Thea originally began her career with Interior Health six years ago as a Clerk/Receptionist in Williams Lake at Deni House, long-term care. Looking for a change in pace, she worked casual in Home and Public Health before becoming a Prevention Services Assistant in Public Health.   Thea, Her husband, and their four beautiful kids  One of Thea’s proudest career moments has been her time assisting the Williams Lake Thompson Rivers University COVID-19 Mass Vaccine Clinics. She collaborated with nurses, admin, security teams and Red Cross volunteers to keep the clinics running smoothly. Her co-workers inspire her daily through their positivity and willingness to help.   “Becoming the keeper of the vaccine has been a challenging role in the ever-changing pandemic, but I enjoy the behind-the-scenes work that keeps me on my toes.” Being born in B.C. and growing up in the West Chilcotin has allowed Thea to enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle year-round. When she’s not working, Thea loves kayaking on the lakes, hiking in the mountains, kickboxing and doing mud runs.    Thea enjoying one of her favourite activities, kayakingAbove all, getting to spend time with her family and friends is what she enjoys the most. Recently there has been an exciting addition to Thea’s family as she has welcomed the arrival of her first grandchild!       We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories.     Name: Thea Telford (She/Her)   Job Title: Prevention Services Assistant (Vaccine Clerk) Years of Service: 6 Worksite: Public Health      Community: Williams Lake  Ancestral Territory: Secwepemc Advice to live by: Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.     To keep the We Are IH loop going, Thea nominates Erin Domenko:     “Erin Domenko always goes above and beyond in everything that she does. She is always willing to help, no matter what needs to be done and her dedication is second to none.” –Thea Telford   Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook  |   Instagram  |   LinkedIn    

Dr. Amanda Wilmer is no stranger to the B.C. Interior. While she was born in Vancouver, Amanda grew up living in Squamish, Williams Lake, Kamloops and Grand Forks, all before the age of 18. Amanda moved back to Vancouver to complete her formal education at UBC, but was delighted to have the opportunity to return to the Interior after finishing her training – having family in the area makes it feel like home. Amanda is always willing to do whatever it takes to ensure high-quality care is provided to patients. For her, it’s been meaningful to come back to the Interior as a Medical Microbiologist at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH).  “It’s a pleasure to work with the rest of the laboratory team, who are similarly quality and patient care-oriented, to improve access to testing for all patients across IH.” When Amanda first came to IH, no molecular testing was available for diagnosis of viral infections, such as influenza, and patients were waiting up to five days for results. Through collaboration with the KGH and Colin and Lois Pritchard Foundations, the KGH lab obtained the needed testing equipment.  “Through KGH Facility Engagement funding, my team was able to validate the equipment and our proposal was approved for trial funding of respiratory virus testing at KGH lab in winter 2017. The trial was successful, and testing was subsequently expanded to all microbiology labs region-wide. This infrastructure was key to the ability of labs to quickly adopt testing for COVID-19.” Amanda describes herself as ‘energetic,’ and seeing her love for water activities drives that home.  “I love spending time on the water. Whether it be paddle boarding, kayaking, wake surfing, scuba diving or just floating – the water is my happy place.”  Amanda also enjoys hiking and snowboarding. She and her husband, James, spent as much time as possible leaving the city when living in Vancouver, so coming back to the outdoor playground of the Interior has been amazing. Despite loving where she lives, Amanda is also looking forward to travelling again.  “I love visiting new places, experiencing new cultures, trying new foods and enjoying beautiful scenery. Before COVID-19, I travelled a lot, and am hoping to continue these adventures once things settle down!”                   To keep the We Are IH loop going, Amanda nominates Hope Byrne “Hope Byrne is an amazing person, but also an outstanding leader who has been so instrumental in improving patient care by ensuring the best laboratory services are being provided in IH. She has worked tirelessly (often days, nights and weekends) during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the lab is able to provide timely and high-quality results. She also serves as a mentor and inspiration to many others in the laboratory, and somehow finds time to also do her MBA!” – Dr. Amanda Wilmer   We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories.   