About Melissa Baker
Melissa is a UBC Dietetic Intern currently completing her 10 month internship with Northern Health. Melissa has an immense passion for food and all it has to offer – from nutrition, joy, community, traditions and culture to social outings and family ties. This career allows her to mesh her love for teaching and helping others with her interest in the components of healthy eating and all the complex issues involved. She also enjoys blogging and being involved in social media.
About Dr. David Bowering
Dr. David Bowering is Northern Health’s Chief Medical Officer. In November 2010, he released the report “Where are the Men? Chief Medical Health Officer’s report on the Wellbeing of Men and Boys in Northern BC” and has been heavily involved with the men’s health program since then. To stay active, Dr. Bowering walks or bikes to work, walks his dog daily, boycotts elevators, hikes or cross-country skis most weekends and plays with his grandchildren.
About Maria Bunkowski
Maria Bunkowski is the Community Response Nurse for mental health and addictions services in Prince Rupert. She has been nursing since 2006 with a background primarily in internal medicine, and is really enjoying the challenge that this new position brings. When she isn't working, Maria enjoys spending time with her young family, interior design, and exploring the great outdoors.
About Andrew Burton
Andrew is a tobacco reduction coordinator for Northern Health’s population health team and works to support healthy living practices in communities across northern B.C. Andrew is developing positive activity and diet practices for two reasons: to deal with his own health concerns, and to “walk the talk” of promoting healthy living. Building on his training and experience in creative arts therapy, Andrew founded and runs the Street Spirits Theatre program promoting social responsibility among young people. This work has been recognized nationally and internationally as a leading method of social change.
About Lee Cameron
Lee Cameron has worked as a regional tobacco reduction coordinator within Northern Health’s population health team since 2005. Lee lives in Terrace and calls the northwest home. Outside of work she enjoys kayaking, canoeing, hiking and fishing. Lee is a strong advocate for smoke-free spaces and the fresh air that they provide.
About Dr. Ronald Chapman
Ronald Chapman is a physician with a fellowship in community medicine, and extensive experience in the leadership and management of health services with a focus on community health. Dr. Chapman joined the Northern Health team in 2007 as regional director of the Northern Cancer Control Strategy. Dr. Chapman assumed the role of the chief medical health officer of Northern Health in June 2011, and in February 2013, he transitioned to Vice President, Medicine in Northern Health.
About Holly Christian
Holly Christian is the school nutrition lead for Northern Health’s population health department. Her passion for food and health promotion drew her to the nutrition field and she relocated to northern B.C. from the east coast. Although she has fully embraced northern living, she enjoys the warmth of the sun and the sound of the ocean. She stays active by training for triathlons, and is looking forward to this year’s community garden harvest – a personal experiment that is so far succeeding!
About Jim Coyle
Jim is a tobacco reduction coordinator with the men’s health program, and has a background in psychiatry and care of the elderly. In former times, Jim was director of care at Simon Fraser Lodge and clinical coordinator at the Brain Injury Group. He came to Canada from Glasgow, Scotland 20 years ago and, when not at work, Jim plays in the band Out of Alba and spends time with his family.
About Jonathon Dyck
Jonathon is a communications officer at Northern Health. Originally from Airdrie, Alberta, Jonathon has a broadcasting diploma from Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta, and a BA with a major in communications from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. Jonathon enjoys golf, hockey, curling, hiking, biking, and canoeing. He is also an avid sports fan and attends as many sporting events as humanly possible, including hockey, soccer, baseball, football, rugby, basketball, and lacrosse.
About Astrid Egger
Astrid Egger has been working with Northern Health since 2002 and is currently Team Leader for Haida Gwaii mental health and addiction services. She is active in the Haida Gwaii Arts Council and enjoys the changing wind and wave patterns on the inlet.
About Denise Foucher
Denise is an injury prevention coordinator with Northern Health’s population health team and is passionate about working towards health and wellness for everyone in Northern B.C. When not at work, Denise can be found out at the lake, walking her dog, planning her next travel adventure, or snuggled in a cozy chair with a good book.
About Christine Glennie-Visser
Christine is the regional coordinator for the HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Living) Network in northern B.C. Christine loves to share good healthy local food with family, friends and co-workers and is passionate about making the healthy choice the easier choice for everyone. Although she is currently limited in her physical activity choices for medical reasons, she has become creative at fitting in activity and spends many happy hours deep water running and using gentle resistance training and stretching to maintain muscle strength. Christine can often be found in her kitchen, developing or testing recipes, and conspiring with her six grandchildren to encourage their parents to eat more fruits and vegetables!
