We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Dr. Alan Ruddiman (He/Him) Job Title: Rural Generalist Physician (GP)  Years of Service: 25 Historical IH Worksite: South Okanagan General Hospital Community: Oliver Ancestral Territory: Syilx NationFavourite Quote: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” - Anon (attributed as an African proverb). Dr. Alan Ruddiman is an internationally trained rural generalist physician, living and working in Oliver, on the traditional lands and territories of the Syilx Okanagan First Nations. He is a passionate advocate and voice on equity in health-care delivery, medical professionalism, governance, medical quality improvement, digital health and virtually enabled care.  “I was taught to value and embrace service,” says Alan. “Service to one's patients, to one's community, and within one's broader sphere of influence. Having had a full and rewarding career in rural medicine in Canada, with the last 25 of those years in the south Okanagan, I have made so many connections locally, regionally and provincially." "For me, it’s always been about the relationships – the opportunity to contribute towards meaningful local and system changes within health care in British Columbia.” Born in Scotland, Alan’s formative years were shaped in South Africa. He earned his medical degree, a Bachelors of Medicine & Surgery, at Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg, graduating in 1989. This valuable experience sparked within his career efforts championing on matters of social justice, advocating for vulnerable peoples, and seeking out equity within health-care delivery. Alan immigrated to Canada, first settling in Saskatchewan in 1991 to pursue service in rural generalist medicine, then later moving west to British Columbia, and Oliver, in 1996. He and his wife Christina raised two daughters in Oliver, the youngest of whom was born at the local community hospital. The bulk of Alan’s professional career has been dedicated to service as a rural GP, in the community and through a rewarding career on staff at the South Okanagan General Hospital (SOGH). He has served as president of SOGH Medical Staff, with two terms as Chief of Medical Staff.  One of Alan’s proudest moments at Interior Health was during his 2005 to 2010 tenure as Chief of Medical Staff. SOGH was the first Canadian hospital – and a rural hospital at that – to achieve Stage 6 Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Adoption recognition from HIMSS Analytics.  “This was a really significant accomplishment and recognition for an amazing and dedicated clinical team who I worked with and alongside,” says Alan.  In 2015, Alan was also elected by his 12,000 provincial peers and colleagues as the incoming President of Doctors of BC. “It was an amazing and most rewarding three-year appointment cycle,” he says. “It rolled over to current appointments and provincial lead roles I have today.” He transitioned away from full-time GP clinical practice in 2018, following his Doctors of BC presidency. Alan’s notable medical contributions within the South Okanagan community are now supplemented by his further responsibilities as a Director for the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc), and, Provincial Co-Chair for the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (the JSC). Alan has been very busy supporting Interior Health’s COVID-19 immunization program by providing active clinical support and in-clinic service across IH’s rural communities. Since March 2021 he has provided more than 3,000 unique COVID-19 immunizations to the public!  Today, Alan is a recognized physician leader, a health-care strategist, a health policy knowledge expert, and an active proponent for positive transformation within Canada’s publicly funded health-care system. He interacts regularly with teams and leaders from across B.C.’s health-care system including senior government members, the health authorities, Doctors of BC, UBC Faculty of Medicine, B.C.’s rural communities, and linked health-care sectors and partners. Dr. Alan Ruddiman and his family with their restored 1976 Volkswagen camper bus. In his personal time, Alan and his wife Christina are keen adventurous travellers. They have lovingly restored a 1976 Volkswagen camper bus in which they journey throughout B.C. They are also keen and very active sailors. “We love spending days and nights out on Lake Okanagan, finding a quiet anchorage to hunker down in, and enjoy amazing sunrises and sunsets.” Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: Interior Health  |   Instagram: interiorhealthbc |   LinkedIn: Interior Health Authority

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Tanya Zeron (she/her) Job Title: Rehabilitation Assistant Years of Service: 10 Worksite: Vernon Jubilee Hospital Community: Vernon Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Favourite Quote:“Ain't nothin' gonna to break my stride Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no I got to keep on movin'” – Matthew Wilder Tanya Zeron always tries to see the good in people and situations. Born and raised in Maple Ridge, Tanya moved to the Okanagan in 2004. As a rehabilitation assistant, Tanya’s inspiration are the people she cares for every day.  “No matter their ability, they continue to work towards their goals. And on the days they’re not strong, we can be strong for them.” Tanya loves working with older adults. “They have so much to share and I like to listen to their stories. They’ve usually already overcome so much in life.” Watching patients persevere through physical and emotional challenges makes Tanya proud of the work she and her team does.  “It’s nice to know we played a role in our patient’s rehabilitation, and are improving their quality of life.” The fresh air of fall, camping with her family and snowboard season are a few of Tanya’s favourite things. Tanya’s husband, Dallas, and two kids, Marty and Scottie, also enjoy hiking, canoeing, and mountain biking.  “Anything that gets my family and myself into nature,” she says. ________________________________________ Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook  |   Instagram  |   LinkedIn

