2026 NNPBC Nursing Awards Recipients

This award honours nursing professionals who champion equity, justice and systemic change through public awareness. 

Melissa is the Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), where she leads system-wide efforts to embed equity, cultural safety and anti-racism into practices and policies. With a clear vision for change, she has grown her team from one to a multidisciplinary group of 13, helping drive transformation across PHSA and the broader provincial health sector.

“The impact I am most proud of is amplifying the voices of those individuals who are on the margins. This facilitates change in both people and systems.” 

This award celebrates those who shape and inspire the next generation of nursing professionals.   

Lisa was instrumental in developing Thompson Rivers University’s Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner program. Her work supported the launch of the first cohort in 2023 and increased access to NP education in BC’s southern Interior, preparing graduates to serve rural and underserved communities. As an assistant professor, Lisa is known for her hands-on, practice-based approaches, and has even explored using escape rooms to teach complex topics and strengthen clinical reasoning.

Lisa’s advice for students: “Be curious! Ask the difficult questions! Context and clinical reasoning are integral to applying evidence-based approaches to care… Believe in yourself, we do!” 

This award recognizes early-career nurses who are already making meaningful contributions in their practice.

Abby Delmar is an LPN at Yucalta Lodge, where she provides resident-centred care and helps strengthen team practice. Just two years into practice, Abby has already made a notable impact by helping redesign the facility’s care plan format into a clear, one-page tool and supporting staff in applying assessment standards, leading to more consistent documentation, a clearer understanding of resident needs and stronger care planning.

“What I love most about being a nurse is the connections you make with people. Not only with the patients I care for but also with their families and friends. These connections often turn into forever memories that you carry close to your heart.”

This award recognizes nursing students whose dedication and vision inspire future-focused leadership.   

Trevor is an employed student nurse in the BScN program at Vancouver Island University. He previously worked as a pharmacy technician in community and hospital settings, including the emergency department, and now applies that experience as a third-year student nurse at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, where he is known for his clinical judgment and patient-centred approach.  He also supports peers through tutoring and hosts a university radio program that makes complex health topics easier to understand.

 “Once I graduate, I am planning on specializing in emergency nursing. I hope to bring a calm comforting presence to all patients who seek care in the Emergency Room… I aim to be a strong patient advocate, and to treat every patient with respect and dignity.”

This award celebrates nursing professionals who transform care through bold innovation and evidence-informed action.  

Lillian is advancing dementia and aging care across BC. As a faculty member at UBC, Canada Research Chair and founder of the Innovation in Dementia and Aging (IDEA) Lab, she brings nurses, patients, families and researchers together to co-design solutions grounded in real care. Designing in partnership with frontline staff and families, Lillian draws on approaches like   virtual reality, social robotics and sensory-based programs that support connection, reduce distress and promote dignity. 

Lillian leads this work with a focus on collaboration and impact: ”What I’m most proud of is shifting the way we do this work from designing care for people to creating it with them. Through co-research, co-design, and creative initiatives like music, dance, and social robotics, we’ve created moments of joy, connection, and meaning in care settings.” 

This award recognizes nursing professionals who lead change across teams, systems and the profession. 

Cheryl serves as Chief Nursing and Allied Health Officer and Professional Practice Leader at Interior Health, where she leads work to advance nursing practice, workforce development and system transformation. 

With more than 40 years of frontline and leadership experience, Cheryl has driven system-level change that improves how nurses work and how patients receive care, from creating stable roles for new graduates to helping advise and implement BC’s minimum nurse-to-patient ratios policy. Known for her collaborative, grounded leadership, she has strengthened partnerships across government, health authorities and Indigenous communities while mentoring others and shaping the future of nursing in BC.

“The nursing profession is well positioned to address the social determinants of health and reduce health care disparities in underserved communities…  AI is being integrated into systems to address routine tasks allowing nurses to spend more time caring for patients, clients and residents… The future looks very bright.” 

Join us in celebrating Cheryl and this year’s award recipients at the NNPBC Nursing Awards Gala.

Co-presented by NNPBC and the Canadian Nurses Association, this award recognizes transformative leaders whose careers have left a lasting mark on the nursing profession.

Cathy retired in 2023 after a four-decade career, including 16 years as president and CEO of Northern Health, bringing a deep understanding of rural care shaped by her early nursing work in northern Manitoba and BC. 

