Strong School of Nursing Presence at NNPBC Awards

Congratulations to all our excellent colleagues! Entries from the NNPBC's awards programme are reproduced below. 

Jill Mahy, Lecturer

Excellence in Nursing Education

Recruited in 2017, Jill Mahy, RN, MSN, is a fulltime, lecturer at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing. Jill is dedicated to fostering safe, just, diverse, equitable and inclusive learning experiences within nursing education and practice for students and nurse practice educators across a variety of interactive learning settings.

With expertise in perinatal family health along with mental health and substance use, Jill prioritizes evidence-based pedagogy and practice learning experiences for students and educators. She ensures that clients who are not always well-served by our healthcare system are included in the learning experiences, so students are truly prepared for their future as ethically compassionate professionals.

Most recently, Jill has integrated her wealth of nursing practice experience (emergency, perinatal and community mental health nursing) into several key learning opportunities. One innovation that Jill championed was blending an array of outstanding primary and mental health simulation and community practice experiences for students. As the number of students has expanded, Jill has been instrumental in ensuring that optimal curriculum and practice is integrated and synchronised with student-focused, competency-based, safe learning supported by ready-to-practice self-care strategies. Beyond teaching nursing courses, Jill is a lead instructor for one of the most popular undergraduate courses at UBC: Stress and Strategies to Promote Wellbeing. Student evaluations praise Jill as an “excellent and knowledgeable instructor and that this course is literally a life saver for a stressed student.” Jill is committed to tackling racism in nursing and education, and she is an active member of the school’s antiracism committee. Jill’s leadership in this area is evidenced by her recently designed online learning module Embedding Antiracism and Actions against Bullying and Harassment in Practice for nursing practice educators and students.Jill’s dedication to nursing education has been unwavering throughout her nursing career.

Dr. Natasha Prodan-Bhalla, Adjunct Professor

Excellence in Nursing Leadership

Dr. Natasha Prodan-Bhalla, DNP, BScN, MN, NP(A), is the Vice President, Quality, Safety, Clinical Informatics and Chief of Nursing and Allied Practice within the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). In Dr. Prodan-Bhalla’s current role, she is responsible for a uniquely diverse portfolio, providing strategic leadership to nursing and allied health professionals across PHSA, leading development of a quality framework that includes patient engagement and experience, and overseeing the PHSA offices of policy, accreditation, ethics and spiritual care. 

Natasha has collaborated on pivotal activities that have significantly impacted the nursing profession and the health care system as a strategic leader, policymaker, and change agent. As the first Executive Director for NPs in BC’s Ministry of Health, she worked on primary care transformation using the NP role as a foundational aspect, reviewing compensation models through a lens of health equity and social justice, which led to the establishment of an NP contract model with a minimum number of hours. Natasha has also worked to remove barriers to NP practice in BC, including provincial legislation. 
Natasha was a founding board member of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia (NNPBC), served as a co-chair of the National Principal Nurses Advisors Task Force, and fellows of both the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Canadian Academy of Nursing. 

As a founding BC NP Association President in 2005, she led a fledgling association from an NP support network to the leading advocacy group for BC NPs, influencing implementation of the first independent contract for NPs. As well, through her work as an adjunct professor at both University of British Columbia and University of Victoria, she continues to influence new professionals teaching about policy, health equity, leadership and mentoring future leaders. 
During Natasha’s tenure as the Chief Nurse and Professional Practice Officer in BC, she led a vision for provincial nursing practice and expanded supportive policy not just for the NP role but for all nursing designations. She analyzed and developed policy to optimize scope, remove legislative barriers, and ensure all nursing designations were a strong part of health system transformation.

Dr. Helen Brown, Professor

Excellence in Advancing Nursing Knowledge and Research

As a professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Dr. Helen Brown’s research career has been devoted to using community-based and participatory methods to work with Indigenous communities across western Canada on projects that align with community priorities around health, wellness, cultural continuity and language revitalization. With an extensive record of competitive funding, Helen conducts research with a passion for justice, equity, and the dignity of all persons, drawing on critical, anti-oppressive, anti-colonial and intersectional perspectives to co-develop and enact collaborative research aimed at improving health and social equity for remote, rural and urban equity-deserving communities.

Among her most transformative initiatives has been a program of research designed to generate knowledge and advance equity at the intersection of the health and criminal justice systems using ethnographic, arts-based, decolonizing and participatory mixed methods designs in partnership with and led by Indigenous Elders, peers, community members and researchers. 