About Brandon Grant
As the NH men’s health coordinator, Brandon Grant travels across the Northern Health region speaking with community members about the health issues men face and what we can do to improve men’s health. He has worked with a variety of community-based organizations, including the Nawican Friendship Centre and the Northern Family Health Society, and holds two master’s degrees, one in social work and one in public administration. To stay active, Brandon enjoys playing golf and tennis, and whenever possible, visits tropical destinations to go snorkeling.
About James Haggerstone
James is proud to call northern B.C. home. He is currently the regional manager of health information analysis at Northern Health. His passion is to make health information more accessible to northerners through our Community Health Information Portal. When not at work, James can be found digging in community gardens or working on his MBA through the UNBC school of business.
About Bonnie Harper
With NH for the past five years, Bonnie works as a population health regional tobacco reduction coordinator in the northeast. Bonnie is passionate about community development and mobilizing communities. She encourages communities to develop their own vision of health and wellness from a holistic perspective and then to connect with the resources available to realize that potential. In her personal life, Bonnie has jumped on the health wagon and through NH challenges (like the September Healthy Living Challenge), has realized that there are realistic, creative and doable ways of making little changes to her lifestyle that reap big benefits for her health. She thinks that making health number one is so much easier with challenges that are positive, engaging and full of support from other team members.
About Theresa Healy
Theresa is the regional manager for healthy community development with Northern Health’s population health team and is passionate about the capacity of individuals, families and communities across northern B.C. to be partners in health and wellness. As part of her own health and wellness plan, she has taken up running and, more recently, weight lifting. She is also a “new-bee” bee-keeper and a devoted new grandmother. Theresa is an avid historian, writer and researcher who also holds an adjunct appointment at UNBC that allows her to pursue her other passionate love - teaching.
About Deanna Hembroff
Deanna is the NH regional manager for infection prevention where she is actively involved in the hand hygiene program. Deanna has a nursing degree from the University of Victoria and has been certified in infection prevention for 14 years. When not at work, Deanna can be found enjoying time with her family, walking their two golden retrievers and, when time permits, reading a good book.
About Barbara Hennessy
Barbara Hennessy is Northern Health’s regional coordinator for cardiac & cerebrovascular services, and is very passionate about improving cardiac and cerebrovascular health for people of the north. Barbara has a Master’s in Nursing from Dalhousie University, with a specialty in adult cardiac population. In her previous roles in cardiac nursing, Barbara has worked in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and – saving the best for last – B.C.! In her spare time, Barbara loves reading, crafting, biking and seeing the beauty across northern B.C.
About Lynette Hewitt
Lynette Hewitt works in Fort St. John as an Injury Prevention Coordinator for Northern Health. After receiving a BScN from UNBC, Lynette traveled a bit, then returned to her hometown of Fort St. John where she worked in med/surg, public health nursing, and home nursing care before settling into her current role. When not at work, she is trying to keep up with life as a busy wife and mom, which may or may not include time for snowshoeing, hiking, biking, camping, fishing, geocaching and, for a few short months, gardening!
About Patricia Howard
Patricia is the Aboriginal Coordinator for the blood borne pathogens integration team with Northern Health, working to STOP the spread of HIV/AIDS. She is Cree/Metis and, although she was born in Saskatchewan, she has spent the majority of her life in Prince George on Lheidli T’enneh territory, and feels honoured to be part of this community. She is passionate and committed to the health and well-being of all Aboriginal people. She loves her job as it provides her with an opportunity to create a space for cultural excellence for the Aboriginal population as she works to improve the overall health and well-being.
About Suzanne Johnston
With more than 25 years of leadership experience in health care and government, Suzanne is Northern Health’s vice president of clinical programs and chief nursing officer. Suzanne obtained both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing from the University of New Brunswick and completed her doctoral studies at the University of Arizona. Suzanne has a special interest in leadership development and is experienced as a facilitator in this area, and she has volunteered with United Way agencies to help build leadership capacity for non-profit boards. In her spare time, Suzanne loves to spend time outdoors with her husband and her golden retriever, Pirate.
