We Are IH: Introducing staff supporting Aboriginal cultural safety

September 21, 2023

Meet a team of Aboriginal Health workers Mary Jack, Diana, Janessa, Becca and Audrey

Content warning: residential schools, death. The information and material presented here may cause unpleasant feelings or thoughts for some people. Many individuals find it helpful to discuss these feelings in a supportive and trusting environment. Please reach out to the supports most appropriate to your individual needs:

KUU-US (Aboriginal) Crisis line at 1-800-588-8717
BC Crisis Line at 310-6789

In 2021, the government of Canada officially made Sept. 30 a federal statutory holiday called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; the Province of British Columbia also officially declared Sept. 30 a statutory holiday in March 2023. This is a day for all people living on Turtle Island, now known as Canada, to recognize the tragic legacy of residential schools and honour the children who never returned home, the survivors of these institutions, the families left behind, and their communities.

Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history, and ongoing impacts of residential schools, is a vital component of the reconciliation process. Interior Health (IH) is committed to addressing past and present harms resulting from the residential school legacy and negative effects to the health and well-being of Aboriginal Peoples. This comes in the form of addressing Indigenous-specific racism within the B.C. health-care system by focusing on advancing Aboriginal health and cultural safety within health service delivery.

In advance of this year’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we wanted to highlight some of the change-makers at IH who are working to strengthen our relationships with Aboriginal partners, and recognize and appreciate the heritage and diverse cultures of Aboriginal communities and people we serve, and how we’re striving to embed their wisdom, knowledge, and culture into how we deliver services to provide culturally safe care.

In this Story…

Meet Mary Jack, Lead, Strategy and Accountability, Aboriginal Partnerships

Meet Audrey Ward, Practice Lead - Aboriginal Wellness Team (network)

Meet Diana Moar, Aboriginal Patient Navigator

Meet Becca Britton, Métis Health Systems Advocate

Meet Janessa Collins, Business Partner, Aboriginal Employee Experience

Explore Aboriginal Partnerships and Cultural Safety Careers@IH

Meet Mary Jack, Lead, Strategy and Accountability, Aboriginal Partnerships

A woman with long brown hair in a bright red shirt leans on an upright motorcycle posed in front of a soccer field — Mary Jack with her motorcycle.

Name: Mary Jack (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Lead, Strategy and Accountability, Aboriginal Partnerships
Years of Service: 1
Worksite: Community Health Services Centre (CHSC)
Born and raised: Nk'maplqs - Head of the Lake Okanagan
Ancestral Territory: Tsinstikeptum - Westbank First Nations
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: ałi kwu_swiwi-numtax, ałi kwu_suknaqinx, ałi axai L/tmxwulalxw.
We Are Beautiful, We Are Okanagan, Because Our Land is Beautiful

Mary Jack is a lead within the Strategy and Accountability team of Aboriginal Partnerships; her role supports the Communications & Engagement; Medicine; Quality, Research and Academic Affairs; and Chief Financial Officer portfolios. She is also an elected leader on the council with the Okanagan Indian Band supporting Lands, Social Programs, Finance, Communications and Health Governance portfolios.

As a family-oriented individual, Mary Jack has always been inspired to help families and communities who may have faced discrimination or a less desirable quality of care.

My goal is to improve the community and find effective ways to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into changing the course of the future for all peoples.

-- Mary Jack (she/her/hers)

Mary Jack has mastered building strong relationships within her workplace and community using compassion and humour along the way, aligning her actions with one of her main values: q'wilmist (Trying your best).

“I want to be adventurous and challenge the system to provide a better relationship for all peoples within the organization” Mary Jack said.

Her goal is to make a difference in future initiatives that address true reconciliation while advancing projects that have an Indigenous perspective. Through collaborations with allies and champions of health initiatives, Mary Jack has helped improve the safety of health care while establishing a welcoming setting for Indigenous Peoples.

In her spare time, Mary Jack enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, attending social clubs and events, or going out riding motorcycles.

Two women dressed up in Western gear pose for a picture. — Mary Jack and friend dressed up as cowgirls.

Meet Audrey Ward, Practice Lead - Aboriginal Wellness Team (network)

a smiling brunette woman stands with hands in her hoody pocket on the beach right next to the water — Audrey spending time at the beach.

