I am grateful for the opportunities that have come my way and one of them was moving to Vancouver in February 2024 and working at BC Cancer. I consider BC Cancer to be the gold standard of pathology and laboratory medicine in the province, and it is an honor to be working here.

Being named as an ASCP Forty Under 40 honoree has afforded me the opportunities to be involved at the national level with the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS). I’ve worked on projects including:

• As a researcher for the Professional State of Cytotechnologists in Canada study

• A member of the expert working group for the CSMLS competency profile review and validation

• A consultant for the Choosing Wisely Canada project (in partnership with the University of Alberta)

In 2021, I received an email from the CSMLS nominating committee informing me that my name had been put forward as a potential candidate for the Board of Directors for the BC region. I believe that this nomination would not have been possible if I had not been named as an ASCP Forty Under 40 honoree. 

I was honored to have received the awards of merits from the British Columbia Society of Laboratory Science (BCSLS) for three consecutive years in recognition of my dedication to the advancement of laboratory science in British Columbia. These were achieved by serving on the congress committee.

Although not an individual award, I had the honor to represent the Royal Inland Hospital laboratory safety committee as a recipient for the 2019 Safety Champion award from the North American Occupational Safety (NAOSH). This award for the health/social services category was in recognition of our leadership and passion for safety and health throughout the year.

Of what are you most professionally proud in the years since your 40 Under Forty recognition?

I am very honored to have received a national recognition here in Canada by being featured in the Canadian Journal of Medical Laboratory Science (CJMLS). Cancer is the number one cause of death in Canada and cytologists play an important role in many aspects of cancer care, especially when it comes to pre-cancerous screening and cancer detection in a specimen. I am grateful for the 40 Under Forty recognition that has allowed me to also raise awareness of this in many ways and to advocate for the profession at the same time. In my experience, I find that there is a prevalent lack of awareness for what cytologists do even within the medical lab community. Being recognized nationally has helped me to raise awareness of my profession and at the same time to have our voices heard regarding the shortage challenges that we face.