About Julie Kerr
Until October 2012, Julie Kerr was the director of population health at Northern Health. During her time with us, she was proud to support local healthy eating initiatives in her program area. Julie is now the VP, community, rural and mental health for Alberta Health Services.
About Joanne MacDonald
Joanne MacDonald is a communications officer at Northern Health where she works on a number of projects, including the STOP HIV/AIDS pilot project. Prior to joining Northern Health, Joanne worked in the journalism and communications fields in the lower mainland, Whitehorse and Ottawa. She keeps active by doing aerobics and taking classes in her new-found fitness passion, Zumba. She lives with her family in Prince George.
About Candice Manahan
Candice is the regional manager, decision support tools for Northern Health’s quality and innovation team. Candice works to build a culture of evidence-informed practice, ensuring our staff have access to meaningful policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines to inform their work. Candice is originally from Prince George and obtained both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Northern BC. With over a decade of experience coordinating and managing projects in health services research in our region, Candice has taken a special interest in improving health care services and accessibility for those living in northern B.C. When she’s not at work, she loves spending time with her family, going for walks and checking out all that Prince George has to offer.
About Michael Melia
Michael Melia is the director for northwest mental health and addiction services. He is a registered psychiatric nurse and has a bachelor’s of science in nursing and has recently completed a master’s in business administration. Michael is serving as an elected board member for the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses. When not working, he enjoys spending time with family, keeping fit and exploring rural B.C.
About Kim Menounos
Kim is a health community environments lead, in public health protection, responsible for education and awareness of radon gas. She joined Northern Health in January 2011, and still feels like a newbie! Kim is a slow, but enthusiastic trail runner, and happiest when outdoors with her boys (husband, children AND dog).
About Jennifer Miller
Jennifer Miller is a public health nurse in the Burns Lake Public Health office. She has been a registered nurse since 1986 and has worked for Northern Health since 1991. Since moving to Burns Lake in 1991, Jennifer has had the opportunity to experience a number of different rural nursing roles. When not at work, Jennifer can be found busy with her family, her medieval recreation group, or working on a variety of artisan projects, such as spinning.
About Kailey Miller
As a disability management advisor for workplace health and safety, Kailey works with NH employees across the northeast region and Prince George. She has worked with Northern Health for about one year, and holds a master’s degree in disability management and a bachelor’s degree in psychology (BSc.). To stay active, Kailey enjoys running with her 4-year-old chocolate lab, yoga, and almost any activities outdoors.
About Beth Moore
Beth Moore is a community dietitian working in Aboriginal communities in B.C.’s northwest. She is very passionate about improving access to healthy food in the communities she works in. Food and eating are ingrained in both culture and individual practices, and she is dedicated to helping individuals, families and communities make the healthiest choices available to them, and enjoy eating well based on their unique realities and nutrition needs.
About Barb Oke
Barb is a healthy community environments lead for Northern Health. Her passion is her family, and most of what she does to stay active and healthy centers around activities such as biking, hiking, walking, skiing, swimming and boating, where the whole family can be involved.
About Men's Health Nursing Students
Jasmine Ford is a fourth year nursing student currently doing a practicum with the men’s health program. Jasmine grew up on Vancouver Island and has been living in the north for five years while completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her passions include working in physical rehabilitation and long term care. Meghan McQuhae is a fourth year nursing student currently doing a practicum with the men’s health program. Meghan grew up in the Fraser Valley, and has been living in Prince George for five years while completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Her passion is working in the acute care field of nursing.
About Doug Quibell
Doug Quibell is the northwest manager of public health protection, and the lead on Northern Health’s partnering for healthy communities approach. He first joined Northern Health in 1995. After stints in the Middle East and in Ontario, he and his family recently returned to the mountains and ocean they call home in Terrace. He stays active trying to get his daughter excited about skiing Shames Mountain and sailing off of Prince Rupert.
About Jessica Quinn
Jessica Quinn is regional manager, health promotion and community engagement for Northern Health, where she is actively involved in promoting the great work of NH staff to encourage healthy and active lifestyles. She also manages NH's social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc) and moderates all comments for the NH blog. When she's not working, Jessica stays active by exploring the beautiful outdoors around Prince George via kayak, hiking boots or snowshoes, and she has recently completed her master's degree in professional communications from Royal Roads University, with a focus on the use of social media in health care.
