Name: Jenelle Butchart (she/her/hers)Job Title: Recreation TherapistYears of Service: 11Worksite: Cottonwoods Care CentreCommunity: Short Stay Unit Ancestral Territory: Syilx/OkanaganFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Don't let yesterday take up too much of today." – Will Rogers Born in St. Albert, AB., and later moving to Coquitlam, Jenelle has embarked on an 11-year journey in health care as a recreation therapist. Therapeutic recreation is a person-centered health-care profession that uses evidence-informed leisure and recreation activities to improve and maximize a client's overall quality of life. In her role, Jenelle aims to see the able, not the label, and says that seeing her patients reach their goals and increase their independence are the most inspiring things about her role.

Name: Kim Young (she/her/hers)Job Title: Licenced Practical Nurse Years of Service: 16.5Worksite: Cottonwoods Care Centre and Brookhaven Care CentreCommunity: West KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx NationFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Live, laugh, love” and “Be the person people will remember and appreciate” Meet Kim Young, a compassionate licensed practical nurse (LPN) with an impressive 16.5 years of service at Interior Health (IH). Born and raised in Kelowna, which is situated on the ancestral territory of the Syilx Nation, Kim wholeheartedly serves her hometown community through her dedication working with tracheostomy and ventilator-dependent patients at Cottonwoods Care Centre, while also working in dementia care at Brookhaven Care Centre.

Name: Julie Bodden (she/her/hers)Job Title: Community Integration Care CoordinatorYears of Service: 8Worksite: Vernon Urgent & Primary Care CentreCommunity:  VernonAncestral Territory: SyilxFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “When you make an observation, you have an obligation.” - M. K. Asante Meet Julie Bodden, community integration care coordinator at Vernon Urgent & Primary Care Centre! This adventure-seeking world traveller has visited all seven continents, experienced penguin watching in Antarctica, climbed Kilimanjaro, and has even dove with whale sharks and giant hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos!

Name: Yvea Zaels (she/her/hers)Job Title: Project Manager, Hospital at Home Program, Kelowna General Hospital (KGH)Years of Service:  3.5 yearsWorksite:  KGH (and home office)Community:  KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx First Nations Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Conquer yourself."   Yvea Zaels is a multi-disciplined project manager who is passionate about helping others and creating an equitable workplace.  When we say multi-disciplined, we mean it! Yvea has a background in project management, electrical engineering, astronomy, marketing, international business, business analysis, adult learning, public speaking and professional editing. She also has extensive experience with connecting people from multiple cultures and is fluent in four languages. In fact, Yvea sponsored the first Russian speaking club in the world and developed a curriculum in collaboration with an experienced accent reduction specialist (speech language pathologist). Yvea’s dedication to creating an equitable workplace ultimately led her to join Interior Health’s Employee Voices, an internal employee advisory group that aims to advise, guide and make recommendations that support Interior Health. Committee members contribute diverse viewpoints in support of creating a respectful, welcoming, culturally safe and inclusive workplace for everyone. Yvea Zaels 

Name: Jenna Hunter (she/her/hers)Job Title: Interim Regional Knowledge Coordinator/Internationally Educated Nurses – Clinical EducationYears of Service: 18Worksite: Vernon Jubilee HospitalCommunity: Vernon Ancestral Territory: Syilx NationFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver Born in the Vernon Jubilee Hospital (VJH), Jenna Hunter’s career and life have come full circle. After becoming a registered nurse (RN), Jenna would spend her time caring for patients in the same hospital that she was born, before becoming a clinical educator. Jenna is grateful to all the people along the way who believed in her and took the time to encourage her. When she’s not at work, you can find her spending time with her family, travelling and enjoying the fresh air with a book in hand. She also adds that she’s always up for anything as long as it’s an adventure.

Name: Marie Vajda (she/her/hers)Job Title: Administrative Services ManagerYears of Service: 6Worksite: Penticton Health Centre  Community: South Okanagan Ancestral Territory: SyilxFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Don't stress. Take it one email, one request and one day at a time.” And “sorry—my crystal ball is broken!” After working in retail supervision and management for 10 years, Marie found herself at a junction when the company she was working for closed.  After going back to school, she found a job as a medical office assistant in a busy North Vancouver office. When her husband’s work took them to Prince George, she found a job as a medical software tester and trainer. Six years later, in 2017, the Vadja family moved to Penticton, where Marie found a position in administration at the Penticton Health Centre. What started out as a casual role became a permanent position. She was promoted to supervisor, then manager, administrative services.

Name: Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali (she/her/hers)Job Title: Clinical Practice EducatorYears of Service:  12Worksite:  South Hills Tertiary Psychiatric Rehabilitation CentreCommunity:  KamloopsAncestral Territory: Secwépemc Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali is a clinical practice educator working out of South Hills Tertiary Psychiatric Rehabilitation Centre in Kamloops. Born to her mother Mary Ede Achoba (née Ukwenya) and her father Isaac Isa Achoba in Kaduna state in Nigeria, her origin is of Kogi state and she hails from the Ibaji kingdom. As a lover of travel, Adigo has lived in many countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, England and Bangladesh. She is a life-long advocate who is passionate about the work she does to ensure silent voices are heard through education. “Knowledge is power!” says Adigo. Leading with a positive mindset, she aspires to provide respectful, integral and inclusive care to every single person who needs it. 

Name: Dwayne Schroeder (he/his/him)Job title: Health care assistantYears of service: 11Worksite: Three Links ManorCommunity: KelownaAncestral territory: Syilx OkanaganAdvice to live by: Live and let live Dwayne Schroeder has spent over 11 years with Interior Health as a health care assistant (HCA), but if he had his way that number would be a lot higher. “I wish I would have started earlier,” he said. After Dwayne’s previous career in the food industry ended, he was on the hunt for a new opportunity. His wife suggested he enroll in the Health Career Access Program because he is great with people. It’s clear that Dwayne was wise to follow his wife’s advice. “I did very well in the course and after graduation I was able to gain employment with Interior Health,” Dwayne said. “I have loved it ever since.”

Name: Marilyn Winters (she/her/hers)Job title: Registered NurseYears of service: 32 yearsWorksite: Kamloops Home and Community Health—North Shore Community: KamloopsAncestral territory: Whispering Pines/Clinton, T’kemlups, Simpcw, Secwepemc, Neskonolith, Adams lake, and Little Shuswap nations. Advice to live by: Let's not dwell on the problem, let's figure out a solution. Marilyn Winters has dedicated 32 years of her life as a health-care professional to the service of others and her community. After completing her degree from Thompson Rivers University, and becoming a registered nurse in 2012, Marilyn devoted her time, and passion, to helping and caring for her patients across the Interior Health region.