TD Meloche Monnex Award

I am a registered nurse and doctoral student at the University of Alberta. The needs of marginalized populations have always resonated with me, and I believe the nursing profession is best suited to support and work with these communities.

I began my career in labour and delivery soon after graduating with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and have recently started working at the sexual transmitted infections clinic. In both of these roles, I have been excited by the opportunity to educate and support patients and families make informed decisions about their health. Yet clinical experiences have highlighted the numerous challenges many patients, especially those within marginalized communities, have navigating the health care system.

With this awareness, I returned to graduate studies to research HIV care, health equity and harm reduction programs. I cofounded and remain active with the Alberta Nurses Coalition for Harm Reduction (ANCHR), volunteer as a director of the Edmonton YMCA and volunteer with outreach groups in the inner city.  I am pursuing a doctorate in nursing in the hopes of that my research, volunteer and leadership work will improve the experiences of women and families in our health system.