Name: Audrey Ward (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Practice Lead - Aboriginal Wellness Team (network)
Years of Service: 9
Worksite: Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre
Community: Kamloops
Ancestral Territory: Nlak'pamux bordering on Syilx Okanagan
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Work Hard - Play Harder"

Audrey has been a practice lead on the Aboriginal Wellness team in Kamloops for the past nine years. She was born and raised in Merritt, B.C. and is a proud member of the Upper Nicola Band as an “Elder in training.” A strong believer in life-long learning, Audrey also teaches third and fourth-year students in the Social Work department at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. Along with her Master of Social Work degree, she has earned a Masters Degree in Art Therapy from the Kutenia Art Therapy Institute in Nelson, B.C.

With many survivors as a part of her ancestry, Audrey’s focus is the journey to increasing the safety of our health system for peoples today.

“I am inspired by the strength and beauty of my ancestors; without them, I would not be here nor would my children or grandchildren.”

A proud day of work for Audrey involves mental health and substance use (MHSU) clients showing appreciation for the support Audrey has offered during their healing journey. Other successes for Audrey include research projects focusing on the experiences related to the Indigenous employee with emphasis on what Interior Health can do better. “I am looking forward to the day when Indigenous employees feel safe and supported.”

The Aboriginal Wellness team is a small but mighty team. I'm proud to work with them and our advocacy for rural mental health and substance use services is crucial in terms of building equity of service for Indigenous Peoples.

-- Audrey Ward (she/her/hers)

In her life outside of work, Audrey enjoys spending time riding her horses along a mountainside trail. Camping, travelling and exploring new places with family are a few of her favourite ways to spend time. Currently, she is trying to learn her ancestral language – Nsyilxcən.

A brunette woman with a ball cap on rides a brown horse in a large open field on a sunny day in the fall — Audrey going for a ride on her horse.

Meet Diana Moar, Aboriginal Patient Navigator

A group of smiling health care workers stand together in a group outside a hospital surrounded by small trees. — Relationships is who we are!
Back row: Dr. Ching Yu, Alley Periton (Social Work), Will Beley (Pharmacist), Jane Mujcin (Social Work), Tannis Restiaux (Nursing Unit Assistant), Connell McInnis (Substance Use Connections), Dr. Pieter Aartsma
Front row: Carmen Sigalet (Educator), Diana Moar (Aboriginal Patient Navigator), Lorrie Shareck (PCC) Lora-Lyn Hermston (Rehab), Dr. Layne Harvey, Maggie Metz (Social Work).

Name: Diana Moar (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Aboriginal Patient Navigator
Years of Service: 15
Worksite: Vernon Jubilee Hospital
Community: Vernon
Ancestral Territory: Okanagan / Syilx (Okanagan Indian Band) and Secwepemc (Splatsin First Nations)
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: Stop and check to see if I'm grounded (look to actually see if my feet are on the ground).

Diana Moar has been an Aboriginal patient navigator for the past 15 years. She was born and raised in the Berens River First Nations in Manitoba.

“Cultural Safety is for All Peoples.”

The role of the Aboriginal patient navigator “is to ensure Indigenous Peoples have access to and receive culturally safe, culturally appropriate and culturally sensitive health-care services, as well as supporting health-care providers to ensure they're safe in providing health-care services to All Peoples.” For Diana, sharing stories has been impactful in teaching respect and honour to people. Building trusting relationships with co-workers (health-care providers), families and community has helped to foster a beautiful and safe space for All Peoples.

People are very unique in their way of being. Building trusting relationships is knowing who they are and where they come from. Hearing their stories and learning their traditions that include, dance, foods, spiritual/religious beliefs and an overall encompassing of who they are. The work and career that includes family/ community. Family is community and community is family. They are the same and there is no separation.

-- Diana Moar (she/her/hers)

Every day Diana feels excited to come in to work to talk and share with her co-workers. She loves being with family – having visits, sharing meals, sharing our day and our moments and watching great action movies - she believes this is the way we can celebrate each other every day.

An Indigenous woman with hair in braid hugs an Indigenous woman with brown hair and glasses — Mary Jack and Diana Moar showing their friendship.

Meet Becca Britton, Métis Health Systems Advocate

A woman with a braid in her hair wears a helmet while going for a mountain bike ride in the forest area with a Mountain View — Becca going for a mountain bike ride with a beautiful view.

Name: Becca Britton (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Métis Health Systems Advocate
Years of Service: 13
Worksite: East Kootenay/Remote
Community: East Kootenay
Ancestral Territory: ɁamakɁis Ktunaxa in Ȼaqahak
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: "There is nothing so stable as change." -Bob Dylan

Born and raised on Treaty 1 and 2 Territory in Manitoba, specifically Brandon and Winnipeg, Becca Britton has strong roots as Red River Cree Metis on her father's side and Scottish settler on her mother's side.

Working on the front lines for many years, Becca has witnessed and lived through the Indigenous experience within the health-care system. Her involvement has motivated her to be part of many projects that progress the inclusivity goals IH has set to reach. One of those projects is the “215 Hearts Project,” where front-line staff are invited to wear handmade orange heart pins that show their commitment to learning and upholding Indigenous cultural safety in the workplace.

A long haired brunette wearing glasses holds up a poster with many small orange hearts on it in the reception area of the Medical Imaging department at the hospital — Becca showing the orange hearts that show the commitment to reconciliation.

I am inspired to be part of an amazing team working towards equitable health outcomes for Indigenous communities, families and individuals through health systems transformation and Indigenous cultural safety and humility.

-- Becca Britton (she/her/hers)

More recently, Becca has been working to develop the Métis Nation British Columbia-Interior Health Métis Health and Wellness Plan, which outlines priorities, goals and actions to work towards health equity for Métis communities, families and individuals.

In her free time, she finds many ways to connect and build relationships through laughter and humour. On weekends, you may find Becca singing karaoke, mountain biking, skateboarding, or traditional Métis beading.

“I started learning traditional Métis beading this year and I'm not very good at it yet, but it keeps my hands busy, my mind focused and my ego humbled” Becca said.

A close up of some beaded accessories in the shape of flowers — Becca’s recent beading projects.

Meet Janessa Collins, Business Partner, Aboriginal Employee Experience

A woman wearing a helmet and bright red snow pants holds out her arms while snowboarding on the top of the mountain while clouds are surrounding the area — Janessa enjoying some snow boarding at the top of the mountain.

Name: Janessa Collins (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Business Partner, Aboriginal Employee Experience
Years of Service: 0.5
Worksite: Nicola Valley Hospital & Health Centre
Community: Merritt
Ancestral Territory: Nłeʔkepmx Nation
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: There's a quote from Grand Chief Stewart Phillip that sticks with me: "It is our responsibility to change what we have the power and courage to change in this life." The notion of considering not just power and ability, but courage and bravery reminds me of our individual and collective responsibility to make changes for future generations.

Janessa’s ancestors come from the Nłeʔkepmx nation, colonially known as Merritt. She grew up on the reserve where she spent time on the land, connecting to her extended family and culture. After spending 11 years in the Syilx territory (Kelowna), Janessa moved back to her home territory in the Nłeʔkepmx nation (Merritt). Currently, she appreciates life with her husband and four-year-old daughter, exploring their beautiful surrounding territory.

In the Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre, Janessa has spent six months as a business partner with Aboriginal Employee Experience. “Seeing the collaboration in the working group and the commitment to reconciliation instills a sense of pride.” Janessa’s energetic, friendly and analytical personality comes in handy as she collaborates with the Aboriginal Human Resources (HR) Working Group to refresh the Aboriginal HR plan and strategy.

Working in health care has been such an interesting shift within my career; I never anticipated working for IH, but now I can't imagine being anywhere else. Our Employee Experience team is incredible and I've had the pleasure to work with such genuine, dedicated and kind individuals.

-- Janessa Collins (she/her/hers)

To support the strategies that align with IH’s commitment to reconciliation, Janessa works towards building trusting relationships and hearing different perspectives within all levels at IH and from Nation Partners.

“As a Nłeʔkepmx woman, IH's commitment to reconciliation and my work here impact me, my family, my community, and our Aboriginal peoples,” Janessa said. I'm inspired by my Elders, and passionate about decolonizing and indigenizing policies, strategies, structures and systems to support positive outcomes for Aboriginal peoples.”

If you are an avid baker, you may find that you and Janessa have that in common; claiming to be a strong baker and weak golfer, she loves doing both activities. In addition, Janessa loves travel and spending time outdoors in the fresh air. With many talents in her roster, Janessa also has the rare skill of special effects makeup, so watch out for her latest ideas this Halloween!

A mother and daughter smiles while standing among many trees on a sunny day — Janessa and her daughter enjoying outside time together.

Explore Aboriginal Partnerships and Cultural Safety Careers@IH

Have you thought about a career in Aboriginal Health at IH?

There are several Aboriginal Health positions available, and we are focussed on expanding to more positions. If you have an interest in creating safe and inclusive health care for both patients and employees you can explore areas such as: