Date: May 07 2024 Time: 10 am PST Join CHPCA in celebrating National Hospice Palliative Care Week on Tuesday, May 7 for The Palliative...
From left to right: Jenna Kiesman, Clara Dyck, Michelle Turner, Lisa Matthews, Jennifer Pace, Helen Augustin (Financial Assistant), Kevin Rothwell. Not pictured, Ashna Rawji.
Leadership Team
Our interdisciplinary team strive to lead with integrity, Inclusiveness, compassion, excellence and accountability.
Lisa Matthews, BScN, MPH
Executive Director
Lisa Matthews is the Executive Director of the North Okanagan Hospice Society.
She is a proud Registered Nurse, who graduated from Dalhousie University with Bachelor degree in Nursing and following this, completed a Master’s in Public Health from Michigan State University with a focus on healthcare quality and patient safety.
Lisa’s career has spanned 35 years and 5 continents. This includes health system development, quality and accreditation, and professional development of healthcare professionals. Her time spent internationally taught her the importance of imbedding culture in healthcare delivery. She is a leader that knows the importance of continuing education in the development of healthcare workers. Lisa Is passionate about ensuring the healthcare services that we deliver are safe for both our patients and healthcare workers, and they are of the highest quality. She feels healthcare delivery that induces trust and confidence is what our communities deserve.
When she is not working, she is playing on the slopes or in the lake with her husband and 2 kids whilst chasing her blind mini dachshund around.
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Jennifer Pace, CPA, CGA, MBA
Financial Officer
Mrs. Pace has held her CPA designation since 2001 and completed her Masters of Business Administration in 2008.
Mrs. Pace started as NOHS’s Controller in the Spring of 2022 coming from a history of industry and non-profit organizations.
Prior to joining NOHS Mrs. Pace was the CFO for Maven Brands for 3 years. She was also Controller and CFO at Progressive Air Services a privately owned airplane engine manufacturer, as well Mrs. Pace was a long-time employee, and ended her tenure as the Controller, for PRT Growing Services (annual revenues of $100 million) where she started in 2004 as the Operations Accountant. Mrs. Pace is also an avid volunteer in her community for non-profit organizations including Habitat for Humanity, the Army, Navy & Airforce Veterans in Canada, and the Royal Canadian Legion.
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Kevin Rothwell
Fund Development and Communications Officer
Kevin has a background in communications, non-profit management, business development and business ownership.
Kevin is a British Columbia Association of Broadcasters Journalist of the Year award winner and continues to write and broadcast on Vernon’s 107.5 Beach Radio and Vernon Matters online news portal. He is also an MC and Benefit auctioneer helping numerous organizations raise funds locally and around BC.
He is passionate about communicating the importance of hospice to North Okanagan residents and helping provide resources to support those services.
He has served as a volunteer director on the board of Vernon and District Community Living, Vernon Winter Carnival Board. He is currently serving on the board of the Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce.
Kevin and his wife Darlene have three adult children and live in Vernon with their two dogs, four fish and one cat.
250-306-1112
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Michelle Turner, BSCN (Hons)
Hospice Manager
Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Michelle brings over 20 years of management experience to her role as Hospice Manager.
In addition to 8 years experience in the healthcare industry, Michelle has also worked with international corporations on the recruitment and retention of healthcare staff, developing each employee’s professional development.
Notably, Michelle formerly managed policy regulation, legislative compliance, and security measures for Her Majesty’s Prison Service.
Outside of work, Michelle enjoys creating art in her studio, spending time with her children and walking the family cocker spaniel.
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Jenna Kiesman, BA
Community Program Manager
With over a decade of experience in nonprofit organizations, Jenna brings her passion and creative energy to the management of volunteers and community outreach opportunities at NOHS.
A lifelong learner, Jenna received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2011 from the UBC Vancouver and is currently completing the “Nonprofit Management” Associate Certificate through BCIT.
Jenna previously worked for Canadian Blood Services in Kelowna and relocated with her young family to Vernon in February 2022.
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Clara Dyck, RN, MSN, CHPCN(C)
Education and Resource Leader
Clara is the Education and Resource Leader at North Okanagan Hospice Society in Vernon, B.C.
She is research partner with Dr. Sharon Kaasalainen and McMaster University in the Strengthening A Palliative Approach in Long Term Care and Associate Member of the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Preventions, University of British Columbia. She uses her expertise and knowledge of death and dying to support people along the care continuum from diagnosis of a life limiting illness to bereavement, at all the healthcare touch points. Her breadth of knowledge of end-of-life care ranges from whole person symptom management, Advanced Care Planning to care of the dying in a culturally sensitive trauma-informed manner.
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Ashna Rawji, RN, BScN, MN
Care Team Leader
Prior to joining NOHS Ashna Rawji had been practicing as a Registered Nurse in Alberta for 25 years.
She began her nursing career in 1998 at the Foothills Medical Center in Calgary working on a surgical oncology unit where she had her first experience working with palliative and end of life care patients. She then carried on with bedside nursing in General surgery and the Intensive Care Unit at the Peter Lougheed Hospital. Ashna returned to her roots in Central Alberta where she worked in the Emergency Department at the Red Deer Regional Hospital. She decided to give teaching a try for a 6 week course in the Red Deer College/University of Alberta collaborative program. She was bitten by the teaching bug and taught for 15 years across the 4 year curriculum. During her time there she obtained her Master in Nursing in Advanced Practice of Nursing leadership in 2008. Palliative care and end of life care has always been her passion; so when a position as the educator at the Red Deer Hospice Society she jumped on the opportunity in 2019. In the 4 years, she held roles in managing the challenges of COVID-19. Those roles included: educator, kitchen supervisor, OHS lead, infection control lead, staff nurse, and Care Manager. She is excited about the move to BC and is looking forward to being part of the team at NOHS and to serve those who need our care.
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