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.
Past-President: David Groulx, [email protected]
David has worked in public health over the past 22 years. A majority of those years were spent in delivering public health programming to those in the Sudbury and Manitoulin Districts. David is currently a manager in the School Health, Preventable Diseases, and COVID Prevention Division and supports the role of the Chief Nursing Officer at Public Health Sudbury & Districts. David has been actively involved with local nursing efforts as the President of the RNAO Sudbury Chapter, as Nursing Faculty at Cambrian College and Adjunct Professor at Laurentian University. David completed his undergraduate education at Laurentian University (BScN) and holds a MPH degree from Lakehead University. David has particular interest in Public Health Nursing workforce sustainability and development.
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: Heather Lokko, [email protected]
Heather has worked as a direct service provider, professional practice lead, manager, and senior leader during her 24+ year career in public health. She is currently the Director, Healthy Start at the Middlesex-London Health Unit, a division focused on implementation of public health’s Healthy Growth and Development Standard. Additionally, as MLHU’s Chief Nursing Officer, Heather leads the agency’s health equity, promotes practice excellence, and provides nursing leadership in local/regional/ provincial/national initiatives. Heather is the Community Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion and teaches at Western University. Heather is passionate about public health, health equity, leadership, collective action, and building healthy families and communities.