With 74 individual and team nominations this year, the PHSA+ Awards give staff the chance to celebrate their peers who are serving patients, clients, families and communities with excellence and compassion, while bringing PHSA’s values to life each and every day.
The stories and examples shared in the PHSA+ Award nominations—from nominators who are working alongside nominees and see what they do firsthand—remind us that people across PHSA are serving with incredible passion and purpose to keep British Columbians safe, healthy and well. The executive leadership team expresses their sincere gratitude to all of our staff who make our specialized services possible, and who contribute to building a positive workplace culture by offering care and support to everyone around them.
Since announcing the nominees for this year's PHSA+ Awards, an awards selection committee made up of leaders, employees, and past winners, took on the challenging task of evaluating those nominations. Today, it is our pleasure to introduce the outstanding recipients of the 2022 PHSA+ Awards.
Executive Director, Clinical Operations, Emergency, Trauma & Access and Specialized Pediatrics, BC Children's Hospital & BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre
“Christy Hay symbolizes instrumental leadership within PHSA, she always provides expert oversight, maintains a vast portfolio as an Executive Director, and has an outstanding ability to prioritize collaboration and engagement, the last of which I believe to be her greatest strength. She always demonstrates respect for her colleagues, has incredible compassion for all and enthusiastically empowers others to innovate.”
Manager, Health Emergency Management BC, Health Emergency Management BC
“Ita’s 31 years of healthcare experience, along with her calm and reassuring demeanour, make her a trusted and valued source among her HEMBC colleagues and PHSA staff and leadership alike. Her sense of purpose is derived from knowing that meaningful stakeholder partnership and collaboration are paramount to effective emergency management and the continuity of healthcare service. Ita is always enthusiastic when sharing her expertise.”
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Nurse Clinician, BC Children’s Hospital
“Joanna McKay exemplifies the best in us. She is often the first person a distressed colleague may reach to for help when they are struggling with complex patient mental health problems. Our staff know if there is an “emotional fire” burning on a medical unit - you can count on Joanna to be there with them and jump past the flames of stigma and fear with courage, compassion, and immensely practical support.”
Manager, Harm Reduction & Overdose Response, BC Centre for Disease Control
“Sara has an incredible work ethic and a steadfast commitment to the BCCDC harm reduction team. In the midst of an incredibly difficult public health emergency, Sara has worked tirelessly to support our team through authentic relationships, genuine care, and a commitment to ethical values. She is a champion of including people with lived and living experience of substance use in discussions around policymaking and practice. In all that she does, she demonstrates humility, curiosity, and a desire to understand people.”
Program: BC Children's Hospital
Team contact: Sabrina Gill
“The BC Children's Hospital Youth Advisory Committee brings a lens and voice of youth justice, equity, inclusion and diversity into projects and research on a provincial level and on-campus at BCCH. Their input has improved how health professionals communicate with youth more respectfully and inclusively on a variety of initiatives including family pamphlets, research survey question wording, and educational and academic conferences.”
Program: Indigenous Health
Team contact: Bradley Anderson
“The Indigenous Youth Wellness (IYW) team embodies First Nations values and teachings that also align with PHSA values to inspire hope in Indigenous youth. They do this by connecting Indigenous youth to their identity and culture through innovative programming, driven by the communities they work with, and rooted in ancestral values and teachings. The IYW team operates with a high level of integrity, honesty, and humility with community partners across the province. The team’s work supports self-determination and exemplifies 'good medicine' for Indigenous youth.”
Program: BC Cancer
Team contact: Lynne Nakashima
“The BC Cancer Pharmacy Provincial Professional Practice Council (P4C) members are some of the most dedicated and committed individuals I have ever met! They bring an enthusiasm and excitement to each meeting and they put themselves forward to take on some of the most challenging situations. There is no 'quit' in this team – they simply put their heads down and get the work done. At the core of the P4C decision-making process is the consideration for our patients and their families. It takes a special kind of person to thrive in the oncology setting and, when you bring together many like-minded individuals, compassion is a foundational element of all that they do together."
Program: Quality, Safety and Outcome Improvement
Team contacts: Janie Nichols, Vladlena Abed
“The PHSA Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) practitioner team exceeded expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite difficult times, they cultivated partnerships with a myriad of internal and external stakeholders to serve others and offer guidance to protect patients, visitors and staff throughout the pandemic. This team is the first point of contact for direct care providers, leaders for IPAC guidance and frontrunners for ensuring best practices and patient-centred care. They work with courage, compassion, agility and integrity."
Program: BC Emergency Health Services and PHSA People & Culture
Team contact: Jeanette LeBlanc
“This team is a shining example of creative, innovative and collaborative teamwork, producing measurable results with enough content to last us three to five years, and most importantly – engaging our staff on the importance of the work they do every day, while going to market to find them team mates to share the load. It's incredible to see PHSA and BCEHS lead the way in the recruitment space, and innovate through unscripted, authentic and measurable digital storytelling."
Team Lead, Supply Chain
“Afaf has prioritized fostering a positive workplace culture ever since the beginning of her leadership journey. She collaborates across the Supply Chain team and external stakeholders to build a career ladder for employees. Afaf exudes hope and does all this work with a smile on her face.”
We thank you all for your dedication and extraordinary work to improve the lives of British Columbians. We appreciate the impact you have made on your colleagues, patients, and this organization as a whole.
We also want to acknowledge everyone who submitted a nomination for a peer or team this year. Taking the time to recognize people who are inspirational around you is a perfect example of a supportive and positive workplace culture.
As proud as we are of this PHSA+ Award recipients, it’s also important to recognize that good work, grounded in quality care, cultural safety, and operational excellence, is happening all across our organization. Whether or not this work is celebrated with an award, it is valued, and that every moment staff give to this calibre of service adds up to better care experiences and outcomes for all.
Please keep an eye out for stories on this year’s PHSA+ Award recipients in the weeks to come as well as on our social media channels.
