Awards
Members love celebrating the successes of their fellow nurses and so CAHN’s recognition ceremony is a meaningful annual highlight. To make this happen, nominate a nurse you know who deserves recognition for the great work they are doing.
Awards
Acknowledgment of Retiring or Leaving Hepatology
Presented to a CAHN member who is either retiring or leaving the hepatology specialty area; or who retired or moved after the previous year’s AGM without receiving an acknowledgement.
Rising Star Award
Presented to a CAHN member who in a short time has been able to demonstrate an exceptional contribution to Hepatology nursing.
Distinguished Service Award
This award is a way to acknowledge and thank members who have worked diligently to make the organization as strong and vibrant as it is today.
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award is a way for CAHN to show our deep appreciation for outstanding colleagues who have “lit the way” for Hepatology nursing and are leaving the profession or the field.
Awards of Innovation & Inspiration
Presented to a visionary nurse or team who is doing something novel or “working out of the box” in some creative way to improve Hepatology care.
Exceptional Contribution to Hepatology Nursing Award
Do you know an amazing individual nurse who has gone above and beyond to make the field of Hepatology nursing better? This is your “Nurse of the Year” candidate!
2023 Award Recipients
Elizabeth Lee
Distinguished Service
We are pleased to recognize Elizabeth Lee for the Distinguished Service Award.
Liz works as a nurse practitioner at the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease. Her clinical focus includes managing complex patients with advanced liver disease and cirrhosis, as well as a general hepatology focus. She acts as a mentor and a leader to her colleagues just as she has and does through her various roles with CAHN.
Many of us know and love Liz. She joined the Board of Directors of CAHN in 2019 and served in that capacity until 2021. She is the immediate Past President of CAHN, having served as president from 2021 to 2023.
Liz has a tireless passion for hepatology, both the practice and the people. One of Liz’s strong suits is her ability to foster relationships: with partner organizations, with Industry sponsors, and with members. During her tenure in her various CAHN leadership positions, Liz was instrumental in supporting the initiatives and fine-tuning the practices that have shaped our organization. She approached (and continues to approach) all activities, both professional and otherwise by going the extra mile in her efforts related to our organization.
Much of the success and forward motion of CAHN, in particular over the last couple of years, can be attributed to Liz’s commitment, dedication, and enthusiasm and we are so proud of her, and pleased to recognize her with the Distinguished Service Award!
Tamara Barnett
Innovation and Inspiration Award
Tamara Barnett works as the Coordinator of the Nurse-Led Hepatitis C Program at the Cool Aid Community Health Centre in Victoria, BC.
Tamara is an innovative and hard working leader in nursing management of infectious diseases. Tamara works with a vast interdisciplinary health team (a list too long to recite). She forges on! – investigating new ways to seek and treat, improve existing methods, and uplift those around her to do the same.
In BC, Tamara is seen as a pillar of nurse led Hepatitis C treatment and is often sought after for advice and insight to the complexities of Hepatitis C care. She is always eager to help other community health centres set up their own programs. Tamara strives to empower other nurses to expand their knowledge and practice. This fall, she is hosting nurses from Sweden who are interested in mirroring our Nurse-Led Hepatitis C Program!
This year, Tamara has set about investigating gaps in testing and treatment in one of Victoria’s regional correctional facilities. She recognized incarceration as a pivotal moment in a persons life where blood borne infections can be addressed. This work remains ongoing.
As a team we have been brainstorming how to treat the hardest to reach. Tamara is actively reaching out to other local and global leaders, peers and colleagues in the Hep C world to hear their thoughts, what others are trying, and what clients want.
Sonja Hartz
Innovation and Inspiration Award
She makes very difficult endeavours seem easy. Whether writing grant proposals in her spare time to fund the latest outreach initiative or pushing barriers of care to make HCV treatment possible, Sonja has perseverance and strength that is both inspiring and infectious. She has made a difference in her 10 years as a hepatology nurse.
As I write this, I can see Sonja building connections and supporting another community partner via email by setting up days for lab draws at one of our supportive housing locations. For Sonja, the answer is never No, only how can we make this work?
Sonja continues to shape and reshape our clinic to suit the client’s needs best. From adding Remote Patient Monitoring this past Spring for daily follow-up of clients living with Decompensated Cirrhosis to supporting significant internal personnel change and mentoring a new generation of employees within our clinic, Sonja is never swayed by the challenge in front of her.
Fraser Jordan
Rising Star Award
Fraser works with us at Positive Wellness North Island, located on Northern Vancouver Island, BC. Our program’s origin and foundation are in Viral Hepatitis, and over the last 20 years, it has expanded to include HIV, an all-liver diseases clinic, and primary care outreach.
We have known Fraser since his RN practicum days where he first stood out as a valuable team member.
We were fortunate to have Fraser join our team one year ago and since starting he has played a central role and provided leadership in reaching the most vulnerable folks in our community. His background is in mental health, where he provided outreach to those with multiple barriers to accessing healthcare, such as homelessness, substance use, stigma, and mental health. Fraser is resourceful, a problem-solver, effective communicator, non-coercive, and has an unparalleled ability to optimize the dignity of the folks we work with.
We are thrilled to have him in our corner providing the care and resources that our program prides itself on. Fraser has left a trail of colleagues who speak of his caring nature, his capacity to go the extra mile, and his unwavering professionalism.
2022 Award Recipients
Donna Zukowski
Distinguished Service
Stephanie Eiloart
Exceptional Contribution
Sharon Bojarski
Lifetime Achievement
Sarah De Coutere
Innovation and Inspiration
Kate Newcombe
Innovation and Inspiration
2021 Award Recipients
2021 was the first-ever virtual AGM. And although the Recognition Ceremony is more moving in person, the wonderful thing about virtual events is the ability to watch the recording. Please enjoy this clip of our 2021 Awards and Recognition Ceremony.
Carol Dupasquier
Exceptional Contribution
Jac Atkinson
Innovation and Inspiration
Mia Biondi
Innovation and Inspiration
Lesley Gallagher
Distinguished Service