We are IH is a recognition campaign to spotlight Interior Health employees and medical staff – through pictures and stories.
Name: Lisa Zetes-Zanatta
Job Title: Executive Director Clinical Operations, Rural Acute and Community, Thompson and Cariboo Regions
Years of Service: 18
Worksite: Thompson Cariboo Shuswap Corporate Office
Community: Kamloops
Ancestral Territory: Secwepemc (She-whep -m) / Shuswap Interior Salish
Favourite Quote: "You can either focus on the lemons or enjoy the lemonade."
Lisa comes from a diverse background, having been raised in New York then living for three years in rural Nicaragua as an epidemiologist. It was in Nicaragua that she fell in love with the rural context of health care (and learned to speak fluent Spanish). Now, after 20 years, she has found her way back to delivering meaningful health care in diverse, rural communities and supporting the people who live there.
Lisa describes herself as focused, quality driven and ethical. For those who know her, this description is perfect. Lisa is dedicated to delivering person-centred, quality care, which shines through in her every day.
"I love the fact that I can influence the care delivery model and quality focus for a large region. I am lucky that I am able to work in the region that has four different First Nations represented, with 38 different communities in this beautiful, Thompson-Cariboo region. I have come to love the can-do and 'git-er-dun' attitude of the people we serve and staff teams in rural areas."
In the last several years, Interior Health has experienced an increase in floods and wildfires, and now a global pandemic - increasing the need for health care.
"The team has stepped up at all levels of the health authority to put our patients first and provide the best care possible in some of the most challenging times I have seen in a long career of health-care delivery. I am extremely proud."
While Lisa is grateful for the technology that has provided communication support throughout the pandemic, she is looking forward to seeing her team and colleagues in person.
Outside of work, Lisa enjoys knitting, sewing, crafting, decorating and playing with her amazing, black lab, "not-so-puppy" puppy.
Lisa is wife to her amazing husband Robin, a technical director of an animation company, and mom to two wonderful boys. Tristan (20) is attending Thompson Rivers University in the cellular molecular microbiology program. Dylan (14) is in grade 9, a hockey goalie, and is on the ice daily. As a family, they love heading up to their cabin in the Cariboo to have fun in the forest, on the dock, and in the lake.
Thank you, Lisa, for your outstanding leadership and all that you do to support rural communities and people in the Thompson Cariboo region.
Lisa's nomination keeps the We Are IH loop going:
“I would like to nominate Karen Cooper, director of clinical operations for allied health, community & seniors care in the Thompson region. I have never met someone who gives more in her day to her work. She knows more about Interior Health operations than anyone in this region, as she has worked in so many facets of health care.
– Lisa Zetes-Zanatta
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