Name: Dr. Amanda Wilmer (she/her) Job Title: Medical Microbiologist Years of Service: 7 Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Favourite Quote: I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.   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: Michaela Ashbee (she/her) Job Title: Privacy Advisor Years of Service: 7 Worksite: Community Health Services Centre Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Favourite Quotes: “Everything happens for a reason.” - Anonymous “Live life to the fullest!” - Anonymous Michaela Ashbee has come a long way – literally – to her current role as a Privacy Advisor with Interior Health. Born in a small town in (what was previously) East Germany, her family emigrated to Kelowna after her parents spent three amazing weeks in Canada to attend a family wedding and travel throughout B.C. Since 1993, Michaela has lived in Kelowna, not only attending school and university here, but also creating her own life and family. “It was a big step for our family, but we’ve never looked back. We love not only living in this beautiful country, but also becoming Canadians!” It wasn’t a straight path to her current role: Michaela spent seven years in the car industry in administration and accounting, then the beverage industry for eight years as administrator for the B.C. Interior. In 2015, she joined Interior Health as an Information Privacy Assistant, then moved to Information Privacy Analyst later that year. After going back to university and achieving her certification with the Canadian Institute of Access and Privacy Professionals (CIAPP), Michaela moved in to her current role.   Michaela enjoys helping people, seeing them succeed and achieving their goals. Those who work with her would not be surprised to hear Michaela describe herself as a passionate, dedicated go-getter who strives to exceed her goals. However, she also wears her heart on her sleeve and is a team player who loves to help others.  “I love being challenged and continuously learning new things. I don't do 'boring' well, which is the reason I like how fast-paced my current role is. Not only do I get to do what I love every day, but I work with such a diverse group of people and departments that keep sharing their knowledge and expertise with me and make every day an adventure!” Michaela cannot pinpoint just one memorable aspect of her job. She’s had the opportunity to lead incident investigations for IH, as well as assist leaders with revamping processes and educating teams to help make IH a better, safer place. The most recent big change for Michaela was leaving the Okanagan and relocating to the beautiful Kootenays, the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa Nation. Her family loves the outdoors so much that they’ve made the move from city life to country life. If she’s not playing outdoors with her four big pups, enjoying horses, camping at a friend’s ranch, taking pictures or playing in the dirt while gardening, you can find Michaela at a hockey rink with her husband of 13 years, Brett, cheering on their 12-year-old son, Dominic, or local hockey teams. She also volunteers as a team manager and Grand Forks Minor Hockey Association Board Member. A little-known fact is that in 2010, Michaela had the privilege of being an Olympic Torchbearer, running with the Olympic Torch in Kelowna.  Michaela was in a car accident in 2016, which resulted in a long term hip injury that’s limited the activities she’s able to do. But she’s pushed to find a new normal and always tries to live life to the fullest! Michaela is looking forward to: “Enjoying every day, new adventures, new opportunities and getting to know my new community, and being a part of it to help it grow and thrive.” Michaela's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: “Paula Cyra is an amazing nurse, educator, mom, hockey billet mom and volunteer – and just has so much passion for helping others! Even her latest selfless venture of donating a kidney to a complete stranger is nothing short of amazing!" – Michaela Ashbee       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: Carol Kay (she/her/hers)     Job Title: Document Analyst Clerk Years of Service: 17     Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital Community: Kamloops     Current Territory: Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc Ancestral Territory: Moffat Scotland & Tipperary Ireland Favourite Quote: Where there's is a will, there's a way. The ability to have a diverse and rewarding career over 17 years at Interior Health is a source of pride for Carol Kay.  She started her journey as a Licensed Practical Nurse, working for seven years at Royal Inland Hospital and three years at Ponderosa Lodge in Kamloops, while balancing life with two crazy and fun-loving daughters.  