Celebrating the nurses and nurse practitioners who inspired us at the 2024 Excellence in Nursing Awards
Last year’s Nursing Awards of Excellence brought together nurses and nurse practitioners from across BC to celebrate the heart of the profession — compassion, innovation, and leadership in action. From rural clinics to research labs, the 2024 recipients reminded us how deeply nurses shape the health and wellbeing of our communities.
From advancing equity and planetary health to reimagining patient-centred care, this year’s honourees reflect the depth and diversity of nursing practice in BC. Their stories remind us of the compassion, expertise, and vision that drive the profession forward.
Nursing Awards of Excellence recipients for 2024
Learn more about each of the recipients in the 2024 Nursing Awards of Excellence gala program.
Lifetime Achievement
Sally Thorne, RN PhD DSc (Hon) FAAN FCAHS FCAN CM
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.
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.
Excellence in Nursing Practice
Suzanne Horn, RN
Suzanne Horn, RN, has practiced as a nurse clinician in the Oncology Clinic at BC Children’s Hospital for more than 30 years, where she cares for patients and families from the day they receive an oncology diagnosis until two years post treatment. Suzanne provides exemplary, comprehensive, family-centered nursing care for pediatric oncology patients, and demonstrates expertise in the administration of chemotherapy, patient assessment, and management of complex care needs in the clinic’s dynamic environment.
Suzanne’s positivity and exceptional nursing skills have an incredible impact on her colleagues and the families she cares for. In what can often be a challenging environment, her optimism and knowledge create a sense of safety and reassurance. Parents and caregivers know they are in capable hands, as Suzanne fosters an atmosphere where they feel heard and supported, no matter the situation. Suzanne is consistently commended for leadership and mentorship of junior nursing staff and students, and despite her demanding schedule, she is never too busy to teach or explain her rationale. Suzanne’s positive attitude and knowledge sharing makes her a role model for nurses and nurse clinicians alike.
Barbara Ann Nielsen, MScN NP(F)
Barbara Nielsen is a dedicated Nurse Practitioner, having worked in primary care across British Columbia for 17 years, first as a Registered Nurse for 14 years. She is committed to enhancing patient health and wellbeing for patients of all backgrounds, and particularly for those in rural, remote and underserved areas.
Throughout Barbara’s career as an NP and RN, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care, tailored to each patient’s unique individual needs. Barbara believes in administering a holistic approach to her care, thus addressing the physical, emotional, and social aspects of health care, which has allowed her to build strong, trusting relationships with her patients, empowering them through education and advocacy.
Outstanding Patient-Centered Team
PICC Opportunities for Kids (POKe) and Pediatric IV Outpatient Therapy (PIVOT)
Children requiring long courses of IV (intravenous) therapy often require PICCs (peripherally inserted central catheters) to avoid frequent needle pokes and to ensure safe medication administration. Through collaboration, innovation, and unwavering commitment to improving access to care, a small team from the BC Children’s Hospital created the POKe Project: PICC Opportunities for Kids. The team worked closely with key provincial and national partners to develop an innovative care pathway for patients requiring PICC insertions. Through this collaboration, Vascular Access Team nurses were specially trained to insert PICCS in pediatric patients. Furthermore, this team developed a model to educate, train and support caregivers to administer IV antibiotics to children in the comfort of their own home. This let to the establishment of the Pediatric IV Outpatient Therapy “PIVOT” program, dedicated to ensuring safe and effective transition of care from hospital to the home environment. Without PIVOT, these children and their families would have had to remain in hospital for the duration of their treatment.
POKe and PIVOT have demonstrated the effectiveness of such an innovative process for ensuring delivery of family-centred care. With POKe and PIVOT, the team has helped 100+ children return home, collectively reduced their time spent at BC Children’s Hospital by over 2100 hospital days and enabed BC Children’s Hospital to reallocate over $6.2 million in costs avoided and helped to ensure hospital beds are available for children who need them.
Excellence in Nursing Education
Jill Mahy, RN MSN
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.
Manuela Reekie, BSc BSN MN RN
Manuela is the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning for the Faculty of Health and Social Development at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus and is a tenured professor of teaching in the School of Nursing.
Foundational to Manuela’s teaching philosophy are contemporary pedagogies that use teaching methods and learning strategies that encourage mutual learning. She seeks thoughtful, respectful and collaborative engagement and dialogue, and ensures learning materials are stimulating and relevant. Manuela actively engages the learner, aims to provide opportunities for learners to develop and draw upon personal interests, and creates safe learning environments that demonstrate passion, empathy, and respect.
Excellence in Nursing Leadership
Natasha Prodan-Bhalla, DNP BScN MN NP(A)
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.
Michele Anne Trask, MPH DNP RN FCAN EDAC CHE
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 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.
Excellence in Advancing Nursing Knowledge & Research
Helen Brown, PhD RN
As a professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Dr. Helen Brown’s research career has been devoted to using communitybased 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.
