Name: Tineke Dineen (she/her/hers) Job Title: Policy Specialist Length of Service: 2 years Worksite: Kelowna Community Health & Services Centre Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: sylix   If you have a question about developing an Interior Health (IH) policy, reaching out to Tineke Dineen is a smart idea. Tineke was the first policy specialist hired at IH. For two-plus years, she has helped shape the role and organize many IH policies.  “I was excited to take the time to really learn about what needs the organization has for my position and what I should pursue to be of most use and value,” Tineke says. “Policy is such an interesting and unique area of the organization. I have the opportunity to review work that spans across all topic areas; I learn something new every day.   “I have always been interested in health,” she adds. "While I didn't always know what position I would end up in, or where my schooling would lead me, I have always been drawn to work that makes a positive impact on the health of individuals and communities.” 

Name: Elizabeth AdolphJob Title: Care AideLength of Service: 35+ Years             Worksite: Mountain View LodgeCommunity: LillooetAncestral Territory: Stat'imcFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: “Life is too short to stress the small stuff.” Thirty-five years into her career with Interior Health (IH), Elizabeth Adolph still loves what she does. Yes, Elizabeth is looking forward to retirement and travelling the world. But for now, she loves her colleagues and being there for her residents at Mountain View Lodge, a 22-bed long-term care facility in Lillooet. “It’s amazing to see staff working together during stressful situations, but more than anything I love to be able to sit with palliative residents who have no family so they are not alone. That’s very special,” she notes.

Name: Angela Biddlecombe (she/her/hers) Job Title: Sterile Compounding Coordinator Length of Service: 20 years Worksite: East Kootenay Regional Hospital Pharmacy (sterile compounding satellite)  Community: Cranbrook Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa Favourite Quote / Advice to Live By: “I'm proud of my daughters' hard work and I enjoy seeing them develop into who they are. I love watching them skate—there's grace, strength and the ability to overcome pressure.”   Inspired by her aunt’s career as a pharmacist, Angela Biddlecombe joined the health-care sector more than two decades ago as a pharmacy technician, focusing on compounding, the preparation of custom medications.  Angela says pharmacy offers her a collaborative environment in which she thrives, a direct link to patient care, and the opportunity to mentor and support colleagues.  “I really enjoy the hands-on aspect of being a pharmacy technician and compounding products that are beneficial to patient care. I enjoy the problem solving to create new products, and the mentorship.” 

Name: Niomi Wright (she/her/hers)Job Title: Care AideLength of Service: 18 yearsWorksite: Mountain View LodgeCommunity: LillooetAncestral Territory: St’at’imc Niomi Wright is a care aide at Mountain View Lodge located in Lillooet, B.C. on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the St’at’imc Nation where she was born, raised and still lives. After graduating high school, Niomi wasn’t sure what she wanted to do as a career. Initially, she thought she might pursue nursing. She decided to become a care aide first to get a feel for nursing to decide if it was the right long-term career choice. Little did she know that she would ultimately discover that her true calling was to be a care aide in long-term care at Interior Health (IH).

Name: Naomi Jensen (she/her/hers)Job Title: Executive Director, Quality & Patient SafetyLength of Service: 29 yearsWorksite: RegionalCommunity: KamloopsAncestral Territory: SecwépemcFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: What’s most important to me—in work and in life—is leading with kindness, integrity and purpose. I am always reminded that even small actions can create meaningful impact, and that how we show up for others truly matters. Naomi Jensen, Executive Director, Quality & Patient Safety, lives in Kamloops on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Secwépemc Nation. Born and raised in 100 Mile House, Naomi began her career in health care during high school when she volunteered at the 100 Mile District Hospital. As a volunteer, Naomi was paired with a nurse whose compassion, skill and presence left a lasting impression. “The way she truly connected with her patients—listening deeply, making them laugh and supporting them through some of their most difficult moments—showed me what exceptional care looks like,” shares Naomi. It was in those early experiences that Naomi knew she wanted to be a nurse. For her, nursing has always been an honour and a privilege. She believes that people should be at the centre of their care, and that every interaction is an opportunity to make someone feel seen, respected and supported. Over the years, Naomi’s been inspired not only by the patients and families served, but also by the incredible teams she’s had the privilege to work alongside.

