Name: April Lee Anne Wright (she/her/hers)Job Title: Unit ClerkLength of Service: 11.5 yearsWorksite: West Chilcotin Health CentreCommunity: Tatla LakeAncestral Territory: Tŝilh qo t’inFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: “We need to remember life doesn't need to be so complex. Stop, be present and find the joy in simply being able to walk in the splendor around us.” —April April Wright, a unit clerk at West Chilcotin Health Centre, loves being part of her small remote community. When she’s not in the clinic helping and caring for her fellow community members, she’s getting her hands dirty in her garden or exploring the forest with her dogs. “There is something so simple and soothing about being in the garden helping things grow, or walking in the forest in the winter with my dogs admiring the wonderful things nature has given us. It sets the world right for me.” April enjoys helping people, advocating for their needs, and being available during difficult times in their lives. She can offer them comfort and human connection in a community where services and access can be limited. “Living and working in a small remote town gives me a larger sense of purpose since the patients we're caring for aren't just patients: they’re friends, neighbours and people we love and spend time with. We are fortunate enough that we get to share their joys with them, and we are blessed to be able to offer them empathy and comfort on some of the most difficult days of their lives.”

Name: Olivia Duncan (she/her/hers)Job Title: Long-Term Care CoordinatorLength of Service: 18Worksite: Mountain View LodgeCommunity: LillooetAncestral Territory: Northern St'at'mic Olivia Duncan, a long-term care coordinator for Mountain View Lodge, grew up in Lillooet on the traditional, ancestral and unceded Northern St’at’imc territory. She returned with her husband and two children in 2019 after living in Fort St. John and Penticton.   When Olivia was 17, she started working at Lillooet Hospital with Support Services with both the housekeeping and dietary teams. She thanks her supervisor at the time for taking a chance on a teenager! She immediately fell in love with the energy of the hospital and thought the world of the nursing staff. “They were such a tight-knit community,” Olivia says. “And I wanted to be a part of that!” Olivia pursued a career in nursing after high-school graduation and has been nursing since 2014. For her, it’s all about connection. In each area of nursing she’s worked, Olivia’s always found joy in building relationships with her patients, residents and their families. She understands that being in a hospital or long-term care facility can be a very vulnerable moment in time for patients and their families. It's a really special moment when she’s able to take a bit of that worry away.

Name: Emily Davidson (she/her/hers)Job Title: Licensed Practical NurseLength of Service: 9Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital  Community: KelownaAncestral Territory: syilx For nearly a decade, Emily Davidson has called the syilx ancestral territory—also known as Kelowna—home. She acknowledges the importance of living and working on this land with humility and respect.  “To me, reconciliation means acknowledging atrocities done to the First Nations Peoples,” she says. “It means checking my own bias when assessing a patient or speaking with their families. It’s about choosing to actively be a part in deconstructing colonialist ideals and becoming humbled by learning about ancestral knowledge, languages and practices. We have so far to go, and so much to learn.” For the past six years, Emily has been caring for patients as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Kelowna General Hospital, where she remains a steady presence on Ward 3 East.  "I have been on the same ward for six years and have no plans to leave,” she says. "Consistency and routine help me focus on giving the best care I can, even with the variables in health care."

Name: Sahra Gibb (she/her/hers)Job Title: Team Lead, Internal RecruitmentLength of Service: 12Worksite: Community Health and Services Centre Community: KelownaAncestral Territory: syilxFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: “Nature has always been a part of my identity. Growing up on a farm instilled a love of all things that grow, and camping and hiking with my family meant that the beautiful bush around the Okanagan is a place of peace, connection and joy. While my job is inside at a desk, I spend as much time as I can in my flower garden, camping on weekends, and hiking in nature with friends.” Sahra Gibb says that while a career in health care was “not originally on my radar as a student,” she quickly recognized she could utilize her training in human resources (HR) in the health-care sector to make a difference in people’s lives. “I pursued a career in human resources as I felt strongly about helping people thrive in their workplaces,” explains Sahra, who’s been with Interior Health (IH) for 12 years. “Health care came on my radar as many of my childhood friends entered the industry and I recognized the massive contribution they were making to our communities.” Sahra joined IH just two months after graduating from Okanagan College in 2013, working her way up from HR assistant in the benefits department to her current role as a team lead in Internal Recruitment.

