President: Jennifer Vickers-Manzin, [email protected]
Jen Vickers Manzin is the President of the Ontario Association of Public Health Nursing Leaders (OPHNL). She supports the achievement OPHNL’s mission to promote and protect the health of Ontarians through excellence in public health nursing leadership. As we transition from the crisis phase of COVID response, Jen’s voice will represent Public Health nursing leaders in highlighting the significant return on investment of returning to routine public health programming while maintaining the COVID-19 response. Jen brings over 20 years of experience in Public Health in Ontario. She currently holds the position of Director of Healthy Families Division and Chief Nursing Officer for The City of Hamilton Public Health Services.
President Elect: Nicole Welch, [email protected]
Nicole graduated from nursing in 2000 from the Master of Science entry to practice program at McGill University in Montreal. Nicole holds a BSc. Degree in biology from McMaster University, Hamilton, and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Applied Psychology and Human Development. Nicole’s dissertation is exploring the racial socialization practices of Canadian-born racialized parents.
After graduating from nursing Nicole worked as an RN at the former Brampton Memorial Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto in post-partum and high-risk pregnancies. She began her career at Toronto Public Health in August 2001 as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) in the Healthy Living Directorate with a focus on physical activity promotion and tobacco cessation. In 2002, Nicole began work as a PHN in the Child Health and Development Directorate. Nicole held positions as a PHN Consultant, Family Home Visitor Supervisor, Reproductive Infant Health & Early Years Manager, and an Associate Director in the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program. Currently, Nicole is the Director of Community Health and Well-Being and the Chief Nursing Officer at Toronto Public Health.
Nicole is passionate about issues related to health equity and to supporting and empowering all staff in public health to provide high quality service within healthy workplaces and communities. Nicole has mentored numerous nursing staff and other public health professionals. She enjoys providing education, training, and coaching to rising leaders through RNAO Nursing Leadership program, McGill University Black Student Mentorship program and many more.
Nicole seats as a volunteer member and Director of the Durham Community Health Centre and currently holds the role of Vice-Chair. Additionally, she is a mother to two young men and an avid walker, hiker, and traveler.
Treasurer: Marie Wright, [email protected]
Marie has worked in Public Health for 19 years with the Regional Municipality of York. Marie began her Public Health career in the Child and Family Health Division in the role of Public Health Nurse with the Health Babies Healthy Children. During her time at York Region Public Health, Marie has also worked in Early ID, Practice enhancement and has managed several programs including Breast Feeding, Healthy Babies Healthy Children, the Children’s Dental program and the Ontario Seniors Dental program. Currently, Marie is Manager of Projects and Program Policy Strategy. Marie holds a BScN and MHS focused in Health Studies, is skilled in Project Co-ordination, Public Speaking, Public Policy and Strategic Planning. Marie has a passion for facilitation and a keen interest in youth homelessness.
Secretary: Jennifer Mitton, [email protected]
Jen is the Nursing Practice Advisor for Hamilton Public Health Services and holds a clinical faculty appointment in the School of Nursing at McMaster University. She is a graduate of McMaster School of Nursing (BScN and PhD) with over 20 years of public health experience. Prior to her current role, Jen worked as a public health nurse for Niagara Region (School Health & Substance Abuse Prevention), Region of Peel (Substance Abuse Prevention and Tobacco Control) and Hamilton Public Health Services (Tobacco Control). Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Jen has been in the dual role of Nursing Practice Advisor and Advanced Pandemic Planner.
CNO Representative: Judy Buchan, [email protected]
Judy Buchan is the Director of Communicable Diseases and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Peel Public Health. In this position, she provides strategic leadership and direction to sections within the Communicable Diseases Division. As the CNO, she is responsible for providing nursing leadership, nursing practice quality assurance and continuous quality improvement to support overall organizational effectiveness. Judy has been a member of Ontario Public Health Nursing Leaders since 2016.
Judy is a successful senior leader with more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience in local public health. She has widespread experience in maternal child health, public health, communicable diseases, and nursing practice. Most recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Judy has assumed the role of Director of Public Health Emergencies, leading the COVID-19 operational response for Peel Public Health.
She has a Bachelor of Political Science degree from McMaster University, a Baccalaureate of Nursing Science from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Nursing from Ryerson University. She has also completed the Advanced Health Leadership Program at the Joseph L Rotman School of Management – University of Toronto and well as a Project Management Professional certification.
Professional Practice Lead Liaison: Allison Kern, [email protected]
Allison is the Nursing Practice Leader for KFL&A Public Health. She is a graduate of Laurentian University (BScN and MScN) and a PhD candidate at Queen’s University in Kingston. Allison has 14 years of public health experience. Prior to her current role, she worked as a public health nurse on the Healthy Babies Healthy Children team. Allison was president of the local chapter of RNAO from 2014-2019 and served two terms on the RNAO Board of Directors. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Allison worked in a dual role as Nursing Practice Leader and COVID-19 Case and Contact Management Lead.