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: (John) Derrick Leblanc (he/him) Job Title: Housekeeping Supervisor Years of Service: 8.5 Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital Community: Kamloops Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc Nation Favourite Quote: "Treat everyone how you want to be treated." -Unknown Thanks to a good friend who endorsed his resume, Derrick Leblanc has been with Interior Health for almost nine years. In that time, his proudest moment, aside from being hired on, was his promotion to Housekeeping Supervisor. Derrick's family in Nova Scotia “I’ve always enjoyed helping others, and take pride in knowing that the career I’ve chosen allows me to do just that.” At one point, Derrick was even helping a friend with special need clients outside of Interior Health, finding it rewarding work. After training, Derrick eventually received his own clients. But it’s his role at Royal Inland Hospital that made the cut when he had to pull back on commitments and narrow his three jobs down to one. Derrick hails from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, calling himself “a hopeless romantic and a Maritimer.” Unsurprisingly, his greatest dream is live a long life and to retire by the ocean (after winning the lottery, of course!). Derrick’s family means everything to him – it’s hard being so far away, as he doesn’t get to see them nearly as much as he’d like. Derrick's puppy, Wall-E “I’m the eighth child out of nine so it’s a large family. We certainly know how to cook and eat seafood, as well as rappi pie.” For those not "in the know," rappi pie is a well-loved traditional Acadian dish. It’s a delicious mix of potatoes and chicken. Living in the beautiful Interior meshes well with Derrick’s love of the outdoors and taking nature photography. He also hikes, gardens and relaxes on his deck with his dog. View of Kamloops from Derrick's morning walk Derrick's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: “I would nominate Narinder Pannu. She works at Royal Inland Hospital and is a cleaner on 7 South. I would like to nominate her because you can always ask her to help with shortfalls and or move to another position within the department... She is very accountable at her job and you can be assured she gets her work done to standard. " - Derrick Leblanc Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: Interior Health  |   Instagram: interiorhealthbc |   LinkedIn: Interior Health Authority

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Nikole Johnson Job Title: Care Aide Years of Service: One year Worksite: Talarico Place Community: Castlegar Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa (Tun-ah-hah)/Kootenay Ktunaxa Favourite Quote: "Be kind, always!" -Unknown With a year under her belt, Nikole Johnson has discovered that being a care aide is more than as depicted. Her favourite thing about the job is seeing residents' faces light up when they see her after a few weeks off. She loves spending downtime interacting with those in her care: "It's always my honour to be involved in the stories they share about their lives." "Working as a care aide while in nursing school has inspired me to continue practicing the fundamentals of health care, which always come back to compassion and kindness." Nikole's proudest moments happen when she's able to make connections with residents and other staff members. She admits to being a bit shy: "It takes a bit of time to come out of my shell." Nikole feels comfortable and supported at her workplace, which helps her form better relationships with those in her care. Nikole's favourite hike around the Kootenays - Kokanee Creek A fourth-year nursing student with the University of Victoria at Selkirk College, Nikole looks forward to continuing her position as a care aide while she finishes school and, hopefully, moves in to a new position with IH after graduation in 2022. Nikole would love to work in either community or maternity nursing. Who knows what the future will bring! To enjoy the beautiful landscapes around Castlegar, Nikole enjoys going on walks with her two small dogs and getting in exercise. She also loves art, and creates her own realistic portrait drawings and acrylic paintings. One of Nikole's favourite paintings, inspired by Bob Ross Nikole's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: Abby Murphy: “Abby will be starting her second year of nursing school at Selkirk College! She was so helpful when I first got hired, and really made me feel comfortable. She took the time to get to know me and made sure that no questions went unanswered." - Nikole Johnson Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook  |   Instagram  |   LinkedIn