Name: Sharon Kriger (she/her/hers)Job Title: Labour relations specialistLength of Service: 6 yearsWorksite: Kelowna Community Health & Services CentreCommunity: North OkanaganAncestral Territory: syilxFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: "There are three sides to every story: my side, your side and the truth and no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently."  - Robert Evans Sharon Kriger is a labour relations specialist with Interior Health (IH) who is inspired by the people around her, and is a proud auntie of two thirds of the Dixie Fried Hep Katz Canadian rockabilly band: an energetic rockabilly trio based in the Okanagan valley in B.C. Canada. Realizing that she wanted to work with people, Sharon obtained an education in human resources (HR). She worked various contract positions across many provinces and industries to get a breadth of experience and help her be great at her job. One of her proudest career accomplishments was working a one-year contract with STARS (Shock, Trauma, Air Rescue Society) out of Alberta.

Name: Natalie Daniels (she/her)Job Title: Manager, Indigenous Patient CareLength of Service: 11Worksite:  Regional/RemoteCommunity: VernonAncestral Territory: syilx Natalie of Wiikwemkoong First Nation has called syilx territory home for 15 glorious years. She lives in a town colonially known as Vernon with her partner, Kirsten, and their dog Rosalita, who has “perfected the art of hammock lounging” during many family camping trips. To Natalie, inclusion and accessibility are what create the opportunity to truly belong. And through her leadership, her laughter and her determination, she has built a career out of embracing life’s ups and downs with heart.

Name: Xavier Gomes (he/him/his)Job Title: Manager, Support Services, East KootenayLength of Service: 4 yearsWorksite:  East Kootenay Regional HospitalCommunity: CranbrookAncestral Territory: KtunaxaFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."  Xavier is inspired to work in health care because it affords him the opportunity to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. “My mission is to support healing and recovery by ensuring access to nourishing food and proper nutrition, while promoting clean, safe environments that foster health, dignity and well-being for every patient and staff member I serve,” he shares.  He’s motivated every day by patients’ gratitude and the positive impact he has on their lives. “It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that my efforts contribute to their comfort and recovery during a time when they need it most,” Xavier says.  

Name: Echo Porlier (she/her/hers)Job Title: Rural Nurse EducatorLength of Service: 20 yearsWorksite: Nicola Valley HospitalCommunity: Thompson Cariboo regionAncestral Territory: Secwépemc/Shuswap Interior SalishFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: "A good education can change anyone. A good teacher can change everything." —Dr. Sudhir S. Balerao A self-described old soul, Echo Porlier enjoys the fundamentals of living: gardening, canning, preserving and reading. “I like to read physical books you can touch, smell and crinkle the corner to save your page!” She says these hobbies and tasks keep her grounded in her roots and provide an antidote to her varied and busy professional life as a rural nurse educator in Interior Health (IH). Inspired by her mom Diana Heighes’s nursing trajectory and her dedication and her ability to connect with patients, Echo pursued a similar path that allowed her to blend two of her passions: teaching and health care.

Name: Diana Heighes (she/her/hers)Job Title: Registered Nurse (RN)Length of Service: 35 yearsWorksite: Royal Inland Hospital Day Care SurgeryCommunity: BarnhartvaleAncestral Territory: SecwépemcFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: Equity for everyone. Diana grew up in the small of community of Chase, B.C., and moved to Barnhartvale just outside of Kamloops 22 years ago. At 16 years old, Diana started taking the courses required for nursing. After high school, she worked for a general physician in Chase. “I quickly realized how much I liked medicine,” she recounts. “My husband and I had two young children when he encouraged me to return to school to pursue my nursing dream.”