Name: Sahra Gibb (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Team Lead, Internal Recruitment
Length of Service: 12
Worksite: Community Health and Services Centre
Community: Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: syilx
Favourite Quote / Advice to Live By: “Nature has always been a part of my identity. Growing up on a farm instilled a love of all things that grow, and camping and hiking with my family meant that the beautiful bush around the Okanagan is a place of peace, connection and joy. While my job is inside at a desk, I spend as much time as I can in my flower garden, camping on weekends, and hiking in nature with friends.”
Sahra Gibb says that while a career in health care was “not originally on my radar as a student,” she quickly recognized she could utilize her training in human resources (HR) in the health-care sector to make a difference in people’s lives.
“I pursued a career in human resources as I felt strongly about helping people thrive in their workplaces,” explains Sahra, who’s been with Interior Health (IH) for 12 years. “Health care came on my radar as many of my childhood friends entered the industry and I recognized the massive contribution they were making to our communities.”
Sahra joined IH just two months after graduating from Okanagan College in 2013, working her way up from HR assistant in the benefits department to her current role as a team lead in Internal Recruitment.
Learn more about Sahra’s journey with IH
Sahra was born and raised in the Okanagan, growing up on a honey farm in West Kelowna. She helped her parents with their beekeeping business, from harvesting honey to moving hives in and out of orchards in the community for pollination in the spring. She says the experience instilled a passion for buying local and supporting local farmers and producers, witnessing firsthand how that support benefits families.
After completing her bachelor of business administration with a major in HR, she began her tenure at IH, working in both the Benefits and Recruitment departments as a service partner until 2019. She then moved into an internal recruitment advisor role, which led to her current position as team lead in 2023.
“Each day is a bit different. A priority is coordinating and supporting my team in working through very high volumes of job postings, employee changes, emails, and other tasks. I work closely with my manager and other team leads to implement new and adjusted processes based on Collective Agreement changes, provincial directives, projects, and continuous improvement.”
Sahra’s day-to-day work involves assisting employees through their transitions within the organization and being able to ease some of their stress and uncertainty as they go through the process, which she says brings her meaning and purpose.
“I communicate regularly with my team, other HR team leads and managers, clinical managers, and employees to ensure that we are supporting our employees the best way we can while they move within the organization.”
Supporting new and experienced managers with routine questions, as well as helping them unravel complex situations, is enjoyable. I am also very lucky to work with a wonderful, supportive and generous team who make me excited to come to work everyday.
One of her proudest accomplishments was working with many of the HR teams and Digital Health teams to implement the 2022-2025 Collective Agreement changes.
“Many of the changes significantly impacted not only the Recruitment teams, but our Benefits and Work Design teams. The knowledge I have gained throughout my time with IH helped to implement the changes and support our teams in adjusting to new and changing processes.”
For Sahra, Reconciliation means acknowledging and learning about Canada's history and the atrocities and injustices faced by the Indigenous community and being open and curious about Indigenous peoples’ perspective and narrative. Additionally, it means being an ally and promoting respectful, culturally appropriate workspaces and relationships.
Inclusion and belonging provides a supportive and welcoming environment where people feel their efforts are valued and seen. It means fostering learning and growth, not only as an employee, but as an individual. It means recognizing our differences and celebrating them.
Beyond the office, Sahra’s favourite activity is camping with friends and family. “Nature has always been a part of my identity,” recalls Sahra. “Growing up on a farm instilled a love of all things that grow. Camping and hiking with my family meant that the beautiful bush around the Okanagan was a place of peace, connection and joy.” Although, her job is at a desk, she prioritizes spending time in her flower garden, camping on weekends, and hiking in nature with friends.
“I spend every weekend I can at my family’s lot on Sugar Lake in Cherryville, B.C. I love being able to disconnect and explore the gorgeous hikes, quad trails and lakes that B.C. has to offer. Some of my favourite memories from growing up are fishing and camping with my parents and my sister.”
She’s looking forward to more family time with relatives in Quebec and Ontario in the fall, where she’ll enjoy the autumn colours outdoors.
Explore advisor Careers@IH
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