Cathy has helped advance education for rural healthcare professionals, rural care delivery and research, including playing a key role in establishing the Rural Nursing Certificate Program and Northern Medical Program at the University of Northern BC, and leading innovative initiatives at Northern Health such as the NH Connections bus service and a physician co-leadership model. In 2024, she was awarded the Order of British Columbia, the province’s highest honour.

Reflecting on her career, Cathy shares: “Nursing is a people centric career and was the reason I chose the nursing profession in 1977… It is the people I had the privilege of serving in communities across the north that have mattered the most… It has been a privilege to learn what is important to people, their families and communities and to partner with health care providers, community leaders and community organizations to enable improvements to health and wellbeing.”

Co-presented by NNPBC and CANE-BC, this award honours commitment to sustainable practice and environmental advocacy in nursing. 

Raluca is a Planetary Health Consultant and Adjunct Professor at UBC School of Nursing. She coordinated the development of Providence Health Care’s first planetary health strategy, helping reduce the environmental impact of care and prepare for climate-related risks such as extreme heat events.

While working with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, Raluca led international climate change education initiatives focused on the health co-benefits of mitigation.

At UBC, she transformed one of the first undergraduate courses on climate change and health into an experiential classroom that helped students better understand both the theory and what climate solutions look like in practice across local communities.

Her work reflects a strong sense of purpose: “What began as a pursuit has become a profound calling — one that has grounded me in a growing community united by a shared commitment to steward our planet’s resources and safeguard the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems in the face of accelerating climate change.”

Presented by NNPBC Primary Care Programs, this award honours exceptional leadership, innovation and measurable impact in primary care.

This team is being recognized for delivering nurse-led care that is culturally grounded, relationship-based and responsive to lived realities, strengthening trust and wellness in the community it serves. They use a “circle of care” model that brings together nurse practitioners, registered nurses, outreach licensed practical nurses, foot care nurses and a range of allied providers.

They focus on meeting people where they are, including in on-reserve and community settings, and prioritize adapting care to real-life circumstances. This approach has strengthened trust, improved engagement in care, strengthened health outcomes and helped prevent avoidable crises.

Their work is grounded in collaboration and persistence: “What we’re most proud of as a team is that we don’t take a ‘no’ from the system as the end of the road… We don’t expect people to come to us or fit into rigid boxes, we go to them… It’s about working around system limitations, not passing them on.” 

Co-presented by NNPBC and the First Nations Health Authority, this award celebrates First Nations and Indigenous health leadership rooted in community, culture and healing.

Juliet is a proud Gwichy’a nurse from the Northwest Territories. For more than three decades, she has worked in hospitals, public health, home care, maternal-child health, Indigenous health leadership, and community wellness programs across the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and British Columbia.

Juliet is the Site Manager of the Cormorant Island Community Health Centre on the traditional lands of the ‘Namgis First Nation in Alert Bay, a remote island community off the northern tip of Vancouver Island.

In her role, Juliet works closely with the ‘Namgis First Nation health team to ensure care reflects local values, traditions and priorities. She integrates culturally grounded practices into care, from supporting traditional foods like locally sourced fish and seafood in long-term care meals to creating spaces for families and community members to gather during end-of-life care.“As an Indigenous leader, I have a strong sense of cultural safety and awareness… This approach provides the community members the opportunity to have their voice heard, their concerns addressed with empathy and compassion. These essential components provide an environment of cultural safety build on respect, dignity, and advocacy.”

This award honours nursing professionals whose hands-on practice transforms patient outcomes and community health.

The team is being recognized for delivering safe, compassionate care in a high-pressure environment marked by staffing shortages, service disruptions and ongoing system change. Despite these challenges, they have maintained continuity of care for the Williams Lake community through strong collaboration, adaptability and a shared commitment to patients.

Juliet is the Site Manager of the Cormorant Island Community Health Centre on the traditional lands of the ‘Namgis First Nation in Alert Bay, a remote island community off the northern tip of Vancouver Island.

They have integrated Teledoc services to expand access for people in rural and remote areas and supported the onboarding of travel nurses to help maintain consistent care. Beyond clinical care, they have contributed to environmental sustainability through participation in the Green Bench PPE Recycling Project, helping divert nearly 10,000 pounds of waste from landfills.“The true impact of our team’s work is seen not just in improved patient outcomes, but in the trust we’ve built with our community, the mentorship we offer within the profession, and the hope we restore every day through our commitment to excellence. In the face of constant change, we have not only adapted, we have evolved.”