Since 2019, Dr. Brown has been co-leading the UBC Transformative Health & Justice Cluster to focus attention on how history, context, relationships, racism, inequity, power, socio-cultural factors and structural violence differentially impact people who face complex and intersecting barriers to health and wellbeing. She has successfully demonstrated the health, wellbeing, and rehabilitation impacts of prison-community partnership programs for and with incarcerated individuals and those who have survived prison. Dr. Brown prioritizes activist research by centering cultural safety and anti-racism within knowledge translation for policy and community impact. Dr. Brown’s mentorship of new nursing researchers is extensive including graduate supervision of Masters and Doctoral students and now as MSN Graduate Coordinator. Dr. Brown’s academic service amplifies knowledge translation through her equity leadership in the School of Nursing that centres safe and respectful engagement with Indigenous Elders, communities, nurses, students and knowledge holders to advance cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism across nursing practice and educational settings.

Dr. Leah Lambert, Clinical Assistant Professor

Excellence in Advancing Nursing Knowledge and Research

As a PhD-prepared Registered Nurse with experience in clinical, academic and research environments, Dr. Leah Lambert has excelled in advancing nursing knowledge and research. She holds a dual appointment as Executive Director and Senior Scientist at BC Cancer and as a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing. Leah conducts applied research embedded in complex healthcare contexts, resulting in real-world contributions to the cancer system.

Leah’s extensive background in funded research showcases her significant accomplishments. Among her research highlights, Leah established a first-of-its-kind department in Canada for Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation and simultaneously built an independent research program. As a principal investigator/co-investigator, Leah secured funding for almost $4 million in grants, including a five-year Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar award.

Leah’s research program demonstrates a clear focus on knowledge mobilization, innovation and impact. Engaging research users, including people with lived and living experience, the research centers on building health system resiliency by tackling systemic equity and workforce challenges across three priority areas: Cancer-Related Health and Healthcare Equity, Model of Care Innovation, and Nursing Workforce Policy and Strategy.

Aligned with BC’s 10-Year Cancer Action Plan, Leah’s applied research directly addresses three priorities identified by BC Cancer and the Ministry of Health, specifically on improving equitable access to cancer care, integrating cancer research and care, and enhancing the cancer care workforce. This research additionally generates contextual knowledge that can be rapidly translated into action, benefiting both cancer patients and nursing practice settings. For example, Leah’s work in co-leading a CIHR-funded Nursing Workforce study generated evidence-based policy recommendations for optimizing the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role. This made-in-BC, evidence-informed nursing research resulted in nine new CNS roles and informed provincial-level nursing policy.

Leah acts as a role model and mentor to new nurse researchers. She has supervised and co-supervised 19 young researchers and has helped trainees secure more than $500,000 in prestigious fellowship awards.

Dr. Michelle Trask, Adjunct Professor

Excellence in Nursing Leadership

Michele Trask, MIHP, DNP, RN, EDAC, CHE, FCAN, is an enthusiastic leader and change agent. Having begun her career in health care as a care aide working in mental health, Michele’s desire to make an impact particularly for those underserved by the health care system led her to pursue a career as a Registered Nurse. She achieved her nursing diploma from Douglas College, then went on to achieve a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing with Honours from the University of British Columbia, Master of International Public Health from the University of Sydney, and most recently her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Duke University. 

Michele’s nursing career has spanned various roles from care provider, educator, consultant, clinical planner, and leader across a variety of specialty areas. Michele currently works as the Director of Professional Practice for Vancouver Acute in Vancouver Coastal Health and is an adjunct professor with the University of British Columbia School of Nursing as well as a Surveyor with Accreditation Canada. She also volunteers as a nurse for Spanish-speaking migrant workers and those whose status may be undocumented or awaiting transition to refugee status. 

Michele’s practice demonstrates her dedication to patient-centered care, fostering leadership and quality improvement. She has published and presented on topics such as creating mentorship models within specialty nursing, reducing waitlists, increasing patients’ participation in their own care, and improving efficiency and cost effectiveness of care. 

Michele was named as one of the inaugural Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Nursing by the Canadian Nurses Association. Additionally, Michele has received multiple awards for leadership, practice, administration and as a member of high functioning teams, including an Award of Excellence Team Category in Early Palliative Intervention from BC Cancer, Health Care Quality and Innovation Team 3M Award from the Canadian College of Health Leaders, and an Award of Excellence in Administration from the former College of Registered Nurses of BC. 

As a nurse leader, Michele is highly respected by her teams and is recognized for her enthusiasm, compassion, and commitment to patient-centered practice.

