Name: Dr. Dwight FerrisPronouns: He/him/hisJob Title: Infectious disease physicianYears of Service: 23 yearsWorksite: Kelowna General HospitalCommunity: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx When Dr. Dwight Ferris first came to B.C. in 2001, he became the only infectious disease physician for both the Interior Health (IH) and Northern Health authorities – covering approximately two-thirds of the province’s geographical area. “One person alone cannot care for a million people,” Dwight says. “I was getting referrals from all over the province.” Dwight has been happy to witness the steady increase of infectious disease health-care providers and services offered during his tenure. “My proudest moment with IH has been seeing my teams grow,” Dwight says. “I'm really proud of the teams that I've been able to create and help thrive, and also the patients that we have helped. The greatest achievement for any physician is to see good health in their patients.”

Name: Seija Emond (she/her/hers)Job Title: Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) team leadYears of Service: 20Worksite: Kelowna MHSUCommunity: KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx Seija is a single mom who values fun and caring and learning from a place of curiosity and humility. Born in Germany and raised in 100 Mile House, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) and Enderby, Seija grew up playing music and singing with her family. They even did professional puppetry together. Her family and she still get together for jam sessions from time to time. “We are not especially good at it but those are the best times ever!” she laughs Inspired by her mom’s career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN), Seija became an LPN in 2003 and started her career at Kelowna General Hospital and Royal Inland Hospital.

Name: Manilyn Dantes (she/her/hers)Job Title: Care Aide / Health-Care AssistantYears of Service: 10Worksite: Cottonwoods Care CentreCommunity:  Okanagan/KelownaAncestral Territory: SyilxFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: Be the reason someone smiles today. Never stop learning because life never stops teaching. Manilyn Dantes is a care aide / health-care assistant born and raised in the Philippines. She’s been working and living in the Central Okanagan for more than 10 years.  Manilyn has grown her career at Cottonwoods Care Centre in Kelowna supporting residents and assisting with daily activities that encourage maximum independence. 

Name: Colette Mayne (she/her/hers)Job Title: Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) ClinicianYears of Service: 7Worksite: Kelowna Mental Health and Substance UseCommunity:  KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx NationFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Ghandi With a deep passion for community work and helping vulnerable people, Colette Mayne says witnessing her clients take steps to live healthier, more balanced lives is the most rewarding part of her role. "Kindness, empathy and compassion can go along way when we are collaborating with vulnerable people. The world needs more of this right now," says Colette. "It's important to connect with others and hold space for those that need it, as we all have things that we are dealing with under the surface. Even us health-care professionals are not immune to having tough times." The mental health and substance use (MHSU) clinician, who has been with Interior Health (IH) for seven years and in the counselling field for nearly 20, is part of an Integrated Treatment Team (ITT) in Kelowna that supports individuals with substance use disorder. “We support people at the community level or in their homes who have a moderate to severe substance use disorder and are at the highest risk of drug poisoning due to being recreational users," she says. “Most of the people we support in our program are working professionals, business owners and community members, and have families. Having access to discreet substance use supports is of the utmost importance to those we support.” Colette says she is continually learning in her role and much of that comes from her daily interactions. “I have found that my most profound and valuable learning experiences have been from the people we support,” shares Colette.  

Name: Donna Jeri-Leon (she/her/hers)Job Title: Specialist, Clinical RecruitmentYears of Service: 26Worksite: Community Health & Services Centre (Remote)Community: KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx/OkanaganFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “It is what it is, but it will become what you make of it.” – Pat Summitt Donna Jeri-Leon is a clinical recruitment specialist that works to attract top notch health-care professionals to join Interior Health (IH). Born in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Donna moved to Kelowna in 1997 and has been working at IH ever since.

Name: Nicole Taylor-Sterritt (she/her)Job Title: Lead, Indigenous EngagementYears of Service: 2Worksite: Kelowna CHSCCommunity: Syilx (Okanagan) territoryAncestral Territory: Syilx NationFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Do all things with love." Born and raised in the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh territory, what’s known as Vancouver, B.C., and now residing in the unceded Syilx territory in Kelowna, Nicole Taylor-Sterritt is of mixed heritage and a proud member of the Kispiox Band of the Gitxsan Nation. Nicole loves to be around people and is the kind of person who invites everyone over to gather at the end of the day to hang out. On two separate occasions, her cousin and an Elder told her that she is "the one who brings people together" – a title she embraces with pride; so much so, from 2016-2021 she worked as an event planner. In 2018, Nicole and her mom co-founded the Indigenous Women's Leadership Summit, which opened her up to a world where she could work to better the lives of her Indigenous community, and in a roundabout way led her to her job now at Interior Health (IH)!

Name: Kelsey Arnouse, Registered Social Worker (RSW) (she/her/hers)Job Title: Indigenous Cultural Safety EducatorYears of Service: 8Worksite: Sahali Mall, KamloopsCommunity:  Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc NationFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “It’s education (that) got us into this mess, and education (is what) will get us out of it.” - Justice Murray Sinclair Born in the traditional, unceded Stó꞉lō Nation territory and raised on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of her Secwépemc Nation, Kelsey Arnouse is a proud community member of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. Kelsey's maternal family is from Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and her paternal family is from Sexqeltqin; both communities are within the Secwépemc Nation. She also acknowledges her roots as a third-generation Irish settler. 

Name: Isla Coombs (she/her/hers)Job Title: Business Partner, Employee ExperienceYears of Service: 2.5Worksite: Community Health & Services CentreCommunity:  KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx/ Okanagan NationFavourite 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 ConsultantYears of Service: 10Worksite: Penticton Health CentreCommunity: South OkanaganAncestral Territory: Syilx/OkanaganFavourite 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.