Name: Isla Coombs (she/her/hers) Job Title: Business Partner, Employee Experience Years of Service: 2.5 Worksite: Community Health & Services Centre Community:  Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx/ Okanagan Nation Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: Treat others how they would like to be treated. Whether you catch her representing Interior Health (IH) at the Kelowna Pride Festival, riding the slopes at Big White, or zooming down mountain bike trails, Isla Coombs is an energetic member of her community, and a force to be reckoned with. Through her work on the Employee Experience team at IH, Isla is passionate about creating an inclusive, welcoming environment where staff feel culturally, psychologically, and spiritually safe.

Name: Jayme Gerk (she/her/hers) Job Title: Improvement Consultant Years of Service: 10 Worksite: Penticton Health Centre Community: South Okanagan Ancestral Territory: Syilx/Okanagan Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “There are three ways to ultimate success. The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” — Fred Rogers Improvement consultant Jayme Gerk describes herself as passionate and authentic, and occasionally just a little bit cheesy. She was born in Vancouver and moved to Penticton when she was two years old. She lived in Kelowna for eight years before moving back home to Penticton.

Name: Joel Koette (he/him/his) Job Title: Emergency department registered nurse (RN) Years of Service: 5 Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind.” – Brad Meltzer Born and raised in Prince George, Joel has always been high energy, active and confident. With his bubbly, effervescent personality, he loves making people laugh and smile. “I try to stay positive, be grateful and have fun at work,” he says. When in early 2018 he started to feel extremely fatigued, he put it down to having taken on too much. “I was working full time as a licensed practical nurse, and going to school full time as a mature student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at UBCO,” he recalls. “My doctor at the time ran some bloodwork and called me that evening to come into his office. “The next day he told me I had cancer.”

Name: Glenn Charbonneau Job Title: Physiotherapist Years of Service: 2 Worksite: Various Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx Nation Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Curious that we spend more time congratulating people who have succeeded than encouraging people who have not.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson Glenn Charbonneau has always had a passion for human movement, but it wasn’t until a chance encounter with a local practitioner in Kelowna a decade ago that Glenn felt compelled to get into physiotherapy.  He pursued his Bachelor of Human Kinetics at UBC Okanagan before earning a Master of Physical Therapy.  Joining Interior Health (IH) in 2022 after stints in the Lower Mainland and Calgary, Glenn has embraced the opportunity to contribute his expertise within the Primary Care Network, where he assists patients with complex medical needs as part of a collaborative team.

Name: Tammy Molina (she/her/hers) Job Title: Regional Practice Leader, Clinical Ethics Years of Service: 13 Worksite: Kelowna Community Health & Services Centre Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Okanagan-Syilx Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “It's hard to choose one, but I think what often stirs up my heart and mind most frequently is ‘be the change you want to see.’” In her position with Interior Health (IH) as regional practice leader, clinical ethics, Tammy Molina collaborates with employees and medical staff (physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, etc.) as they navigate what she calls “crunchy” situations that would benefit from an ethical decision-making process. “It’s so important for us to be able to intentionally examine our responsibilities, priorities, choices and impacts, and not only understand but also explain why we have made the decision we did,” Tammy says. “I enjoy being invited to walk through difficult scenarios with teams to pull back the layers and look at what values and priorities are in conflict and provide space to acknowledge the discomfort or uncertainty.”

Name: Tiova de Kok (she/her/hers) Job Title: Regional, Project Lead, Perinatal Substance Use Years of Service: 21 Worksite: Regional role, based out of 100 Mile District General Hospital Community: 100 Mile House Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Always be a little kinder than necessary.” - J.M. Barie Tiova de Kok – wife, mother, grandmother, nurse and lifelong learner – knew from when she was a small child that nursing was a life goal. She’s had the privilege of serving since 2003 and feels blessed to be surrounded by passionate, dedicated colleagues who support and bring ideas to life.  Born in Dinsmore, Saskatchewan, and raised in both Saskatoon and Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tiova believes that you can find art and creativity in everything you put your hands to.

Name: Edward Schaffer (he/him/his) Job Title: Physician Years of Service: 7 Worksite: Invermere & District Hospital and East Kootenay Regional Hospital Community: Invermere/Cranbrook Ancestral Territory: Born in the Treaty 7 Territory in Alberta; currently working in the Akisqnuk (part of the Ktunaxa First Nation) and Secwépemc Growing up in a small town of 1,500 in southern Alberta, Edward knew early on he wanted to work in rural medicine. Inspired by a view of the Rocky Mountains from his childhood home, he dreamt of one day settling in a place surrounded by mountains, lakes, and wilderness. Fast forward several years, and Edward has realized both his professional and geographical ambitions. He’s now based in Invermere and works as a physician with Added Competence in Emergency Medicine (CCFP-EM) and head of the emergency department at Invermere District Hospital. He’s also a locum emergency department (ED) physician at East Kootenay Regional Hospital, supporting the facility as needed.

Name: Coreen Duncan (she/her/hers) Job Title: Patient Ambassador Years of Service: 34 Worksite: Columbia House Community:  Invermere Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa and Secwépemc Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: It is important to be kind. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Coreen spent her high school years gaining experience volunteering at care homes and Meals on Wheels. Her volunteer experience and working as a housekeeper led her to Invermere with her current role as a patient ambassador in long-term care (LTC) at Columbia House.  “I remember thinking that I loved being with the elderly residents and clients. I felt that I could help make their days brighter. Thirty-four years later I still feel the same!”

Name: Michelle Holm Job Title: Medical Laboratory Technologist Years of Service: 14 Worksite: Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Community:  Trail Ancestral Territory: Syilx and Ktunaxa Favourite Quote: Be the change you wish to see in the world. — Gandhi Michelle Holm is a medical laboratory technologist based at the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) in Trail, B.C. While she’s lived most of her life in Trail, she spent some years of her childhood growing up in Kamloops. Michelle is passionate about team-building, quality improvement, education and knowledge sharing.