About Steve Raper
With nearly 10 years of experience, Steve is the Regional Director of Communications for Northern Health, where he leads marketing, communications, web and media relations activities. He has a business diploma from the College of New Caledonia, a BA from the University of Northern BC and a master’s degree in business administration from Royal Roads University. In his spare time, Steve volunteers on a number of boards, including Canadian Blood Services, Pacific Sport Northern BC and the Prince George Youth Soccer Association. To stay active, he enjoys camping, playing soccer and hockey, and coaching his children’s soccer teams.
About Laura Ravlic
Laura is a public health nurse who works for the children and families Team in Prince George, BC. She has three energetic boys who keep her busy out in the community with their many activities, including bike riding, class outings and soccer, for which she is an assistant coach. She is also involved in the Baby Friendly Initiative which promotes a breastfeeding friendly environment.
About Rai Read
Rai has worked for Northern Health for nearly 18 months, starting out as the CRU (community response unit) clinician in Terrace before stepping into the interim team leader position. She came to Terrace after working in as a geriatric nurse in Edmonton, AB and prior to that, working as a psychiatric nurse in Cardiff, Wales. She is passionate about promoting healthy living and nutrition, and thinks it’s key to understand how hard it is to fit everything in to a busy life. Rai is a strong believer is making lots of small positive changes and keeping a good sense of humor.
About Nick Rempel
Nick Rempel is the clinical educator for Mental Health and Addictions, northwest B.C. He has lived in northern B.C. his entire life and received his education from the University of Northern BC with a degree in nursing. Nick enjoys playing music, going to the gym, and watching movies in his spare time.
About Dionne Sanderson
Dionne is a public health planner with Northern Health’s public health protection team. She enjoys pushing her boundaries by trying new things and is ready to embrace the winter activities the Peace region has to offer this year! To stay healthy and active, Dionne enjoys working in her garden and taking long walks with her German Shepherd.
About Anne Scott
Anne is a communications officer at Northern Health; she lives in Prince George with her husband Andrew Watkinson. Her current health goals are to do a pull-up and more than one consecutive “real” push-up. She also dreams of becoming a master’s level competitive sprinter and finding a publisher for her children’s book on colourblindness. Anne enjoys cycling, cross-country skiing, reading, writing, sugar-free chocolate, and napping -- sometimes all on the same day!
About Kerrie Scott
Kerrie Scott is a clinician within mental health and addictions services in Prince Rupert. She has a bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria from which she graduated in 2004. Kerrie keeps very busy and enjoys spending time with her two young children.
About Flo Sheppard
Flo has a dual role with Northern Health—she is the NW population health team lead and a regional population health dietitian with a lead in 0 – 6 nutrition. In the latter role, she is passionate about the value of supporting children to develop eating competence through regular family meals and planned snacks. Working full-time and managing a busy home life of extracurricular and volunteer activities can challenge Flo's commitment and practice of family meals but flexibility, conviction, planning and creativity help!
About Nancy Smith
Nancy is a registered social worker who works with the youth in Prince Rupert. New to the north, she is happy to play outdoors and explore the trails and lakes in the good company of her German Shepherd, Teva. Nancy also enjoys gardening, music, and hunting for treasures at garage sales.
About Agnes Snow
Agnes is Northern Health’s regional director of Aboriginal health. She started her career in health as a licensed practical nurse in Vancouver, and then moved back to her home community of Canoe Creek where she worked as an additions counselor and then as an elected leader. Agnes originally came to Northern Health as a counselor and treatment therapist at the Nechako Treatment Centre, and then moved to Aboriginal health as the Community Engagement Coordinator, before taking on her current role.
About Andrew Steele
Andrew Steele is a 33-year-old HR Assistant living in Prince George, BC. He enjoys biking, paddling, and almost any outdoor activity you can name. When not on his bike, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, listening to and playing music, reading and writing.
About Loraina Stephen
Loraina is a population health dietitian working in a regional lead role for external food policy, which supports initiatives to develop healthy eating, community food security and food policy for the north. Loraina was born and raised in the north, and has a busy lifestyle. Having grown up enjoying food grown from family gardens, hunting, and gathering, and enjoying northern outdoor activities, she draws on those experiences to keep traditions strong for her family, in her work and at play.
