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Community & Culture
Name: Emily Davidson (she/her/hers)Job Title: Licensed Practical NurseLength of Service: 9Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital Community: KelownaAncestral Territory: syilx territory
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."
Community & Culture
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.
Community & Culture
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.
Community & Culture
Name: Natalie Daniels (she/her)Job Title: Manager, Indigenous Patient CareLength of Service: 11Worksite: Regional/RemoteCommunity: VernonAncestral Territory: syilx territory
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.
Community & Culture
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.
Community & Culture
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.
Community & Culture
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.”
Community & Culture
Name: Kimberly Ramier (she/her/hers)Job Title: Registered Nurse, Certified Practice – Opioid Use Disorder (CP OUD)Length of Service: 11Worksite: Williams Lake Mental Health & Substance UseCommunity: Williams LakeAncestral Territory: Secwepemc and Tsilqhot'in NationsFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: This too shall pass.
Kimberly (Kim) Ramier was born in the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwepemc and Tsilqhot'in Nations (colonially known as Kamloops) and has lived most of her life in Williams Lake. For Kim, accountability, acknowledgement and hope aren’t just words—they’re a way of showing up every day in her role as a registered nurse (RN).
Her connection and love for her hometown has shaped her into a true nurturer. Whether it’s raising a beautiful family, or helping people in crisis, Kim has always had an immense and strong motivation to alleviate fear, pain and panic in those around her.
Kim’s path to health care wasn’t straightforward. At 17, she admits she was a little rebellious, taking two tries to finish grade 12. Later, while raising two children, she worked in the service department at an automotive dealership before deciding to pursue nursing in her early 30s. Earning her degree at 35 remains one of her proudest accomplishments.
“We should not be defined by our struggles but admired for our successes.” - Kim Ramier
Community & Culture
Name: Dr. Nancy Humber (she/her/hers)Job Title: PhysicianLength of Service: 29 yearsWorksite: Lillooet Hospital and Health CentreCommunity: Lillooet and GoldbridgeAncestral Territory: Northern St'at'imcFavourite quote: "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” — African Proverb
"Health care is a complex, ever-changing service that will require deliberate, multidisciplinary approaches that consider equity, cultural awareness, and patient and family-driven success metrics to ultimately improve the health experience and outcomes of this region."
Dr. Nancy Humber is a familiar presence in the Northern St'at'imc communities, also known as Lillooet. With nearly three decades serving as a physician at the Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre, Nancy’s career journey has been rooted in a commitment to lifelong learning and meaningful allyship.
“I love people, and I have an amazing opportunity to work in the different Northern St'at'imc communities, meet local health-care teams, and learn from Elders in their homes in their communities,” she says. “These experiences have taught me how to be a better doctor and person and have improved my cultural understanding of how to be a better ally.”
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