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Charles Wincott Job Title: Supervisor, Biomedical Engineering, IH West Years of Service: Three Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital Community: Kamloops Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc (She-whep-m) / Shuswap Interior Salish Favourite Motto: “Live life to the fullest at work and in play and be true to yourself so that you can be true to others.” At 23 years old, Charles Wincott joined the Navy. During a career spanning more than 20 years, he served as an electronics technician—repairing and maintaining radar, weapon control systems, countermeasures systems and periscopes.  Charles in Navy uniform “I served on every class warship in the Canadian Navy including destroyers escorts (DDE), destroyers (DDH), frigates (CPF), replenishment vessels (AOR) and two classes of submarines (SSK).” Charles had an affinity for photography and became an intelligence photographer on the ships during deployments. He also taught electronics at the Navel Fleet School in Esquimalt. “My travels have taken me to all the continents,” says Charles. Highlights included visits to Russia and China, serving for UN forces in Haiti during the embargo in 1993, and living in the United Kingdom for two years while refurbishing the HMCS Corner Brook (a long-range hunter-killer submarine of the Royal Canadian Navy). Charles’ Naval retirement package included two years of retraining. He chose Durham College in Ontario and completed the Biomedical Engineering Technologist program. “This trade was a natural progression from my military career—perfect for someone with a questioning mind,” he says. During a short hospital stay, Charles found himself asking, “How is that equipment looked after and repaired?’ His new career in biomedical engineering answers those questions. Charles has worked in Medicine Hat, Alta., several sites on Vancouver Island, and now for Interior Health. He has taken trade-specific training in respiratory, renal, anesthesia, and monitoring systems, among others. “One of the things that I like most about this trade is the ability to continually learn new things and be challenged with complex problems.” Last year, Charles took on the role of Supervisor for Biomedical Engineering in IH West—a role with its own set of challenges. “Like my military role serving in the silent service (submarines), I enjoy working behind the scenes in my current role—to improve the world around me.” In his free time, he enjoys doing home renovations and rebuilding a 1986 TVR 280i. Charles jokes that “neither seem to ever reach completion.” He also enjoys exploring the outdoors on a quad or side by side—but mostly spinning a good tale over a campfire. ​We would like to thank Charles, and every person who has served our country. Thank you for sharing your stories, and for all that you do for Interior Health and your communities. Read about other veterans working with Interior Health. Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: Interior Health  |   Instagram: interiorhealthbc |   LinkedIn: Interior Health Authority

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Ashley Latimer (she/her/hers) Job Title: Medical Radiation Technologist Years of Service: 11 Worksite: Cariboo Memorial Hospital Community: Williams Lake Ancestral Territory: Secwepemc (She-whep-m)/Shuswap Interior Salish Favourite Quote: "Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. This is why we are here." - Jon J Muth Growing up in Ontario, Ashley Latimer was always interested in anatomy and biomechanics. Her dad encouraged her to pursue a career in health care and after earning a Human Kinetics degree in Ottawa, Ashley decided that medical imaging would be a good fit for her interests and education. "I was living and training in Southern Ontario and there were no real options for a full time position straight out of school," Ashley explains. She moved to Williams Lake to begin her career at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. "I took a chance and 11 years later it seems to have worked out." Ashley is inspired by the people she works with and the patients they care for. "For all the difficult situations we encounter on the job there is so much effort and care put into easing these situations," she says. "It's uplifting to see." The dedication of her co-workers throughout the pandemic makes her proud to be a health-care worker. In her free time, Ashley enjoys a number of sports and outdoor activities. At the moment her favourite hobby is golf, but she used to compete in roller-derby under the stage name Kelly Ka-POW-ski. Ashley enjoys hiking around Whistler (Black Tusk in Garibaldi or Joffrey Lakes if you can catch it on a non-busy day). "I'd highly recommend camping at Cariboo Lake, hiking Farwell Canyon or anywhere in Wells Gray Provincial Park," she says. Post-pandemic, Ashley looks forward to traveling again. Ashley's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: “Medical Laboratory Technologist Anna Heppner works hard with a smile on her face everyday and does volunteer work with the community as well."- Ashley Latimer Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: Interior Health  |   Instagram: interiorhealthbc |   LinkedIn: Interior Health Authority

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Mandy Smith (she/her) Job Title: Registered Nurse, ICU Years of Service: 29 Worksite: Vernon Jubilee Hospital Community: Vernon Ancestral Territory: Syilx/Okanagan Favourite Quote: "Everything happens for a reason." -Unknown  Mandy at a Paint Nite event Originally hailing from Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Mandy Smith has spent the majority of her 29 years with Interior Health as a nurse working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. But she still loves it after all this time. “I’ve seen people come and go, and many changes, and I’m still here. It’s an accomplishment to continue to do what I love in the same department so many years later.” Her self-described characteristics of friendly, approachable and dependable fit well with Mandy’s role. As her husband is now retired, Mandy is starting to eye the relaxed lifestyle herself in the next few years. But it’s her colleagues that still keep her inspired every day. “I work with an amazing bunch of people in ICU, from support workers and doctors to fellow nurses. I think we’re lucky to have the group we work with.” Outside of work, Mandy takes advantage of any time she can spend with her husband and adult children. Otherwise, you can find her snowboarding, hiking, camping and spending time with friends. A little known fact is that Mandy is a Persian cat fanatic. After being given her first Persian as a sweet 16 gift from her parents, Mandy’s never been without one since.  Mandy's Persian cats Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook  |   Instagram  |   LinkedIn  

