Biographical Info
Daniela is the Volunteer Coordinator and Community Social Worker at Hospice Orillia. She completed her placement with Hospice Orillia in both her Bachelor and Masters of Social Work degrees. Daniela appreciates the selfless contribution of our volunteers and is grateful to work alongside them to serve the community. She is honoured to be invited into the journey of her clients and their circle of support and to be a part of such an incredible team.
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Kathlene has over 9 years of Palliative Care Experience. She has worked at RVH on the Palliative Oncology Unit in both an RPN and RN capacity as well as in local LTC homes and with the Public Health Unit. She has a passion for palliative care and the way people think about it. Kathlene’s dream has been to join the NSMHPCN team since she started her nursing journey. She enjoys health teaching and providing education/mentorship. She is looking forward to making connections and being involved with the Collingwood and area communities to support their palliative needs.
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Laura has been a Registered Nurse for 10 years, graduating from Trent University in 2012. She began her nursing career in Long Term Care in the Peterborough region, which sparked her passion for hospice palliative care. From there, she moved to the South Georgian Bay region and worked as a visiting nurse with SE Health. Here, her case load was primarily palliative patients and she found her niche in mentoring and education along with modelling excellent palliative care. In 2017, she moved to Hospice Georgian Triangle, working at Campbell House as a Registered Nurse. It is also where she also participated in mentoring and teaching and fully realized her passion for teaching. Laura achieved her certification in Hospice Palliative Care in 2022. Laura is excited to join the team at NSMHPCN as an Education Facilitator.
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Originally from the UK, Louise’s background is in community development, patient engagement and project management. Her passion lies in bringing Palliative Care into the community and putting the person at the centre of their care and journey. She feels privileged to be working with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals to deliver care to those most vulnerable in our community. She believes that compassion is contagious and is aiming for an epidemic.
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Hi! My name is Trooper and I am a two year old lab/retriever mix. I have joined the Hospice Orillia team after completing two years of training through the COPE Service Dog program where I spent my time learning over 90 commands. I’m looking forward to getting to work with both the Volunteer Visitors program and the Bereavement Services programs.
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Stefanie is the Visiting Hospice Coordinator, Social Worker at Hospice Orillia. Stefanie is passionate about supporting individuals experiencing life-threatening illnesses, as well as their caregivers and loved ones. Stefanie has a Master’s Degree in Social Work, and has experience working and volunteering at various hospices and healthcare organizations in Ontario. Stefanie considers it a true honour to be given the opportunity to walk alongside others in their journey, and support them in whatever way they need it. Stefanie is thrilled to be a part of Hospice Orillia.
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Inge started her career in nursing in 1983 in The Netherlands. Immigrating to Canada in 1988, she settled in the north part of Simcoe. Inge has been a community nurse for the past 13 years and loved every minute of it. Her path has taken her to specializing in palliative care. Inge hopes to make an imprint in moving palliative care thinking and caring for the patient along in a healthy and spiritual way.
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Nancy brings with her many years of both hospital and community nursing, as well as a love of complementary medicine. Nancy believes that it was her role as a Community Nurse that truly birthed her love for the dying. She provides palliative consultation and pain and symptom management, cross sector from Hospital, Community, LTC & Retirement Homes in Collingwood & Wasaga Beach areas.
“Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another.” – George Elliot
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Sidney is a recent graduate from the Bachelor of Social Work program at Lakehead University. She has experience in grief, bereavement, and loss while working both with children and older adults. Sidney is passionate about helping others and is excited to work alongside the compassionate and caring multidisciplinary team that is Hospice Orillia. She is honoured to be a part of an organization that is dedicated to guiding individuals through their journey of life.
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Sherry is an inspirational and compassionate Registered Nurse with over 35 years of acute care nursing. Her journey has consisted of Critical Care Nursing (ICU and Coronary Care) and leadership in the Critical Care Outreach Team to improve patient outcomes and patient quality of life. Sherry is a life-long learner and has embraced a variety of educational opportunities such as mentoring and coaching novice to expert healthcare providers in the clinical setting, SIM lab, and classroom. She has been a guest speaker for multiple forums educating nurses on palliative care end of life care. Sherry’s diverse clinical experience and educational background has offered her an amazing opportunity to help transform patient and family’s journey through healthcare with a palliative care philosophy that places patient and family at the center of their care.
Sherry has facilitated and contributed to the publishing a palliative care research project “Advanced Care Planning Tool”. She has dedicated her career to supporting patients and families. Sherry believes in promoting a palliative care philosophy so patients and families can live their lives with respect and dignity while living with life-limiting diseases and navigating our perplexing healthcare system. Sherry is honoured to be part of the NSMHPCN.
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, to live the life we have been given.” Joseph Campbell.
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Keely is the Program Assistant at Hospice Orillia. She has worked in many different fields within the Community. She has experience working within our community as a community service worker and providing respite care. She also has experience in administrative roles within Healthcare. Keely has a passion for helping people within our community and is looking forward to working with an organization that supports individuals who may be struggling in life. Keely is very excited to be part of Hospice Orillia.
