We are IH: Indigenous lead values balance, wellness & family time

For Tracy, reconciliation is active, ongoing work. She believes it begins with truth telling, learning, and unlearning — even when it’s uncomfortable — and it means taking responsibility for repairing colonial harms, removing barriers, and changing the systems that sustain inequity. She emphasizes moving from acknowledgment to accountability, and building relationships grounded in transparency, humility, trust, and respect.

Although much of her career has been rooted in human resources, Tracy says she is honoured to be back at IH and working with the Indigenous Partnerships team. She is inspired most by people — by relationships built on trust and respect — and by the opportunity to contribute to improved health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples across the region.

Tracy’s career has been shaped by constant learning, perseverance, hard work, curiosity, and relationship building. She has learned to balance heart‑centered approaches with meeting deliverables and taking meaningful action for systems change.

Before returning to IH, Tracy spent three years as HR Director at the BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC). During that time, the organization grew from four to 16 Indigenous Justice Centres and from 40 to nearly 200 staff — a period of rapid expansion driven by a powerful mandate to address the over‑representation of Indigenous people in the justice system.

In her current project‑based role, she is focused on the renewal of the Indigenous Health and Wellness Strategy, spending her days synthesizing information, developing outlines, and connecting with partners and portfolios across IH and beyond.

Tracy shares that the EngageIH platform will be used to keep Indigenous staff, patients, clients, families, and communities updated throughout the renewal process. It will also be used to keep Nation Partners and communities updated on our progress as we gather feedback and develop the renewed strategy.

Visit EngageIH.ca/IHWS

Tracy is excited to be able to update people in real time on what is happening with the strategy renewal, saying the EngageIH platform is also an accountability measure.

Memorable moments at IH

One of Tracy’s most memorable experiences was co‑hosting 25 episodes of the Interior Voices podcast from November 2020 to January 2023.

Stepping into the spotlight pushed her outside her comfort zone, but she says it also opened space for learning, unlearning and speaking truth alongside “amazingly talented, intelligent and strong women.”

An Indigenous-led research project during her previous role as business partner, Indigenous Employee Experience, is another significant career milestone for her. The research was centered in ceremony, reciprocity and relationship, and explored the experiences of Indigenous health-care professionals in mainstream, Western health-care systems.

Tracy still holds the spaces that were created by a culturally grounded research process very near and dear to her to this day.

A paper, Truth to Action: Lived Experiences of Indigenous Healthcare Professionals Redressing Indigenous-specific racism, was published and is available via the Interior Health Library.

She values balance, wellness and time with family. “Our bodies hold this work that is sometimes heavy," she shares. Staying grounded is essential for longevity she says, personally and professionally.

Life outside of work

Outside of work, Tracy finds grounding in:

• Reading, her lifelong passion
• Exploring creative outlets like beading
• Walking her dogs while listening to thought‑provoking podcasts
• Hiking and spending time in the forest

When asked what she is looking forward to she answers, “Personally, I am looking forward to summer, minus the possibility of wildfires. Professionally, I am looking forward to the refreshed Indigenous Health and Wellness Strategy.”

To Tracy, these values reflect how we treat one another at the most human level. They mean integrity, respect, honesty, humility and compassion—and creating spaces where people can show up as their authentic selves in psychological, spiritual and physical safety.

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