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.
Leah Lambert, RN PhD
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 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.
Champion of Nursing
Alix Arndt, BA MA
Alix Arndt, BA, MA, has demonstrated an enduring dedication to the nursing profession for more than 12 years, bringing her expertise in business, healthcare, project management, and non-profits to pivotal roles with both the Association of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC (NNPBC) and the former Association of Registered Nurses of BC (ARNBC). She provided operational expertise, strategic communications, media relations, advocacy, project and risk management all while collaborating closely with nursing leaders to ensure the work was positioned as unified, patientcentred, and with nursing led and focused solutions.
A key player in the creation of NNPBC, Alix’s work on business plans, infrastructure, communications, and focus groups directly with nurses was instrumental in launching Canada’s first unified professional nursing association. For her exemplary contributions and unwavering support for nursing, Alix Arndt was recognized with the Champion of Nursing award.
Excellence in Nursing Advocacy
Jennifer Buck, DNP
Jennifer Buck is a highly accomplished healthcare leader and advocate, dedicated to promoting equitable healthcare access and decolonizing health systems. With a diverse and extensive background in primary care, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to providing culturally safe, trauma-informed care to vulnerable populations. Her clinical expertise spans geriatrics, substance use, Indigenous healthcare, reproductive health, and gender-affirming care, among others.
Through all of Jennifer’s work, she demonstrates a passion for advocacy, exemplary leadership and dedication to improving healthcare systems.
Jag Tak, LPN
Jag Tak has been practising as a Licensed Practical Nurse for more than 25 years, and throughout his career has been a steadfast advocate of excellence in nursing practice, leadership and education. Having begun his LPN career in medical/surgical and orthopedic surgical units, Jag subsequently developed a passion for teaching the next generations of nurses and has been an integral member of the nursing education program as an instructor, manager, and program director at Stenberg College for more than 17 years.
Jag’s contributions to nursing advocacy in BC have been myriad and profound. As an enthusiastic educator, collaborative councillor, compassionate mentor, dedicated leader, and engaged nurse, Jag truly drives nursing excellence in BC.
Innovation in Nursing
Scott M. Beck, MSN MPH RN
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 hən ̓ q ̓ əmin ̓ əm ̓-speaking Peoples (including the xʷməθkʷəy ̓ əm [Musqueam] and Səl ̓ ílwətaʔ [Tsleil-Waututh] Nations) and the Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh sníchim-speaking Peoples (including the Skwxwú7mesh [Squamish] Nation) in what is colonially known as Vancouver, BC.
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’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.
Indigenous Health Leadership
Nikki Rose Hunter-Porter (Stuxstews), RN MN
Nikki Rose Hunter-Porter, a proud member of Secwépemc Nation from St’uxstews (Bonaparte First Nation), is a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Indigenous Cultural Safety with the Indigenous Cancer Control team at BC Cancer. As an advocate for Indigenous health and a leader in addressing systemic racism, she is at the forefront to decolonize healthcare practices and support Indigenous patients in receiving culturally safe care.
Her work, grounded in a strengths-based approach, exemplifies how to uphold the sovereignty, dignity, and rights of Indigenous communities, offering a path forward for healthcare that truly respects and honors Indigenous knowledge and healing practices.
NNPBC & CANE-BC Joint Award for Planetary Health
Barbara J Astle, PhD RN FCAN FAAN
Barbara Astle, PhD, RN, FCAN, FAAN is an internationally recognized professor and director for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at Trinity Western University. Barbara’s expertise in global health now spans 25 years; she was the first to integrate planetary health into a fundamentals nursing textbook; the Planetary Health Report Card, which she co-authored, into an undergraduate nursing program; and the Planetary Health Education Framework (PHEF), which she also co-authored, into planetary and global health curricula.
Since early in Barbara’s career, she recognized how major disruptions to our Earth’s natural systems simultaneously impact the health and wellbeing of our planet – one of the most urgent public health issues of our time. As an educator, she has expanded undergraduate and graduate global health curricula to include concepts for the emerging field of planetary health; and is devoted to equity-oriented critical research, teaching her courses alongside Indigenous scholars to ensure that the Indigenous Knowledge and Ways remain nested within planetary health scholarship
Kevin Hare, MBA BSN RN
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 climateresilient, 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. 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.
Rising Star
Manveer Cheema, RPN
Manveer completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing in December 2020. In her four years as a practicing RPN, Manveer has developed clinical experience in various areas of mental health, including inpatient psychiatry, psychiatry emergency care, community programs, and leadership roles.
Manveer continually seeks to implement progressive ideas that enhance nursing practice and patient experience and outcomes. Her unwavering dedication to patients, commitment to professional growth, exceptional leadership skills, and innovative thinking demonstrate all the ways in which she reflects the qualities of a rising star.
