We are IH: Ashley Latimer

November 4, 2021

We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories.

Name: Ashley Latimer (she/her/hers)

Job Title: Medical Radiation Technologist

Years of Service: 11

Worksite: Cariboo Memorial Hospital

Community: Williams Lake

Ancestral Territory: Secwepemc (She-whep-m)/Shuswap Interior Salish

Favourite Quote: "Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. This is why we are here." - _{Jon J Muth}

Growing up in Ontario, Ashley Latimer was always interested in anatomy and biomechanics. Her dad encouraged her to pursue a career in health care and after earning a Human Kinetics degree in Ottawa, Ashley decided that medical imaging would be a good fit for her interests and education.

"I was living and training in Southern Ontario and there were no real options for a full time position straight out of school," Ashley explains. She moved to Williams Lake to begin her career at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. "I took a chance and 11 years later it seems to have worked out."

Ashley is inspired by the people she works with and the patients they care for.

"For all the difficult situations we encounter on the job there is so much effort and care put into easing these situations," she says. "It's uplifting to see."

The dedication of her co-workers throughout the pandemic makes her proud to be a health-care worker.

In her free time, Ashley enjoys a number of sports and outdoor activities. At the moment her favourite hobby is golf, but she used to compete in roller-derby under the stage name Kelly Ka-POW-ski.

Ashley enjoys hiking around Whistler (Black Tusk in Garibaldi or Joffrey Lakes if you can catch it on a non-busy day).

"I'd highly recommend camping at Cariboo Lake, hiking Farwell Canyon or anywhere in Wells Gray Provincial Park," she says.

Post-pandemic, Ashley looks forward to traveling again.

Ashley's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going:

“Medical Laboratory Technologist Anna Heppner works hard with a smile on her face everyday and does volunteer work with the community as well."
_{- Ashley Latimer}