Name: Ryan Benson (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Improvement Consultant
Years of Service: 14
Worksite: Community Health & Services Centre
Community: Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Syilx
Advice to live by: “Life is short – use the good china.” - Unknown
As an Improvement Consultant with Interior Health, Ryan Benson likes to bring positivity and a sense of a can-do attitude to everything she encounters in her day.
Ryan feels lucky her role allows her to work with every discipline in Interior Health, and be able to affect change and see the results in real time.
“It is really rewarding and fulfilling to know that I am making a difference.”
Receiving her certification as Lean Implementation Specialist is one of the highlights of Ryan’s career so far at IH. Lean is a mindset of continuous improvement. It’s a systemic approach to identifying and eliminating waste or non-value-added activities to provide the best possible services for people and their families.
Ryan after earning her certification as Lean Implementation Specialist
One of Ryan’s coworkers said it best:
"I call [Ryan] a magician because she truly has every trick up her sleeve to get a job done. If she doesn't know something, you can bet she knows who does. She has an infectious sense of humour and when you're in her presence, you can guarantee you'll have a great laugh and still get your work done. I've watched her grow over the years and there is no limit to what she can do."
Ryan recently expanded her hobbies by taking up guitar lessons. In her free time, she also enjoys camping with her family, cooking and travelling to new locations. In fact, once pandemic restrictions ease further, Ryan is hoping to travel to Barkerville during the summer to learn more about B.C.’s diverse history.
Ryan visiting the Icefields Parkway in Alberta with her son, Zac
Ryan nominates Kelly Catherwood, Improvement Consultant to keep We Are IH going:
“Kelly goes above and beyond on a daily basis. She was key in implementing drinkingwaterforeveryone.ca, where people can go and look up any water advisories for the Interior Health region. She also coordinated mobile vaccination clinics in the South Okanagan region.” – Ryan Benson
After 16 years in the UK, nurse Chinenye “Phina” Uwakwe chose Interior Health and Vernon, B.C., for a new chapter in her nursing career.
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For more than 21 years Tracy Mooney has contributed heart, expertise and unwavering commitment to Interior Health.
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Encampments can offer unhoused people a sense of community and security. But they can also be a source of concern. Here's how we help people living outdoors.
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Access Central has been supporting adults aged 19 and over in IH to access withdrawal management services since its public launch in December 2025.
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As people age and their health changes, staying at home safely can become more challenging. But that doesn't mean immediately moving into long-term care.
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Working with volunteers in a non-profit setting, Ken Zarr understands how essential it is to have compassion and the willingness to collaborate.
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