Indigenous Health Program Contacts

We work together with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to maintain and improve the health of Indigenous Peoples living on Vancouver Island and surrounding areas.

Vice President's Office

Dawn Thomas, Vice President 
Dawn.Thomas@islandhealth.ca

Heather Harper, Acting Executive Director
Heather.Harper@islandhealth.ca

Laurie Thompson, Executive Admin for the VP and Executive Director
Laurie.Thompson@islandhealth.ca

Indigenous Health Services

Indigenous Health Services Leadership

South Island

Meghan Corder, Director
Meghan.Corder@islandhealth.ca

Alena Peters, Manager
Alena.Peters@islandhealth.ca
 

Central Island

Garrett Elliott, Director
Garrett.Elliott@islandhealth.ca

Valerie Kuilboer
Valerie.Kuilboer@islandhealth.ca
 

West Coast

Jess McConnell, Director
Jess.McConnell@islandhealth.ca

Ruby Ambrose, SI Tertiary Manager
Ruby.Ambrose@islandhealth.ca
 

North Island

Jess McConnell, Director (Temporary Support)
Jess.McConnell@islandhealth.ca

Michelle McClain, Manager 
Irene.McClain@islandhealth.ca

Dean Wilson, Manager 
Dean.Wilson@islandhealth.ca

Cultural Safety & Humility

Sara Weeks, Director
Sara.Weeks@islandhealth.ca

Nadine Morency, Cultural Safety Advisor
Nadine.Morency@islandhealth.ca

Holly Allan, Cultural Safety Advisor
Holly.Allan@islandhealth.ca

Partnerships & Engagement 

Tania Dick, Director
Tania.Dick@islandhealth.ca

Ora-naja Wah-Shee, Primary Care Integration Lead 
Oranaja.Wahshee@islandhealth.ca

 

Learn more about:

Indigenous Health ServicesIndigenous Liaison Nurses & Patient NavigatorsIndigenous Health Diabetes Nurse Educator, Indigenous Health Dietitians, and Indigenous Nurse Practitioners.

News & Events

Thunderbird wing interior entrance

Thunderbird Wing offers private, culturally safe access to Central Nanaimo UPCC

The Thunderbird Wing offers a more discretionary pathway for patients accessing the service, including those who may have experienced sexual assault and require the care of a forensic nurse examiner.

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Cormorant Island, BC

Historic MOU Between ‘Na̱mg̱is First Nation and Island Health to collaborate on health services

A historic Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the ‘Na̱mg̱is First Nation and Island Health to work collaboratively to support health services on Cormorant Island and the surrounding community.

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From left to right: Cassandra Taylor from the Port Hardy Hospital, Fleur Smit-Anseeuw and Brian Rose from the Comox Valley Hospital.

Island Health nurses honoured by First Nation

The Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation held an uplifting feast on January 11, to give thanks for the recovery of an elder who experienced a life threatening illness.

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