We Are IH: Support services manager enjoys the Kootenay lifestyle

Born and raised in Alberta, Heather Jane grew up in a small prairie town called Bentley. A first-generation Canadian, her mother escaped from East Germany as a young person, and her father was born in Scotland.

She entered the workforce at 17, serving in the artillery in the Canadian military reserves, and went to college in Newfoundland where she studied food service and nutrition management.

She now calls Nelson home, having lived in the Kootenays for 16 years. She takes full advantage of the outdoor-loving Kootenay lifestyle. Drawn to adventure, if she’s not in the office, she’s often in the backcountry exploring – from camping to boating, to birdwatching and photography.

In the summer, you can find her riding her motorcycles on winding mountain roads, and in the winter you can often catch her downhill skiing at Whitewater. She loves gardening, golfing, and spending time with her four amazing children.

Open-minded and fun-loving, Heather Jane loves to travel, especially with her partner. They love to visit Mexico and Palm Springs, and have upcoming trips booked to the Cayman Islands and Hawaii.

Heather Jane’s empathetic, compassionate nature has enabled her to serve and support both people in her community, and the staff she manages. What Heather Jane loves most about being a manager in health care is “the ability to serve people when they need it most. The health care they receive is a critical piece in their recovery.”

One of Heather Jane’s proudest moments in her career at IH was working as a Support Services supervisor when she and her team successfully completed a code green at the Kimberley Special Care Home.

Heather Jane is proud when she's able to guide and support members of her team in their careers, and see them move up and succeed. She’s also exceptionally proud of situations where she’s been able to help employees who have struggled, and help them turn things around through positivity and coaching. Heather Jane is grateful for the amazing people she’s worked with throughout her career at Interior Health.

“Brenda is incredibly devoted to her work and is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. Brenda is such an asset to us in support services as she works so hard to help us meet all of our staffing needs.”

– Heather Jane Johnson

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