She then shifted to a role in administration for the Parkview Child & Adolescent Mental Health Program, where she worked for five years. In 2018, she accepted her current position – Document Analyst Clerk with IH’s Document Services department.  “One of my proudest moments at Interior Health was being a part of the growth of the Parkview Child & Adolescent Mental Health Program, working with the psychiatrists and staff. This had a significant impact for the betterment of children and youth in our community.  “Also, being acknowledged for my services and commitment to working with a great organization and staff, while receiving my long-term service 15 year pin.” Today, Carol enjoys assisting IH staff with Document Services-managed forms and updating the Forms Repository and Forms Library, which uses her penchant for organizational skills and fine data entry. What you might not know about Carol’s history is that, in her younger years, she was a cadet in the #102 Navy League of Canada Prince Robert Cadet Corps Kamloops, and then #137 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp Kamloops as a teenager. This is where Carol learned her strong leadership skills, participated in countless citizenship activities, and developed a love for the Canadian Armed Forces. This led her to find her passion developing our future leaders of Canada in the Canadian Armed Forces, as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) in Cadet Instructor Cadre (CIC) Program in the towns of Golden and Cranbrook, B.C. Carol Kay, when she first joined Navy League Cadets (left), and in her Canadian Armed Forces uniform. Carol is currently an active member of Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans, Unit #290 North Kamloops (ANAVETS), generating camaraderie amongst fellow veterans and members by displaying her spirit of patriotism for Canada. Carol has also shared her time with the Royal Canadian Legion for the past 20 years, where she continues to bring her positive leadership and passion. Today, you can find her being a Veteran's Advocate and preserving Canadian Military history and traditions for her country. Carol is always ready to serve when called upon, even for the smallest undertaking.  When not at work, Carol shows her pride in her Celtic heritage as she continues to grow with the Kamloops Pipe Band Society as a side drummer. Carol also enjoys a healthy active lifestyle with swimming and has a passion for gardening.  Carol’s Pipe Band played for Royal Inland Hospital staff in appreciation of health-care workers during the pandemic.  To keep We Are IH going, Carol nominates Kailey Auger, Program and Systems Analyst with IMIT.   “Kailey has the wonderful ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment. Kailey continues to bring her exemplary standards of teamwork, while developing new staff to reach their full potential by working together respectfully and growing as a team. Kailey has an unforgettable laugh and passion for her colleagues. Like many in our organization, Kailey gained a deeper understanding of her current position by her learned experiences during her career at IH. Kailey is a valuable asset as a colleague and mentor. She is always striving to have a better understanding of her career and a respectful relationship with others.”     Stay updated with careers at Interior Health Facebook: Interior Health  |   Instagram: interiorhealthbc |   LinkedIn: Interior Health Authority  

Mary Larsen enjoys decorating her workplace, David Lloyd Jones care home, for the holidays. We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories. Name: Mary Larsen (she/her) Job Title: Recreation Assistant Years of Service: 4.5 Worksite: David Lloyd Jones care home Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Favourite Quote: “Treat everyone as if it is the last time you will see them.” -Anonymous When it comes to the holidays, Mary Larsen is the quintessential “Santa’s elf.” A recreation assistant at the David Lloyd Jones care home, seeing the residents and creating programming for them brings Mary joy every day. “Seeing the residents engage in an activity and say that it was a good time is so wonderful. Knowing that I get to come to work and give people moments of joy is why I do what I do!” Mary dressed up for the holidays. While Mary has many proud moments as a staff member at Interior Health, one of her favourites is working with new students training to be therapist assistants. She appreciates being able to show the students the importance of recreation in a long-term care setting and how much of an impact it has on the people in IH’s care.  While rewarding, Mary’s job can also be mentally and emotionally hard at times. Many assume she’s an “extrovert” because of her job, but Mary craves being alone or just with her close family. She also finds herself in nature to recharge.  “When I have time to go for a hike or sit by a lake and let nature take care of me, I feel better. I love hiking with my dog. Being with her and exploring parts of the Okanagan is so much fun!” Mary loves exploring the Okanagan with her dog, Rose. Born and raised in B.C., Mary moved from New Westminster to the Kootenays, and then settled in the Okanagan more than 20 years ago. She enjoys cross-country skiing with her husband, Erik, daughter, Rory, and dog, Rose.  “We bought skis for the family and I cannot wait to get out to the trails and be in nature!” Mary is looking forward to when families are once again able to join in the recreation programs at David Lloyd Jones. A little-known fact is that, when she signed up for the Therapist Assistant program with Okanagan College, Mary had no idea she’d end up with her dream career in long-term care.  “I never in a million years thought that I would end up in health care! I had no idea of the opportunities that lie within Interior Health. Now I could not imagine doing anything else with my life!” Mary’s nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: “Riley Wilkinson is an amazing advocate for her patients. She is kind and generous, and absolutely dedicated to giving her patients the best care.” – Mary Larsen     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: Candace Baptiste Job Title: Nursing Assistant Years of Service: 12 years Worksite: Sunnybank Centre Community: Oliver Ancestral Territory: Syilx Advice to live by: Everyone should treat people the way they would like to be treated. For Candace Baptiste, working as a nursing assistant at Sunnybank Centre in Oliver is a labour of love. She began working in long-term care 12 years ago because of her grandparents – she grew up close to them and wished she could provide more help as they aged.  “I still til this day treat the people I care for as grandmas and grandpas,” she says.   Candace supporting Orange Shirt Day. As a Syilx woman from the Osoyoos Indian Band, Candace was raised to respect her elders. She is proud of her heritage and takes pride in her work, too.  “Everyone should treat people the way they would like to be treated,” she says. “I also believe in working as a team and helping everyone on the floor.”  Candace would like to see more recognition of Indigenous culture within Interior Health. Through her chosen career, she has been able to care for members of her community and serve as a liaison for the Osoyoos Indian Band.  “I believe in empowering individuals who may not have a voice of their own.”  In her free time, Candace loves to cook and spend time with her family. The family favourite is Indian tacos. Candace makes them with a big batch of ground moose or deer meat and bannock prepared the way her grandma taught her.  “It’s pretty close to hers, but not exactly the same yet,” she says. “I have been making it for at least 20 years now and I hope I can get it like my grandma's one day.”  Candace’s nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going: Candace nominated her colleagues from Sunnybank – Kelsey Medria and Amy McPherson to highlight in a future We Are IH. 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: Tracey Thoss  Job Title: Administrative Services  Years of Service: 3 Years Worksite: Kamloops Mental Health and Substance Use Community: Kamloops Ancestral Territory: Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (TteS) territory Favourite Quote: "In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”- Unknown The last three years working in mental health and substance use has been very rewarding for Tracey. She has found a great deal of fulfilment through helping people and has a strong belief that one small kind gesture can make a large difference in someone's life. Tracey is overwhelmed by the dedication of her co-workers throughout the pandemic and it has reinforced how proud she is to work with this team! “I receive tremendous job satisfaction when I see a client that has struggled in the past transition from crisis to living a purposeful, happy, and fulfilled life because of the support we have provided them.”  Tracey visiting her home country of South Africa. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, her family soon moved across the ocean to Canada. Growing up in beautiful British Columbia, Tracey continues to call Kamloops home. She loves the outdoors and enjoys the unmatched scenery, plentiful lakes, and the abundance of hiking and biking trails. In the summer, you can find her paddle boarding with her husband or skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. Tracey and her husband travelling. She loves to express her creativity through mixed media paintings and collecting antique tin toys. We are so lucky to have Tracey’s loving, friendly and quirky personality as part of our team. Thank you for all that you do! 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: 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