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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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