeling Estonian comes from spending her summers at Jõekääru Estonian Children’s Camp, first as a camper and later as a lifeguard. “Those core memories and friendships really evolved when I was in suured tüdrukud [senior girls]— now, about twenty years later, we’re still really good friends. Those opportunities created the foundation for my involvement in the Estonian community now,” she said. 

After that, Põldre pursued a career in healthcare. “After highschool I went to McMaster University for health studies and sociology. From my parents’ background working in healthcare, I always knew I wanted to work in the field but never quite knew where my fit was,” she said. “During my undergrad, I took a course called “eHealth,” where I learned about Estonia’s e-healthcare system, which inspired me to pursue my first master’s degree in Health Informatics at the University of Toronto. After that, I worked in a downtown academic hospital in their IT department, doing project management for eleven years. Three years ago, I went back to U of T where I recently wrapped up my Master’s of Health Administration. For the last three months I’ve been at a new organization working at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto in strategy and corporate projects.”

“My colleagues and I are working on the hospital’s next strategic plan that is going to invent the future of healthcare,” she said.

“It has opened up so many doors for me locally in Toronto but also abroad, regardless of my Estonian language ability… whenever I go back to Estonia I definitely always have a handful of people to see.”

(Kristina Põldre)

Despite having a busy career, Põldre has kept up her involvement in the Toronto-Estonian community. “When I aged out of camp, I knew I needed something to keep me connected to the community, since I didn’t have the foundation of the language,” she said. “I grew up with my dad in Korporatsioon Vironia [Estonia’s oldest fraternity]—I distinctly remember coming to Tartu College for their jõulupuu (Christmas event), and as I was older the “rent a date” for their perekonnaõhtu (family night, Vironia’s annual ball). After those experiences, I began to wonder if there was room for me to join a korporatsioon [abbreviated as “Korp!”] like that in Toronto. While I was in my undergrad at McMaster, I joined Korp! Amicitia, which has spearheaded the rest of my involvement in the community since then.”

Now, after fifteen years of membership in Amicitia, Põldre said that the korporatsioon is the glue that has kept her attached to the Estonian community. “It has opened up so many doors for me locally in Toronto but also abroad, regardless of my Estonian language ability… whenever I go back to Estonia I definitely always have a handful of people to see. Other members live elsewhere in Europe, so there have been times where I’ve travelled to Stockholm and Belgium to see them there!” 

In November 2024, Korp! Amicitia celebrated its hundredth anniversary. Members celebrated this milestone event in Toronto at Tartu College, where Põldre was honoured with the title “Kuld Rebane” (Gold “Fox”, the word “rebane” or “fox” referring to the initial role of a pledge within the sorority) for her contributions, engagement, and leadership within the korp!. Põldre is also the rebasvanem of the sorority’s local chapter, looking after ten new members (rebased).

Two weeks later, members travelled to Tartu to celebrate the jubilee. “It was such a great energy being close to 300 Amicad (members of Korp! Amicitia) in Estonia from all over the world to celebrate that sense of community and sisterhood that we have. 

Põldre said that she is invested in keeping up her active involvement in the Toronto-Estonian community. She says, “it’s so fundamental to who I am as a person, I just can’t imagine not having it in my life.”

Be sure to watch other episodes of Community Unwrapped, available on our website and YouTube!