Scott Beck, Adjunct Professor

Excellence in Nursing Advocacy

Scott Beck, RN, is a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) at BC Cancer, within the Provincial Health Services Authority. Born and raised on Treaty 6 and 7 Territory, Scott now lives and works on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territories of the of the hən̓ q̓ əmin̓ əm̓ -speaking Peoples (including the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm [Musqueam] and Səl̓ílwətaʔ [Tsleil-Waututh] Nations) and the Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh sníchim-speaking Peoples (including the Skwxwú7mesh [Squamish] Nation) in what is colonially known as Vancouver, BC.

Scott’s nursing career spans both inpatient and outpatient cancer care settings. He has served in diverse roles, including as a direct care nurse, graduate student, researcher, instructor, and CNS. These experiences have equipped him with the clinical, theoretical, and methodological skills needed to be an innovator for health and health care equity in the cancer care system.

As one of the first CNSs recruited to BC Cancer and a founding member of the Cancer Health Equity Collaborative, Scott applies advanced nursing knowledge to design population-based interventions that disrupt the impact of stigma, bias and discrimination, and structural violence in cancer care.

Scott is a leader on a model of care project funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, which aims to reduce the challenges faced by people with lived/living experience of health and social inequities. Him and his team are piloting a novel approach to team-based care to address inequities in cancer care access, experiences, and outcomes among groups who are least well-served by the health care system. Scott’s success stems in part from fostering new, values-driven, and reciprocal relationships between BC Cancer and Lived/Living Experience Advisors with firsthand knowledge of health and social inequities.

Kevin Hare,  Adjunct Professor

NNPBC and CANE-BC Joint Award for Planetary Health

Kevin Hare, Senior Executive Director of Operations for BC Cancer, leads the performance of BC Cancer operations across the province. In this role, and as co-chair of the BC Cancer Planetary Health Unit (BCCPHU), Kevin is keenly aware of the environmental impact of health care. He leverages his unique position as a leader within the organization and the larger health care community to implement initiatives that support creating climate-resilient, sustainable health systems. 

As a Registered Nurse, Kevin understands the critical role that nurses play and is well-versed in current research demonstrating nurses are in the best position to enact meaningful change. He also acutely recognizes how the health of our planet directly impacts human health, with implications on cancer incidence and outcomes. As such, he created the Nursing Planetary Health Internship Program at BC Cancer, a program that enables nurses to come out of the line of rotation for 12 weeks to focus on projects that improve planetary health. 

Since January 2024, three cohorts of 12 nurses have completed the fellowship; the only one of its kind in British Columbia. Initiatives implemented have included eliminating plastic bags for chemotherapy distribution, developing a re-usable sharps container and implementing a food waste recycling program. Fellows share their enhanced knowledge with colleagues across the organization and beyond, demonstrating planet-saving value. The most significant impact is that creating a better environment decreases the risk and burden of cancer. 

The program has garnered attention from health organizations across Canada. Many are interested in its design and how to integrate planet-friendly initiatives into their own operations. It is unique in that it was created by nurses to enhance knowledge for nurses to empower nurses. At a pivotal time for our planet, creating a platform to amplify the power of nurses for the good of the planet and the health of its citizens places Kevin Hare as a pioneer in this field.

Dr. Sally Thorne, Professor Emeritus

Lifetime Achievement Award

Sally Thorne is a Professor Emeritus at the UBC School of Nursing in Vancouver, where she has enjoyed a full career in teaching, graduate supervision, administrative leadership and research. Over four decades, she has contributed extensively to knowledge about how the structural and attitudinal context of health care delivery systems intersect with and influence patient and family experience with chronic illness and cancer. 

More recently, her work has taken her into the field of end-of-life care, with a particular focus on systems of support around medical assistance in dying. Sally also has produced a body of published work in nursing philosophy, critical theory, health policy, and applied qualitative research methodology, including the popular text Interpretive Description: Qualitative Research for Applied Practice. She is Editor-in-Chief for the journal Nursing Inquiry and has served on numerous editorial and non-profit health sector boards. A Charter Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Nursing and inaugural Chair of its Advisory Committee, she is also a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the American Academy of Nursing. She was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in 2017, was recognized by the Canadian Nurses Association with its Jeanne Mance Award in 2018, the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022, and in 2023 was appointed a member of the Order of Canada. 

In British Columbia, Sally played a leading role in building nursing’s professional association capacity, first as a founding member of the Association of Registered Nurses of BC and later as a member of the Coalition that created NNPBC -- Canada’s first professional association that includes all nursing designations. She then served on NNPBC’s inaugural Board of Directors and until 2024 was an elected member of its RN Council.