Getting to Know Craig Roxborough: Registrar & CEO

Craig Roxborough joined the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario as Registrar & CEO in May 2023. With more than a decade of experience, Craig is passionate about health regulation, protecting the public, and connecting with the profession. His background in philosophy inspired a strong desire for equitable decision making and creating positive changes to the spaces he works in.

When he’s not at work, Craig can be found reading, tackling do-it-yourself (DIY) projects around the house, or coaching his son’s Little League baseball team.

We sat down with Craig recently to get to know him a bit better, including his background, personal hobbies, and what attracted him to the College.

Where did you grow up and what did you want to be when you were younger?

I was born and raised in Etobicoke – the Western part of Toronto – down near the waterfront. It was a great place to grow up. Looking back, I feel very fortunate to have had access to the beach, parks, and a neighbourhood of kids.

I think like many kids, I looked to my parents for inspiration for what I wanted to be when I grew up. Since both of my parents were teachers, I very much wanted to be a teacher as well. I pursued it meaningfully for a number of years and it was a big part of my identity for a very long time.

But as often happens there was a person in my life who asked a relatively simple question that sent me off on a different path. During my undergrad, I had a professor who asked me if I would consider going to grad school. It was not something that ever occurred to me, but that moment led me to the critical decision of not pursuing a Bachelor of Education and pursuing graduate studies instead. This took me down a completely different path and while I continued to love teaching, I decided I wanted to do something different.

Other than being Registrar & CEO at the College, what’s your dream job?

Can I be honest and say this is in many ways my dream job? Once I found the regulatory world, I loved it. The work that we do here is so incredibly important and it’s a privilege to be able to work in this space.

Doing work with a tangible benefit to others was one of the key drivers to me pursuing work in regulation. Once I landed here and became familiar with so many of the Registrars at the health regulatory colleges, I knew I wanted to progress into this role. I knew this was where I wanted to fulfill my commitment to making a difference in a meaningful and measurable way.

If I were to win the lottery tomorrow and no longer need a job, I could see myself going back to teaching or finding a way to work with students. I know I’d give back more of my time as well by sitting on boards and helping organizations deliver on their missions.
But for now – from a career perspective – I’m exactly where I want to be.

What is it about working in health regulation that you find so meaningful?

I love to problem solve. I thoroughly enjoy tackling issues that require critical thinking, analysis, and debate. When I was pursuing academic research, I enjoyed taking on big issues and seeing what I could make of them, but I struggled with the question of whether there was any good being produced from my work. It became clear that if you’re working in policy, healthcare, or a health regulatory landscape, there is an immediate impact in the decisions you make or are supporting that has a tangible quality to it.

I knew I wanted to take the skills I developed as a critical thinker and apply them to issues that would have substantial benefit. One of the great things about our space is that all our decision making must be in support of the public interest. There is a very clear line connecting the work that we do and supporting Ontarians in a meaningful way.

What drew you to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario and this role?

The College of Physiotherapists has been on my radar for a number of years. The College has been doing great work for a long time, especially from an outward perspective. As an observer, you can’t help but notice the educational content that the College is producing, such as videos and webinars and so I’ve had respect for this organization for some time.

But I also have great respect for the work that physiotherapists are doing, both from a preventative and a rehabilitative point of view, and the important role they play in our health care system. I’m a runner and have relied on the support of physiotherapists to help me get through injuries and ensure that I can continue living an active lifestyle. Family members have also needed post-surgery rehabilitation through physiotherapy, so I’ve had a direct line of sight on the benefit that physiotherapists are providing and how important the services they offer are to Ontarians. 

When you have the combination of a College that’s producing good work and a profession that is giving great care to Ontarians, why wouldn’t you be attracted to the role? 

After working in health regulation for more than 10 years, what are some lessons you’ll bring to this role?

This is a complicated space! There are a lot of legislative or regulatory requirements that need to be navigated and there are many perspectives that need to be balanced to ensure we take the right approach forward. I think there is a common and shared interest in making sure healthcare is working well, but sometimes we approach problems with different perspectives which lead us to different solutions or different conclusions. I see tremendous value in taking time to explore all these perspectives and believe we do a better job making decisions in the public interest when we work collaboratively and reach consensus when we can.

There’s a saying in the patient or public engagement space: “Nothing about me without me.” I’m fully committed to that concept, but I think it applies broadly to anyone who is impacted by the decisions we make. That includes our stakeholders and our registrants. We shouldn’t be making decisions without having considered the perspectives of those who will be impacted. This takes time and energy, but it is something I’m very committed to.

You have a PhD in philosophy. What’s your favorite philosophical quote?

I actually don’t have a favourite quote. My PhD was in philosophy of the mind, but it was working on very contemporary issues. I used experimental research driven approaches to answer philosophical questions. This included statistical analysis, sociology, and psychology to challenge philosophical assumptions, so it was very different from a historical approach to philosophy. As a result, I never really became attached to a particular philosopher or a quote. I was more interested in the ideas and challenging those ideas with an empirical approach.

Describe your perfect weekend?

Sitting outside with a cup of coffee, reading a book, while my kids are playing. If we’re visiting the extended family cottage, there are campfires, I’m letting the kids stay up late and sleep in, chasing them around the backyard, playing baseball, and going for runs that end with a swim.

My son has brought out the sports fan in me which has revitalized a childhood love in a nice way. I’m also the coach for his Little League team, which I never saw myself doing, but I love it. You’ve heard me talk about being a teacher, so being able to engage with these kids, cheer them on, and encourage them when they make a mistake is really rewarding.

As for books, I’m a big fan of the Dark Tower series by Stephen king. It’s a massive undertaking to read the series – seven books total – but I prefer to read series. I like the idea of attaching myself to a book or idea for a long time and giving the author space to explore their ideas. Sometimes the author can’t hold my interest the whole time, but the Dark Tower series did. 

What’s something on your bucket list?

I want to go to Scotland.

I have a Scottish background and have an affinity towards that background. I believe there is a pile of rubble somewhere in Scotland that belonged to my ancestors, and I’d like to visit it. It would be wonderful to see that history. 

If you could only listen to one album forever, what would it be?

Oh, this is a good question. These reflections are usually a point in time assessment. At this current point in time, I really like Hans Zimmer’s Inception score.

Something about the way he composes in a modern and electric style really catches my attention. I reflect on how much he’s able to engage with our emotions through music. I can only imagine from a creative standpoint, how he conceptualizes these pieces and asks, “how do I make the listener engage with this?”

Stay tuned for more opportunities in the coming months to connect with Craig and learn more about his goals for the College. Craig can also be reached by email at registrar@collegept.org.