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 Nation Favourite 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