Name: Joanne Standish (she/her/hers) Job Title: Occupational health nurse and safety advisor Years of Service: 5.5 Worksite: Commerce Court / IH-wide service area Community: Penticton Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Our goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a plan. There is no other route to success" - Pablo Picasso Joanne Standish grew up in the small town of Burstall in southwestern Saskatchewan, with a “single gas plant on the prairie” as her source of livelihood in an otherwise rural farming community. After spending a year in chemical engineering Joanne realized she wanted to help others more tangibly, and shifted to a career as a registered nurse (RN). Joanne’s interest in industry continued and while working as a nurse in acute care she also began a career in occupational health and safety (OHS) in the local oil and gas industry. “I am fascinated by learning the processes of work – in any industry – and how they potentially impact the worker and their health, safety and well-being. Once that is understood, then supporting the worker and the organization so workers don’t get hurt or sick from work becomes clearer.” With her Occupational Health Nursing Certificate, during her 35-year career Joanne has enjoyed many opportunities to learn and apply OHS principles across multiple industries. “Because my family life required frequent transfers throughout Alberta, I was able to work to full scope in meatpacking, gas processing, bitumen refining (Alberta oil sands), power generation and now health care.”  In 2017, Joanne finally made her dream move to Penticton with her sons to take full advantage of the Okanagan lifestyle, while continuing her career at Interior Health as an occupational health nurse and safety advisor.

Name: Fiona Bradford (she/her/hers)  Job Title: Social work professional practice leader Years of Service: 6 Worksite: East Kootenay Regional Hospital Community: East Kootenay region – between Invermere, Kimberley, and Cranbrook Ancestral Territory: I live and work between the Ktunaxa and Secwepemc territories  Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: We generally regret the things we didn’t take a chance on in life, rather than the things we did.  As a forester turned social worker, ultra-marathoner and team leader, Fiona Bradford brings her full focus and passion into everything she does in life. For Fiona, social work was an intentional career choice. She originally completed a forestry degree and worked in the B.C. forest industry. Says Fiona, “I was a forester before GPS was invented, and I admit that my directional skills were not very good. I spent a lot of time looking at upside-down maps and wondering where my truck was parked!” After eight years in that profession, she realized that her heart was more suited to a people-focused career, and returned to university to pursue a bachelor and then master degree in social work. When she and her husband decided to raise their three kids in Invermere, Fiona started a private practice, which she ran as a sole practitioner for 10 years. She then realized she wanted to work toward systemic change within a team of social workers, which led her to Interior Health. At IH, Fiona has had several different roles: she’s worked in mental health counselling; renal social work; on the regional mental health and substance use team; and now works as a professional practice leader out of the East Kootenay Regional Hospital. 

Name: Kevin Miskosky (he/him/his) Job Title: Maintenance Worker Years of Service: 32 Worksite: Gateby Care Facility Community: Vernon Ancestral Territory: Syilx Nation Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Do it once, do it right.” - Anonymous Kevin Miskosky, maintenance worker at Interior Health, has been in B.C. health care for an impressive 32 years. Kevin started at Surrey Memorial Hospital, then moved to Vernon Jubilee Hospital in 1997, and finally to Gateby Care Facility in Vernon in 2009.  A jack-of-all-trades, when asked what keeps him motivated in his job, Kevin responds: “All my moms and dads at Gateby.” The residents are what is most important to Kevin, day in and day out.

Name: Kristin Auclair (she/her/hers) Job Title: Admitting clerk Years of Service: 10 Worksite: Penticton Regional Hospital Community: Penticton Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Life is too short” and “Everything happens for a reason” Kristin Auclair’s inspiration to work in health care came close to home. “I worked in the lab at (Penticton Regional Hospital) for nine years before making my change and working as an admitting clerk,” Kristin said. “My mom inspired me with my career in the lab because she was also in the lab for many years.” Kristin says one of her proudest moments working for Interior Health was getting a permanent full-time position in the lab after working many years as a casual. She also credits getting a job in admitting, which she had always wanted, as another one of her proudest moments.

Name: Yvette Shukin (she/her/hers) Job Title: Surgical booking clerk Years of Service: 25 Worksite: Kootenay Lake Hospital Community: Nelson Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Reset, restart, refocus as many times as you need to. Just don't quit.” - Unknown Born and raised in Nelson, Yvette Shukin began her career at Interior Health in 1997 in health information management systems as a medical transcriptionist and health information processing clerk. Three years ago, she moved to surgical services at Kootenay Lake Hospital, and celebrated 25 years with Interior Health in July 2022.

Name: Dr. Joel Stimson (he/him/his) Job Title: Full-scope rural family physician Years of Service: 6 Worksite: Elk Valley Hospital Community: Fernie Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “I may not be the best doctor, but I’m the best doctor working that shift.” This helps ease the anxiety of working in a rural community, and pushes me to work towards being the best physician I can. Born in Halifax and raised in Calgary, Dr. Joel Stimson has always known he loved all aspects of medicine, which is why he chose rural family medicine. Dr. Stimson describes himself as passionate, caring, a team player and hard working, all vital to being a full-scope rural family physician out of the Elk Valley Hospital in Fernie. “I love variety. Providing birth-to-grave care allows me to be involved with the families and people in need. Being part of patients’ highs and lows, and critical life decisions, is an honour.”

Name: Jacqueline Stewart (she/her/hers) Job Title: Nursing unit assistant Years of Service: 10 Worksite: Shuswap Lake General Hospital Community: Salmon Arm Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc Nation Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: I was born ready! Jacqueline Stewart was born in Kamloops at Royal Inland Hospital and moved to North Vancouver when she was eight. A happy-go-lucky person who is always ready for adventure, she set off for California with a girlfriend in their Volkswagen van the day after Jacqueline’s 21st birthday. They lived in beautiful Santa Barbara for three years before Jacqueline returned to North Vancouver, where she raised her two children.  Eleven years ago, Jacqueline decided to go back to school and start a new career. She chose to go into the medical field and earned her nursing unit course certificate. She’s now been working at Shuswap Lake Hospital for 10 years.

Name: Kayleigh Lowey (she/her/hers) Job Title: Nursing unit clerk Years of Service: 10 Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital Community: Kamloops Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc Advice to live by: One day at a time. Born and raised in Kamloops, Kayleigh describes herself as honest, outgoing, adventurous, loving, compassionate and loyal – traits that contribute greatly to the work she does as a nursing unit clerk at Royal Inland Hospital. Growing up with medical issues and having numerous surgeries led Kayleigh to her career in the medical field. Kayleigh was a lifeguard for some time in her twenties, which demonstrates how she’s always been drawn to helping people. “I find the medical field very interesting and to be able to learn new things every day makes me happy.”

Name: Tasha Kanigan (she/her/hers) Job Title: Regional lead for primary care Years of Service: 10 Worksite: Castlegar Health Centre Community: Castlegar Ancestral Territory: Converging territory of the Sinixt, Syilx, Ktunaxa, Secwepemc peoples in the Kootenay Boundary Advice to live by: No matter the challenges that life presents, always look for the positive learning opportunities that come about and make every day a reason to smile. When Tasha Kanigan went into nursing, she didn't imagine the “endless opportunities” that her career would bring. Nearly 11 years into her career, Tasha is now the regional lead for primary care with Interior Health (IH). “I feel so fortunate that I have been able to work with and support clients from across the lifespan, and work with many professionals and teams that are all striving to do the best that they can to provide optimal care to their clients,” she said. “I am continually inspired by the stories that I hear about the work we do.”