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Rachel Lapensee is a Registered Nurse, with a BA in health studies and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Rachel comes with years of experience in oncology and palliative care, having worked in hospitals in Ontario, British Columbia and Calgary.
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Julie has been a Registered Nurse for 24 years with a vast ray of experience in Emergency, Intensive Care, Medical, Geriatric and Hospice Palliative Care nursing. She started her nursing career in Texas for 4 years and then returned to Ontario to work at the Collingwood G&M Hospital for 17 years. The past few years Julie has been in palliative care primarily with Hospice Georgian Triangle and Bayshore Home Care. Julie has a passion for teaching and helping patients and their families through their palliative and end of life journey.
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Ashley is the Volunteer & Program Coordinator with Hospice Orillia. She is an accomplished recreation professional within the healthcare field. Ashley has had the pleasure of working with individuals of all ages and provides compassionate care while doing so; combining two of her greatest passions. With years of experience working as an Activity/Life Enrichment Coordinator in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes, she further developed her skills in volunteer management and program facilitation. Ashley is filled with gratitude to be able to work alongside our dedicated volunteers and the entire Hospice Orillia team to give back by supporting the community.
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Sue has been a Registered Nurse for 33 years. Early in her career, she worked with patients with spinal cord injuries in Toronto, then primarily as a Community Visiting Nurse with VON and Bayshore Home Health. As a frontline nurse and Manager of Clinical Practice, she developed a passion for providing the best quality of care to those with life threatening illnesses. Sue is certified in CHPCN (2007), CCHN (2011) and CAPCE (2014). Today, Sue focuses on providing support and education to health care providers, patients and families in Long Term Care facilities, hospital settings and the community.
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Cathryn, who is a Certified Hospice Palliative Care Nurse, began her career in Acute care and became a Critical Care Nurse working in both Canada and the USA. She developed an interest in Palliative Care while working as a Community Nurse. Cathryn joined NSMHPCN in 2019.
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Lynda began her nursing career at RVH in 1987 and worked in ICU, Emergency, and Systemic Therapy until 1999. Lynda continued her work in the Cancer Centre at RVH as Primary Nurse, Team Leader Cancer Care Program and Symptom Management Coordinator from 1999 to 2008. Lynda moved down the 400 to Southlake in 2008 where she worked at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre until 2012 as the Manager Outpatient Cancer Clinics and Program Development, Chemotherapy Suite, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Palliative and Supportive Care, Clinical Trials and the Diagnostic Assessment Unit. Lynda joined Bayshore Home Health, Specialty Rx Division as the Oncology/Palliative Care Clinical Practice Leader and Program Manager and then spent several years with Shopper’s Drug Mart Specialty Health Network as the National Clinical Lead, Infusion/Oncology and Palliative Care until 2015. Most recently Lynda has been employed by Hospice Georgian Triangle as the Residential Care Manager from October 2015 and Interim Executive Director and Privacy Officer from November 2018 to August 2019.
Lynda was on the Clinical Faculty at several educational institutions throughout her career including Centennial College, Georgian College and most recently Georgian College/York University mentoring nursing students in the BScN Collaborative Program. Lynda is extremely passionate about education and is very pleased to be a part of the NSMHPCN team in her role as the Education Facilitator and Palliative Nurse Consultant.
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Hema started her career in Administration in 1998 after immigrating to Canada from Trinidad and Tobago. She brings over 20 years of knowledge, experience and a wide array of expertise to the team.
Adding to her achievements Hema graduated in 2009 with highest honours a Diploma in Medical Transcription. It has always been her ultimate goal and a lifetime dream to work in the health care field.
Hema believes that our life should have balance. She loves watching sunrises, hiking to waterfalls and taking walks along the water’s edge at Lake Couchiching with her husband.She believes that we should never underestimate a moment of KINDNESS, it has the power to change lives in ways you may never know because each person we cross paths with in our lives leaves their footprint on our hearts.
Hema considers her position with the NSMHPCN an honour and looks forward to be working with the team and community.
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Born and raised in Orillia, Amanda brings to the team a background in marketing, event planning, communications, and fundraising. Her passion is being creative and doing her part to ensure the health of our planet for future generations.
With over 10 years experience in the not-for-profit industry and 20 years marketing experience, Amanda brings a wide array of expertise to the team. She considers her position with the Hospice Orillia team as an honor and treasures being able to give back in her community.
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Whitney joined the NSMHPCN in 2014 and came to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience in administration. With over 15 years of administrative management expertise and experience in the not-for-profit sector, Whitney quickly became a valuable asset to the Network. Whitney helps to provide leadership to the NSMHPCN team including staff, volunteers, and all Network committees and is involved in framing key decisions and strategic directions within the mission and values of the NSMHPCN.