We Are IH: Social worker advocates for women’s health

May 25, 2023

Katie loves hiking and spending time outdoors.

Name: Kathleen (Katie) Keegan (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Perinatal Social Worker, Primary Care Network
Years of Service: 6
Worksite: Rutland Health Centre
Community: Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Syilx Nation
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness." – Kurt Vonnegut

Perinatal social worker Katie Keegan has been passionate about helping others and acknowledging and supporting the inherent power of women throughout her life and career. Born and raised in Kelowna, Katie always had a natural, helping nature, and an interest in pregnancy and babies – qualities which informed the trajectory of her career. Katie says, “As a girl I was taught that I could do or be anything and I think that really stuck with me.”

In this Story…

Learn more about her journey with IH

Explore social work careers at IH

Learn more about her journey with IH

As she grew older, Katie became inspired to create safe, inclusive environments where she could share that feeling with other people.

I'm inspired by the courage and inner wisdom of those I support. I'm passionate about my career as a social worker and perinatal work because I have the opportunity to witness mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual changes both systematically and in each individual I have the honour of meeting.

-- Katie Keegan (she/her/hers)

While Katie studied for her bachelor degree in social work, she also worked in a women’s shelter, which she continued to do for a number of years. There, she learned about needs in woman’s health and wellness. “I became a women’s advocate and it solidified feelings for women’s rights to be brought forward in mental health and health care,” says Katie.

Katie has always had a natural helping nature, and an interest in pregnancy and babies.

The proudest moment in Katie’s career so far has been being part of the perinatal substance use project, and creating a role to address people’s needs who were pregnant and using substances. She developed a way to communicate to women and pregnant people directly through a trauma-informed outreach approach, providing evidence-based information to reduce stigma and risk.

A woman with three children stands together in front of a bush of leaves and flowers and a lake. The woman holds a small baby, and has her arm around a young girl. A toddler smiles and holds on to the baby’s foot. — Katie with her beautiful children.

Katie is currently working within the Primary Care Network, and takes on prenatal and post-partum clients with social work needs, including substance use. She works closely with her division’s doctors and team, along with other teams in Interior Health, such as Mental Health & Substance Use, providing preventative and “upstream” care to reduce harm to women and babies during pregnancy. Katie has a specialty in child welfare, and is a trained doula, which gives her a wide range of skills that she brings to her work.

I really hope to be a part of the change to help eliminate stigma and shame people experience when accessing care.

-- Katie Keegan (she/her/hers)

Outside of work, you can find Katie spending time with her three children, taking her dog for a hike or swim, snowboarding, biking, and Irish dancing!