Prior to becoming an RN in 2005, I was a special care aide at Pioneer Village. I have been a RN for 17 years now, still employed at the RGH Emergency Department and now also at Healthline since 2021. I was also casually employed on the Surgical/Burn unit for 8 years during my career.

 I have always loved frontline work, and I know firsthand the essential role nurse as advocate plays in our profession. The role of advocate is broad - we must be advocates for our profession, for our clients, for ourselves personally, and for our community as a collective.

I value strong work ethic, and I believe hard work must be appropriately compensated for and needs to be reflected in working conditions and wages. Every voice has value and every voice is worthy of being heard. It’s imperative to have strong voices representing this unified health care professional organization. A strong voice will ensure we are heard and that the collective hard work of every nurse in this province is acknowledged. I endeavor to be that voice.

I grew up a twin in a family of 5 children on a farm. While I value hard work, family and work life balance is very important to me. “Work to live, don’t live to work” is a motto I strive for. Work hard – but always remember your priorities. Family always comes first in my household, but it is easier said than done given the tremendous pressure facing our profession. Hence why the role of advocate is crucial. We must strive collectively to achieve that balance and find reprieve from the all too common burn-out we face. This is why I have such passion for the role as advocate – it is a powerful tool within our possession we must not underutilize to achieve that balance we so desperately need. 

 I am a busy mom to two young boys. I enjoy camping, playing piano, and Friday night tradition of pizza, popcorn and movie.