Newfoundland & Labrador
Dr. Jill Bruneau
PhD, NP
Jill Bruneau is a PhD-prepared, licensed Nurse Practitioner with CNA Certification in Cardiovascular Nursing. She has over 20 years of experience caring for cardiovascular patients and more than 15 years teaching undergraduate and graduate nursing students. As Assistant Professor and NP Program Coordinator at Memorial University’s Faculty of Nursing, she has led the development of a new master’s-level NP curriculum, aligning it with the 2023 pan-Canadian NP entry-level competencies to meet evolving population health needs. Jill has played a pivotal role in advancing NP practice in Newfoundland and Labrador, contributing to the development of cardiac surgery protocols, specialist competencies, prescriptive authority, and NP education standards. Her research focuses on advanced practice nursing, cardiovascular health promotion, screening and management of risk factors, and improving access to care for underserved populations. She serves on the Board of Hypertension Canada, the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance, and is a proud member of NPAC and the NLNPA.
Ontario
Dr. Alanna Coleman
RN, BN, MN NP-PHC, DNP
Alana Coleman is a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Associate Director of Nursing and Health Policy with the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. She is an adjunct assistant professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), a fellow mentor for the University of Hong Kong – Hong Kong Jockey Club – Marian K. Shaunessy Nurse Leadership Academy at CWRU, and a member of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada’s Research Quality Improvement and Guideline Committee. She is dedicated to advancing the nurse practitioner role in Ontario and across Canada, committed to supporting the professional development of others and improving care delivery and health outcomes nationally and globally.
Nova Scotia
NP Melanie Dunlop
MN, NP
Melanie Dunlop is a dedicated Nurse Practitioner (NP) based in Nova Scotia, Canada. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Dalhousie University in 2009 and completed a Master of Nursing in Nursing Administration in 2013 and a post-Master’s NP Diploma in 2015. She is currently registered in the Dalhousie University School of Nursing PhD program. As an NP, is currently the interim Director for NP Enhancement Strategies and a practicing NP in Neurology at NS Health. Melanie is involved in the national stroke research CanStroke Platform, coordinating the Dalhousie/NSRAC site.
Ontario
Dr. Roberta Heale
DNP, PhD, NP-PHC
Roberta Heale, NP, DNP, PhD, is a Full Professor at Laurentian University and a dedicated clinician, researcher, and advocate for nurse practitioners. She began her career as an RN, becoming an NP in 1999. She co-founded Canada’s first Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic in Sudbury, Ontario, a model that has expanded across the country. Her research focuses on NP practice, education, and policy. She has been active in NP organizations at all levels, serving as the first President of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada. Roberta is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner and has integrated acupuncture into her practice since 2015. In 2022, she launched the Virtual Menopause Clinic, providing patient care and educational resources. She also develops webinars and courses on NP policy advocacy and menopause care through Roberta-Heale Resources. An accomplished editor, Roberta developed and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Journal. She also runs Roberta-Heale.com, home to various initiatives, including Ubiquitous Evolution, a podcast for NPs. Through her pioneering work in clinical practice, education, and advocacy, Roberta has played a vital role in advancing NP-led healthcare in Canada.
Alberta
NP Jessica Jenkins
MN, ACNP
Jessica Jenkins is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in Intensive Care at the Peter Lougheed Hospital in Calgary, Alberta and an adjunct clinical associate with the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary. Jessica started her nursing career in ICU, then as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care after completing her Master of Nursing thesis. Jessica obtained a post-master certificate as a nurse practitioner in 2016, with experience in inpatient Neurology and Cardiology (CCU) prior to joining the Department of Critical Care Medicine in 2022. She also has a private practice in medical aesthetics. Jessica is involved in every phase of care for critically ill patients. Her research interests include adult congenital heart disease, integrating palliative care in practice, supporting families in ICU, enhancing NP practice, and processes to engage nurses and advanced practice nurses in research. A critical component of Jessica’s research is the engagement of patient and family members as researchers and collaborators in every phase. Jessica is a strong advocate for ensuring a sustainable NP workforce.
Quebec
NP Christine Laliberté
IPSPL, MSc. Inf., D.E.S.S., FACSI
Christine Laliberté is a primary care nurse practitioner in Québec city, PQ. She has more than 30 years of combined experience in hospitals and primary care. Lecturer, supervisor and coordinator of NP’sinternships, she teaches at the graduate level at the Université du Québec à Rimouski after more than 12 years at Laval University. President of the Association of Nurses Practitioners of Quebec from 2015 to 2024, she has been able to mobilize her skills to promote knowledge and recognition of NPs role in Quebec to ensure that NPs can fully occupy their scope of practice and make diagnoses. Attentive to the needs of the clientele and calling on the professional skills of each individual, she does not hesitate to question the ways of doing things and thinking about improving the effectiveness and efficiency of services to the population. Not only does it take a fresh look at interprofessional complementarity, but it also proposes solutions to the issues of accessibility and continuity of care and services by expanding the
nursing role in primary care by creating the Archimede clinic model. Since December 2024, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec.
Nova Scotia
Dr. Breanna Lloy
DN, MN, NP
Breanna Lloy holds a BScN from Dalhousie University, an MN:NP from Memorial University, and a Doctor of Nursing from the University of Toronto. She recently became Director of NP Primary Health Care at Nova Scotia Health after serving as the provincial professional practice leader and NP clinician scientist. With experience in primary and acute care, she also works one day a week in a rural emergency department. Dr. Lloy is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Toronto and a member of the Canadian Center for Advanced Practice Nursing research. She lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with her husband, Chris.
British Columbia
Dr. Minna Miller
DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NP(F), FAANP
Minna Miller is a distinguished nurse practitioner specializing in pediatric respirology at BC Children’s Hospital. She has led advancements in pediatric asthma care in British Columbia through evidence-based practice, education, and virtual health innovations. As a leader in NP policy, she has championed workforce research and NP integration into medical staff. She mentors NP students and residents, shaping future healthcare leaders. A sought-after speaker and researcher, Dr. Miller influences NP practice locally and globally through policy advocacy, education, research, and mentorship, ensuring continued progress and development in the NP profession.
Ontario
Dr. Shirin Vellani
PhD, NP
Shirin Vellani is a Nurse Practitioner with extensive experience in critical care and specialized geriatric services including acute care, community and long term care (LTC) where she worked with diverse older adults. She completed her basic nursing education from the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, master’s in nursing-nurse practitioner certificate and PhD from the University of Toronto, and her postdoctoral fellowship at McMaster University, School of Nursing.Currently, Shirin works as a Nurse Practitioner and Researcher in the Virtual Behavioral Medicine (VBM) Program at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network. She is one of the facilitators at the Provincial Geriatric Leadership Ontario delivering the Provincial Common Orientation to the Care of Older Adults, a core standardized training for Health and Social Care Professionals. Shirin is involved in various national and international research and community collaborations to optimize care for older adults through integration of a palliative approach with chronic disease management, increasing capacity of healthcare workforce and implementation of the role of nurse practitioners.
Ontario
Dr. Erin Ziegler
PhD, NP-PHC
Erin Ziegler (she/her) is a primary health care NP and an Associate Professor in the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is the clinical lead of the Gender Program with Queen Square Family Health Team and chair of NPAO’s Rainbow Community of Practice. She is a faculty member with the Canadian Centre for Advance Practice Nursing Research and provincial course professor in the Ontario Primary Healthcare NP program. Her research focuses on healthcare access within the 2SLGBTQ population; nursing education; and advanced practice nursing. She co-developed the online eLearning toolkit Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Nursing (www.soginursing.ca).