Name: Edward Schaffer (he/him/his)Job Title: PhysicianYears of Service: 7Worksite: Invermere & District Hospital and East Kootenay Regional HospitalCommunity: Invermere/CranbrookAncestral 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 AmbassadorYears of Service: 34Worksite: Columbia HouseCommunity:  InvermereAncestral Territory: Ktunaxa and SecwépemcFavourite 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 HolmJob Title: Medical Laboratory TechnologistYears of Service: 14Worksite: Kootenay Boundary Regional HospitalCommunity:  TrailAncestral Territory: Syilx and KtunaxaFavourite 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.

Name: Gheboa Zeleniski (she/her/hers)Job Title: Support ServicesYears of Service:  5 yearsWorksite:  Cariboo Memorial HospitalCommunity:  Williams LakeAncestral Territory: Secwépemc First NationsFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Everything happens for a reason." Born in Squamish, Gheboa (pronounced “Ja-bo-a”) Zeleniski comes from a large family of five brothers and two step-siblings. Her parents named her after an actress but changed the pronunciation slightly so her name sounded more French. Gheboa’s Indigenous ancestors are from Saskatchewan, and include her great-grandmother, Dorothy Macquabeak Francis. Dorothy founded the first Indigenous friendship centre in Regina and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1978. When she was a young girl, Gheboa and her parents travelled to a powwow in Broadview, Saskatchewan where her great-grandmother spent her early life. There, she was given the name “Peppermint Woman” by a North Dakota Medicine Man named Clifford Young Bear, a name that signifies strength and healing.

Name: Christopher Russell (he/him/his)Job Title: Leadership & Organization Development ConsultantYears of Service: 2.5Worksite: Community Health & Services CentreCommunity: KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx/OkanaganFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Growth and comfort do not coexist.” – Ginni Rometty, “All things are difficult before they are easy.” – Thomas Fuller A calm, empathetic and imaginative change management professional, Chris Russell is passionate about working in public service, and supporting the growth and development of others. From inspiring folks to see new career possibilities through facilitating workshops and development sessions, to being involved in the launch of the Change Leadership and Change Management programs and Interior Health (IH) Change Framework, Chris is a valuable resource as IH navigates change, big and small.

Name: Kris Scott (he/him/his)Job Title: Formulary coordinator, pharmacy servicesYears of Service: 7Worksite: Kelowna CHSC (and home office)Community: West KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx/OkanaganFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” -Mark Twain From the time your health-care provider writes you a prescription in hospital to the time your nurse provides it to you, there’s an intricate process that takes place, one which is always evolving. One of the people helping guide this process is Kris Scott, formulary coordinator for Interior Health pharmacy services. “I'm passionate about quality improvement,” says Kris, who was born and raised in Prince Rupert, B.C. “Having the opportunity to work as a pharmacist in a unique regional role provides me with almost daily opportunities to contribute to system changes that can improve efficiencies for our IH pharmacy teams in supporting patient care. "At the end of the day, it's really being able to have a positive impact on patient care that inspires me and the work I do.”

Name: Leanne Brace (she/her/hers)Job Title: Social WorkerYears of Service: 8Worksite: Primary Care Network (Fruitvale and Rossland)Community:  Kootenay BoundaryAncestral Territory: Syilx and KtunaxaFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: "After all, tomorrow is another day." - Scarlett O'Hara Born at the Trail Regional Hospital (now Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH)), Leanne was raised in Fruitvale. Her patience and passion for helping others brought her to choosing a career in social work.  During her studies in the Bachelor of Social Work Program, Leanne took an adventurous step to enter in an exchange program. Travelling all the way to Knoxville, Tennessee to continue her academic journey, she learned another important lesson – she loves the South! Her Tennessee interests ranges from football to sweet tea and everything in between.  Once Leanne returned to Canada from her exchange program, she graduated from the University of Calgary, Lethbridge campus with a Bachelor of Social Work in 2009. 

Name: Barb Burke (she/her/hers)Job Title: Team Lead, Home Support Transformation ProjectYears of Service: 41Worksite: Kamloops Public Health        Community: Hybrid – Home and Penticton Regional HospitalAncestral Territory: Sylix NationFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Family is everything” During her 41 years working at Interior Health (IH), Barb Burke, team lead, Home Support Transformation Project, has worked in almost every department in the hospital. She says she loves the challenge of work, but most importantly she loves helping people. “I started in the laundry at Penticton Regional Hospital on Feb. 14, 1983. I’ve worked in almost every department that you can think of," she says. "My favourite was probably the operating room. I love the challenge of work, but I love helping people. No matter what I was doing, whether it was working in admitting, switchboard, or housekeeping, you’re always helping someone.”

Name: Joanne Juras (she/her/hers)Job Title: Public Health NurseYears of Service: 25Worksite: Kamloops Public Health        Community: KamloopsAncestral Territory: Tk’emlups te SecwepemcFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” ― James Thurber, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Joanne Juras grew up as far away from the B.C. Interior as one can imagine. Born and raised in Sierra Leone until she was about six years old, Joanne lived in a town without running water. Her mom, an American, was a midwife who delivered babies, while her British father was a school teacher who made life interesting for the family at home. “My dad, as a science teacher, collected a lot of animals. We had a pet monkey and all sorts of pets―armadillos, he brought in snakes. I remember all that stuff,” she says. The family moved to Winnipeg when she was six and Joanne later moved to B.C. on her own.