Dr. Sayeh Zielke, MD, IMBA, FRCPC, ICD.D, is a cardiologist, health system leader, speaker, educator, and author dedicated to helping people live longer, healthier lives — starting with the heart.Known by many as Dr. Z, she is the founder and Medical Director of Chinook Cardiology. In 2013, she became the first permanent cardiologist to establish a full-time cardiology practice in Southern Alberta. Since then, she has helped advance cardiac care across the region through clinical leadership, community advocacy, education, and system-building. Dr. Zielke currently serves as Physician Lead for Cardiac Services in the AHS South Zone, Chair of the Southern Alberta Cardiac Sciences Advisory Cabinet, Medical Director of the Heart Function Clinic at Chinook Regional Hospital, and Medical Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program through Alberta Health Services. Her leadership has also extended across Alberta’s healthcare system. She served as Chair of the Transition Committee to establish Assisted Living Alberta, then as Interim CEO, and later as Executive Chair of the Assisted Living Alberta Board, contributing to the early governance and stand-up of Alberta’s new provincial health agency. Her path into medicine reflects a lifelong commitment to leadership, learning, and service. Dr. Zielke earned an International MBA from the University of Ottawa before completing her medical degree, graduating as class valedictorian. She went on to complete specialty training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the University of Calgary, followed by advanced cardiac imaging training at the Royal Brompton Hospital and John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford Hospitals, in the United Kingdom. Throughout her career, Dr. Zielke has held leadership roles across clinical care, governance, academia, and national medical organizations. She previously served as the medical student representative and later the resident physician representative on the Canadian Medical Association Board of Directors, was President of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students, and served as Co-Chief Resident of the Internal Medicine Program at the University of Calgary. She remains actively involved in academic and governance work. She sits on the University of Lethbridge Board of Governors and holds faculty appointments as a Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Cardiac Sciences at the University of Calgary’s Cummings School of Medicine and as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge. She is also a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, having received her ICD.D designation in 2022. Dr. Zielke has been recognized for her contributions to healthcare, leadership, and community service, with honours including the Community Builder Award in Lethbridge, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, the King Charles III Coronation Medal, the Key to the City of Lethbridge, and the 2025 YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Shattered Ceilings. She is the author of One Heart, Five Habits, a practical guide to helping people understand how lifestyle choices can support healthier blood pressure and long-term heart health. Today, Dr. Zielke’s work extends beyond the clinic through speaking, writing, education, advocacy, and innovation in cardiovascular prevention. She is especially interested in helping people understand their heart health earlier, take meaningful action sooner, and feel more confident in protecting their future health. As Chair of the South Zone Cardiac Sciences Advisory Cabinet, she works closely with the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation in support of Bringing Hearts Home, a regional campaign led by the Foundation to expand access to advanced cardiac care in Southern Alberta and support the development of a Cardiac Centre of Excellence. This work is helping ensure that more patients and families can access life-saving heart care closer to home. Across her clinical, academic, governance, and community work, Dr. Zielke’s mission remains simple: to help people feel informed, supported, and empowered to protect their heart health — and to build systems that make that possible for more people.