About Bareilly Sweet
For the past 17 years, Bareilly has worked in various programs within Northern Health and is currently the Regional Coordinator for Blood Borne Pathogen Services, overseeing the STOP HIV/AIDS pilot project. Her greatest passion is to advocate for those who are challenged daily with the stigma attached to their illness, such as HIV/hepatitis C or mental health and addictions. After working as a millworker for 14 years, she began her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse, graduating from the College of New Caledonia as a registered nurse in 1994, and then completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) at the University of Northern BC in 2004. Born and raised in Prince George, she is an avid outdoorswoman who is loves to hunt and fish. She is also an active community member who is passionate about educating the next generation of nurses.
About Jackie Taylor
Jackie is a speech and language pathologist living and working in Queen Charlotte, Haida Gwaii. She grew up on the opposite coast (Saint John, New Brunswick) and graduated from McGill University in 2011. When she isn’t working, Jackie enjoys running and taking her dog for swims in the ocean.
About Jenn Tkachuk
As the Children First Manager, Jenn works with the communities of Prince George, Quesnel, Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount to promote the importance of the early years, increase community planning and coordination, and improve service delivery for children, youth and families. Jenn has worked in the area of early childhood development for 10 years and holds a master’s degree in social work. To stay active, Jenn enjoys working in her yard, walking her dog and snowshoeing in the winter.
About Greg Tone
Greg began working for the former version of Northern Health in 1999 in the field of environmental health where he continues to work today, except for a three year gap doing the same job in the Yukon. His favourite activity in the summer is to swim in the local lakes and rivers with the kids, and in the winter to go tobogganing and cross-country skiing – especially now that the kids (now 10 and 7) are old enough that they cannot convince him that they need to be pulled back up! Greg is always willing to try a new sport, such as biathlon or triathlon, and when relaxing he likes to read an old discarded paperback picked up for a quarter from the local library, particularly when he knows he should be doing the dishes.
About Michael Truong
Michael is an Environmental Health Officer at the Fort Nelson Health Unit, and he really enjoys his work. He has been living in northeast B.C. for almost a year and loves his community. During the winter season, he enjoys snowshoeing with his friends and in the summer, he loves the scenery of the northern Rockies.
About Cathy Ulrich
Cathy became NH president and chief executive officer in 2007, following five years as vice president, clinical services and chief nursing officer for Northern Health. Before the formation of Northern Health, she worked in a variety of nursing and management positions in Northern B.C., Manitoba, and Alberta. Most of her career has been in rural and northern communities where she has gained a solid understanding of the unique health needs of rural communities. Cathy has a nursing degree from the University of Alberta, a master’s degree in community health sciences from the University of Northern BC, and is still actively engaged in health services research, teaching and graduate student support.
About Nancy Viney
Nancy is a registered nurse working in Northern Health’s population health team. She often imagines a day when no one in northern British Columbia suffers from the harmful effects of tobacco. In her time off, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, especially her two little grandchildren! Nancy also enjoys quilting, knitting, crocheting and many other home spun crafts.
About Sandra Wyatt
Sandra Wyatt is the child life specialist in the paediatrics department of UHNBC in Prince George. She spends much of her "not so spare" time, developing and running her small dog daycare/boarding business. With rescue dogs of her own, walking 10km in a day is a usual day for her. Besides walking and working, Sandra loves gardening and this past spring, she re-arranged her whole garden to also “rescue” new plants a friend left behind after moving.
About Kelsey Yarmish
Kelsey is the regional manager of Northern Health’s population health team. A nurse by background, with past work in acute psychiatry (at UHNBC) and tertiary mental health and addiction services, Kelsey has become equally passionate about public health prevention initiatives and upstream work. Kelsey grew up in Prince George, and loves being part of the community and the north. She is married, with two little "dancing" girls. Family is her joy and her kids ensure that home-time is always lively and a lot of fun! When she is not at work, she is with her family and friends, and she loves entertaining, her gardens, traveling, boating, crafting, cooking and reading.
About Chelan Zirul
Chelan Zirul supports strategic planning in Northern Health’s public health department. As a graduate from UNBC, her passion for northern community and regional development that is grounded in research drew her to work with special projects in public health. Born in northern B.C., she is learning to take advantage of the access to outdoor living. She stays active with CrossFit training and finding ways to be active in daily living. She enjoys training for special events, such as Canada’s first-ever ToughMudder in Whistler, BC which she ran in June 2012.