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Danniel Dickson (he/him/his) Job Title: Community Respiratory Therapist Years of Service: 32 Worksite: Shuswap Health Services Community: Salmon Arm and area Ancestral Territory: Secwepemc (She-whep-m)/Shuswap Interior Salish Favourite Quote: "Any job worth doing is worth doing well. But to be able to do that, you have to do it over and over again." - Thomas Keller Danniel Dickson is a Community Respiratory Therapist serving clients in the Salmon Arm and Shuswap area. A life-long career in health care gives Danniel decades of practice and many satisfying memories.  The pulmonary rehabilitation programs Danniel manages, alongside his physiotherapist colleague, is a particular source of pride.  "We find that improving the quality of life for most of our clients - through education, exercise and flexibility - to be a great source of pride and a feeling of contributing to the outcomes of the community care team in a small way." For Danniel, Respiratory Therapy is a profession that allows him autonomy in terms of practice. "Although the pace and challenges of acute and critical care are professionally satisfying, my current role in the community setting allows more time for therapy and client/patient education. We continue to make strides towards integration of care from acute to community and there is much more of a team approach in the community setting today." The world is also changing to be more virtual, and Danniel is excited about participating in virtual "tele-health" initiatives in the future. "Our pulmonary rehabilitation team participated in tele-rehab research and the data obtained should provide opportunities for better outcomes for our geographically isolated clients and patients." Danniel is proud of his his Aboriginal ancestry. His maternal grandmother was Cree and his maternal grandfather was Scottish. His Aboriginal heritage was never celebrated, in spite of many gatherings with his large family and he was puzzled as a child at the reluctance to embrace the Aboriginal identity in the family. This cycle is now being repaired Danniel, his siblings, and first cousins. They have joined the Metis Nation and display our Aboriginal heritage with pride and celebration. Danniel brings this evolution into his practice as a clinician and is looking forward to adapting and growing with Interior Health to improve outcomes for First Nations clients and patients.  Day-to-day, Danniel strives to focus on self care, as it allows him to have increased reserves to be applied in support of others. He is physically active and feels at home in nature. He enjoys activities like hiking, mountain biking, Nordic skiing and golf. "When home I enjoy spending time making fishing tackle and practicing guitar. I enjoy driving in the back country and am always amazed at the beauty of our province." Danniel is has also started learning about Astrology's effects on birth charts and ongoing traits and personalities, and experimenting with Tarot Card interpretation. "It is a nice balance when weighed against the challenges and stressors of being a health care professional in todays 'world.' "  Danniel's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: “I nominate Shelby Henry, Physiotherapist in Salmon Arm. She is always upbeat and ready to assist the clinicians with any task she is able to manage to make their work flow faster and more efficiently. She always takes an organizing leadership role for any situation involving staff, for both career milestones and personal issues, and has a card with well-wishes and donations to make these situations resonate. She is an asset to the SLGH Rehab and Respiratory team."- Danniel Dickson Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: Interior Health  |   Instagram: interiorhealthbc |   LinkedIn: Interior Health Authority

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Meggan Gibson (she/her/hers) Job Title: MDR Inventory Lead Technician Years of Service: 23 Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx (Saay-ilks) / Okanagan Interior Salish Favourite Quote: "Life is too short - so enjoy the ride!"  Meggan GIbson completed her Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) course in 1998 and was immediately hired at Kelowna General Hospital. Twenty-three years later, she serves as the MDR inventory lead technician--a position that she loves. As the lead tech, Meggan helps her fellow MDR techs perform their job efficiently using the instrument tracking system. For those who may not be familiar with MDR, Meggan offers this explanation: "We reprocess instruments for the operating room (OR) and wards in the hospital. Our decontamination area is where we receive and clean the instruments and devices. Some items are washed in a washer / disinfector, and some are hand washed. We then assemble the instrument sets according to the instructions in our instrument tracking system, sterilize them and prepare the sets for upcoming surgeries." In her free time, Meggan loves to hike. "My girl gang and I do a couple of backpacking trips each summer." Meggan also enjoys reading and paddle boarding. However, most of her time outside of work is spent working with her husband on their Glenmore farm. The farm provides 31 families with farm fresh veggies every week. "I am looking forward to continuing my work in MDR," says Meggan. "I have a few projects on the go and strive to implement lean methodologies into our work." She also looks forward to growing her family farm business. Meggan's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: “April Wood has worked for IH for a loooong time and she has a very specific position as an OR Inventory Analyst." - Meggan Gibson Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: @IHJobs  |   Instagram: @InteriorHealthBC.Careers  |   LinkedIn: @InteriorHealthAuthority