Name: Kelly Monks (she/her/hers)Job Title: Registered Nurse, EmergencyLength of Service: Six monthsWorksite: Kelowna General HospitalCommunity: KelownaAncestral Territory: syilx Born in South Africa, raised in Florida and England, and now serving as a registered nurse (RN) at Kelowna General Hospital’s (KGH) emergency department, Kelly Monks’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. “Growing up across South Africa, Florida and England, I never developed a strong sense of identity tied to a specific place,” she shares. “Rather, repeatedly feeling out of place made me adaptable and perceptive of others.” In her work, Kelly emphasizes the importance of human connection. She believes that building relationships with colleagues and patients reminds us that we all have something in common. “As health-care workers, we’re familiar with the clinical environment and its language; however, it can be alienating for patients. Communication is key and I try to ensure that those I care for have what they need to feel heard and understand what is going on.” For Kelly, reconciliation is recognizing that everyone has past experiences that inform who they are today and being aware that we, too, carry our own experiences with us daily. “It’s finding a common respect and working in partnership for better care and better futures,” she says.

Name: Dr. Roseann Larstone (she/her/hers)Job Title: Corporate Director, Indigenous Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism EducationLength of Service: Five monthsWorksite:  Kelowna Community Health and Service CentreCommunity: VernonAncestral Territory: syilx Dr. Roseann Larstone carries her work with both purpose and drive. Roseann lives in Armstrong and is based in  the Kelowna Community Health and Service Centre, where she serves as Corporate Director of Indigenous Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism Education within the Indigenous Partnerships portfolio. She’s deeply grounded in her values and identity as a member of the Métis Nation, and she honours the territory of the syilx Nation, where she lives, learns and works. For Roseann, acknowledging the land is an active reminder of the lived experiences, individual and collective responsibilities, and commitments to peoples and place that guide her.  “For me, reconciliation is grounded in respectful relationships, awareness and acceptance of the shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in this country and working together toward a more just and equitable reality,” explains Roseann. Living within the colonial experience, she understands the ways in which interlocking systems bear down on Indigenous communities and families to influence lived realities. Her roots and cultural perspectives continue to shape the way she moves through the world. 

Name: Ilka Stoyanova Chobanova (she/her/hers) Job Title: Registered Nurse, Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)Length of Service: 18 years Worksite: Royal Inland HospitalCommunity: Kamloops Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc Favourite Quote / Advice to Live By: My favourite word is “Today.” My favorite quote is by Maya Angelou: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better." My philosophy is to do the right thing when nobody is watching; it’s the definition of integrity and one of the pillars of my moral code.   When Ilka Chobanova immigrated to Canada in 2003, she didn’t know how to speak English. Three and a half years later, she started working as a registered nurse (RN) with Interior Health.  “I remember feeling quite stressed when I had to talk on the phone with my health-care colleagues,” says Ilka, who was an internationally educated RN and had worked in Bulgaria and Germany. “At one point, I wanted to create a ‘survival kit’ for the future internationally educated nurses.”  Nearly 20 years since her IH career began, Ilka has made a tremendous impact. She specializes in peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) nursing. She assists patients when IV access is needed for bloodwork, CT scans or even chemotherapy treatments.   She was a 2025 regional winner for Western Canada in the CVAA/BD Excellence in Vascular Access Management & Infusion Therapy Awards. The awards recognize the important contributions made in vascular access management and infusion therapy practice with a focus on peripheral IV therapy. It was the first time a team member from Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) has been recognized with the award. 

Name: Erica Lynn McDivittJob Title: Interim Clinical Educator for RadiologyLength of Service: 21 Years                      Worksite: Royal Inland HospitalCommunity: KamloopsAncestral Territory: Tk’emlups te SecwepemcFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: “When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.” When Erica Lynn McDivitt entered the health-care field more than two decades ago, she wanted to help patients, and that’s still her main pursuit. However, her focus has switched from being a frontline worker to helping mentor the next generation of X-ray technologists. “Our job is very interesting. Having the privilege to share that knowledge and experience is what inspires me today,” says Erica. “I want to create positive experiences for not only patients but for my co-workers and the future generation of X-ray technologists.”