Patient & Family Advisory Committee

Clyde, AB

Calgary, AB

Jamie retired in 2014 as City of Cranbrook Director of Engineering Services, completing 40 years of municipal engineering in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. He, and his wife of 33 years, Katie then set to fulfill a lifetime dream as full-time RVers. Their adventure was cut short in 2015 when Katie was diagnosed with stage 3 vaginal cancer which claimed her life in 2016. Jamie subsequently re-located to live with a daughter and family in Calgary later in 2016. He quickly became involved in healthcare activities as a way to “give back” after experiencing the care given and compassion shown by doctors, nurses, and all the other clinicians who tried so hard to preserve Katie’s life and ease her suffering.

Jamie has volunteered at South Campus; and later, Rockyview General Hospital, serving on the Alberta Health Research Ethics Board’s Community Health Committee; as a Food Bank volunteer; and participating in the Primary Health Care Integration Network through Alberta Health Service’s Strategic Care Network. Most recently, Jamie was sponsored by the Strategic Care Network to complete in PaCER training, which educates patients on becoming research-informed voices to benefit health system research, planning, and policy.

Jamie remarried Cathie in 2019 and they live quietly with new puppy Molly. They attend St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Calgary where they are both active on various church committees.

In his spare time, Jamie enjoys gardening, fly fishing, reading and building models of old-time sailing ships. Pre-COVID-19, Jamie has also volunteered as a timekeeper for numerous jumping events at Spruce Meadows. He hopes to continue his volunteer role when the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

PFAC provides Jamie with another opportunity to both “give back” to the healthcare system in general, as well as the privilege of working with wonderful, dedicated folks who are striving to improve the health outcomes of Albertans.

Calgary, AB

Jenny has lived in Calgary since she moved to Canada over twenty years ago. As the primary caregiver to her ageing parents, who have some complex healthcare issues, Jenny understands very well the challenges Albertans are facing navigating the healthcare system. Being a first-generation immigrant whose native language is not English, and through her experience of getting medical help and supporting family members and friends with their healthcare needs, Jenny has also gained insights into the language and cultural barriers many immigrants experience trying to access healthcare services. Jenny is inspired by HQCA’s mission of patient safety, person-centred care, and health service quality on a province-wide basis. She appreciates the opportunity to join the PFAC team and to inform and support HQCA’s work.

Professionally, Jenny has comprehensive experience in information technology, data management, and data engineering. She currently works as the Director of Data Engineering at the Canada Energy Regulator. She has a strong interest in seeing how patient health care information can move seamlessly between providers and the patients themselves, with the goal to put the focus on the patient/family and remove barriers to continuity of care.

Cochrane, AB

Karen believes that all individuals and families using the healthcare system need to have their voices heard in all aspects of their care. As a patient advisor, Karen shares her lived experiences with chronic pain, depression, and M-GUS with the hope that a seed is planted and will grow into effective changes being made in the delivery of patient-centered care.

Karen joined the HQCA’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee in November 2023. She graduated in 2022 from the University of Calgary’s Patient and Community Engagement Research (PaCER) program and is now involved in several research projects as a Patient Researcher. She is also working with AHS on several initiatives, including the Home to Hospital to Home Transitions Guidelines as part of the Patient Resources Team within the Primary Health Care Strategic Clinical Network. (SCN).

Karen is also a member of the Medicine Strategic Clinical Network, the Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network, the Patient Engagement Reference Group (PERG), the Virtual Patient Engagement Network (VPEN), and the Alberta Health Services Patient and Family Council.

Calgary, AB

I am a person who has lived experience with mental health and addictions. I found the obstacles these experiences created to be extremely difficult to overcome in my youth. I was always heavily involved with the social work system, mental healthcare system, addictions system, and foster care system. I now use these experiences as a source of strength and perspective in my role as a Youth Peer Support worker.

Authentically connecting with people and reducing stigma is my passion. I love bringing humor, fun, and creativity to my work in councils, research, consulting, knowledge translation, and beyond! I am proud to be a part of communities working so hard to reduce these obstacles for other young people who are going through what I once did. There is still a lot of work to be done. I believe caring authentically for people and their health will change healthcare outcomes in a beautiful way!

Caslan, AB

Larissa originates from Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement in northern Alberta. She recently obtained a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences and graduated from MacEwan University. She is currently working within her community as a recreation and youth activities facilitator. With a love for her community, Larissa also has four years of guiding, interpreting, and outdoor education experience within the Indigenous tourism industry. She enjoys the forests and lakelands via hiking and kayaking and has a special interest in traditional Indigenous plant relationships.

A long-time student of both science and history, Larissa has always had a curiosity about natural ancestral knowledge and kinship to the land. She shares her passion by connecting with others through land-based learning and storytelling.

Larissa joined the Patient and Family Advisory Committee in November 2023. Her experience with healthcare includes assisting her mother in navigating the healthcare system to seek treatment for her trigeminal neuralgia. Larissa strongly believes in giving the patient a voice in their course of treatment and thinks that by considering a diverse number of experiences and testimonies, the healthcare system can work towards more effective and informed policy and procedure.

Edmonton, AB

Haitian-born spoken word artist Medgine is a person for whom the love of language and the alchemy of words is second nature. Her multi-lingual upbringing (french, creole, english) not only prompted her to begin experimenting with the potential and magic of language, but naturally compelled her into a deep love of poetry. Her work has been featured in CBC, CBC Radio-Canada, Global TV, Skirtsafire Women’s Arts Festival and the Edmonton Poetry Festival.

Over the years, Medgine has been diagnosed with Lupus (SLE), CIDP, Polymyositis and Raynaud’s, all of which has fueled her desire to merge her storytelling into patient advocacy especially those living with chronic illnesses. Medgine is currently an Improvement Facilitator, working in Primary Care and constantly brings her patient-lens when supporting family physicians and clinics. Medgine is passionate about providing tools and resources to equip discouraged dreamers living with chronic health conditions, so that they can live their most fulfilling lives. She is currently working on her first collection of poetry.

Nana’s professional career has focused on the non-profit sector and she recently moved into post-secondary education, working with the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. She enjoys working on projects that impact Albertans in terms of better health treatment, care, and research.

In her personal life, Nana identifies as part of the “sandwich generation,” meaning that she and her husband provide care to her two children, and her senior parents who are deaf. Nana enjoys listening to podcasts and audiobooks, as well as volunteering in areas where she believes she can make a difference. She served previously as a board member for an organization that supported deaf and hard of hearing individuals and families. Recently, she has been volunteering more in the health sector, trying to help create a path of accessibility for those who might find it harder to access healthcare. This is the primary reason Nana joined the Patient and Family Advisory Committee, to make a difference in the area of accessibility. Because of her parents’ hearing impairment, she feels keenly aware of the layers of complexity they experience when accessing health care services that she, as a hearing person, does not.

Lethbridge, AB

Teena serves as an active and avid volunteer in her community. Currently, she focuses on her work as a Toastmaster and as a literacy tutor for adults with Read On, a program through the Lethbridge Public Library. Prior to receiving a disability pension, Teena held many professional positions, including her 15 years of service as an air traffic controller in the military.

Teena’s experience with the healthcare system started with her diagnostic journey regarding multiple sclerosis (MS). This journey included her family, and uncovered other important experiences and details about care she received during infancy and childhood. Teena joined the Patient and Family Advisory Committee because believes in the value of oversight of the healthcare system by a third-party organization. Without outside oversight, she believes a system will fail or stagnate. Teena has seen first-hand the spectacular elements, as well as the struggles, of Alberta’s healthcare system. Teena is proud to inform and support the HQCA’s work to monitor the system and recognize where good work is happening.

Fort McMurray, AB

Todd is a paramedic by trade and currently working in the oilsands under emergency and security management. As a lifelong resident of Fort McMurray, he has a deep knowledge of the pros and cons of healthcare programs in a remote northern community, as well as what’s required to be successful within the region itself. A former Chair of the AHS Wood Buffalo Health Advisory Council, Todd has been deeply involved in the communication and improvement of our healthcare system. With his experience as a patient after having gastric bypass surgery through AHS, participation in the adult Weight Management program and mental health system navigation stemming from the 2016 wildfire, Todd is a valuable resource for patient-driven care.

Todd believes healthcare is one of the most prominent issues facing Albertans today, and that to solve its issues requires a communal effort from a diverse group of individuals, which is why he is passionate about being part of the solution as a member of the HQCA’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee.