Staff

Amy began her journey at Hospice Halifax as a volunteer in May 2019. Her first shift was at reception and she hasn't left the desk since, starting as Hospice's first full-time receptionist in March 2020. Amy has worn many sizes and styles of hats in her life, including farmer, massage therapist, toy prototyper, English teacher, art supply salesperson, shipper and receiver, and archival assistant at a small historical society. She has a degree in Political Science and International Development Studies from Dalhousie University and considers herself a life-long learner. When she's not helming the front desk at Hospice, you can likely find her somewhere outside and/or devouring a good book.

Beth brings diverse experience to her role at Hospice Halifax. Since completing her nursing degree in 2007, she’s worked in hospice and palliative care as a staff nurse, educator, consultant, and research nurse. She has worked both in hospitals and in the community including a role as the Project Lead for Palliative Care for the Nova Scotia Health Authority. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Beth has lived in Halifax since 2016. She enjoys coffee and good books, spending time with her young kids, and exploring new parts of Nova Scotia.

Chrissy joined Hospice Halifax as a volunteer in 2019 while completing her Bachelor of Social Work at Dalhousie University. Chrissy also obtained an Advanced Diploma in Public Relations and worked in the employee engagement and incentives industry for many years. Chrissy has extensive volunteer relations experience and sits on the board of directors of the Nova Scotia SurfAble Association, organizing the renowned adaptive surfing event, Life Rolls On – Martinique Beach, as well as on the board of Out of the Cold Community Association. Chrissy is looking forward to returning to Dal in the fall of 2021 to earn her Masters in Social Work. In her spare time, Chrissy enjoys planning community events, spending time with friends & family, watching British crime procedurals, and working on her art series; Condiments & Caring, inspired by the connection between food, community, and love.

Dean has worked in the long term care nursing home sector as a Maintenance Coordinator and Environmental Services Manager for more than 8 years. He has a long list of experience in preventative maintenance, inspections, and safety training. He is passionate about providing a comfortable and safe environment for residents and staff. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering as a coach on different competitive sports teams. He also enjoys the outdoors, going on hikes and many adventures with his family and their dog, Remington.

Stephanie is a Family Physician (CCFP, RACGP) with dual certification in Health Care of the Elderly (COE) and Palliative Care (PC) from Dalhousie University. A strong advocate for improving palliative care for all Canadians, Stephanie is an active member of the National Advance Care Planning Task Group, a Palliative Care Committee member with the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and an executive board member (Secretary) of the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians (CSPCP). Stephanie has been a volunteer and member- both on the Board of Directors and a general member- with Hospice Halifax since 2008 and is honoured to be the first Medical Director. If Stephanie is not at the Hospice or engaged in activities to build capacity for palliative care in Nova Scotia, she can be found hiking in the woods or hanging out with her husband Mark or one of their 3 sons.

Gordon first became a volunteer with Hospice Halifax in the spring of 2012, serving on the board for two years and working on a number of committees and fundraising events. Gordon’s personal experience with the death of his mother in 2012 at Bobby’s Hospice in Saint John helped him understand the importance of hospice care. Gordon has managed companies in many industries in Canada, the United States, and in Europe. Gordon is the father of four adult children and grandfather of three children. Gordon joined the Hospice Halifax team as CEO in January 2018.

Jamie moved to Halifax from his hometown of Ottawa in 2017 to start the Commerce Co-op program at Dalhousie University. Since then Jamie has gained valuable fundraising experience working with local non-profits and is ecstatic to be joining the Hospice Halifax team and to make a difference in the community. In his spare time, Jamie is an avid sports and music fan and has spent time volunteering with youth sports associations. You can typically find Jamie watching the Toronto Blue Jays, or out with his dog North.

Karlene M. Francis, (MTA, MT-BC) knew from experience providing music therapy to those facing the next journey in life through the process of dying was profound. Following her first year at Acadia University, she chose to do a four-month clinical practicum at the VG palliative ward in Halifax (2013) generously supported by the former Weston Foundation Scholarship that was awarded to five music therapy students annually and after graduation returned to Nova Scotia Health Authority VG site (7A) as part of her work towards completion of her 1000-hours internship which she finished in the fall of 2017. She saw the value of music interventions used therapeutically as a bridge to release and connect to feelings of joy and pleasure, alongside sadness and pain for those who were experiencing a terminal illness. As such, being hired as the first music therapist to offer this unique service to Hospice Halifax was an important move by the agency to reflect their true commitment “to providing the best end of life possible” for those in care by accessing the available tools to support that intention, such as music therapy. When not working at the hospice, Karlene performs, teaches and loves to go out dancing when the mood strikes for some “fun therapy”.

Linden joined Hospice Halifax in 2018 after working for many years in the housing and homelessness field. She obtained her Masters of Social Work from the University of Victoria. Originally from New Brunswick, Linden has been calling Nova Scotia home since 2009. She enjoys volunteering with a few local organizations and spends as much time as possible outdoors.

Melissa joined Hospice Halifax in July 2018. She has a BA in Kinesiology and Psychology from St. FX. She has worked for over 5 years within private physical therapy clinics throughout HRM and has over 5 years of extensive customer service management in large scale operations. She was born and raised in Pictou County with a large extend family with Cape Breton roots. Melissa has lived in Halifax for over 10 years, enjoys thrift shopping and traveling as much as possible.

After volunteering for two years, Michael joined the Hospice Halifax staff in 2018. Michael spent his formative years in Nova Scotia as the Director of a Scout Canada Summer camp, which lead to a lifelong passion for outdoor recreation and youth programming. Graduating from the Dalhousie University Recreation Management program (BSc/BMgt), Michael has been working in the field of events since 2012, planning, implementing and evaluating special events. The majority of Michael’s special event experience comes in the form of large scale public sector events such as the Halifax-Dartmouth Natal Day program, Canada Day, Wolfville’s Mud Creek Days, and many more. Michael has also worked on not-for-profit initiatives such as the Magic Wine Bus and for-profit events like the Halifax Oyster Festival. Michael is passionate about culture, events and helping bring people together to highlight the fun side of life. Outside of work, Michael attends special events, rock climbs, eats exotic foods, plays video games, and tells lots of jokes.

Shauna brings several years of speciality nursing experience in the field of pediatrics, devoting the last 15 years of her nursing career to the IWK. She has a passion for palliative care nursing and has been the pediatric palliative care Clinical Nurse Specialist for much of her time at the IWK working with many patients, families and care teams both within the IWK and Maritime communities. With her knowledge and expertise in palliative care nursing, she has been actively involved with provincial and national palliative care committees. She has a love for teaching and communication, sharing her expertise with a wide variety of healthcare providers and medical students. Shauna places great emphasis in building relationships and fostering connections with care teams, patients, families and community partners for the highest quality palliative and end of life care. Shauna is a proud Nova Scotian, hailing from her hometown of Antigonish. She graduated from the StFX School of Nursing in 2004 and completed her Master in Nursing at Dalhousie in 2009. Shauna has lived in Halifax with her husband, her 4 beautiful boys and their beloved dogs since 2005. Family time is her favorite. She can be found running through the streets and trails, cheering on the sidelines of her boys’ sports teams and hiking with her adorable lab, Farley.

Grief is the price we pay for loving someone and then losing that person. Grief happens to all of us and when it does, we sometimes need professionals who will empathize and provide us with a safe and compassionate space to grieve. Sheila was born in Ghana, lived in the United Kingdom for many years, and now lives here in Halifax. She is a Registered Counselling Therapist and a member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Sheila is also the Pastor of Chester United Baptist Church. Sheila looks forward to coming alongside you with coping skills as you feel your grief and integrate the meaning of your loss in your life. Sheila is a resourceful, hardworking, and versatile counselling therapist providing bereavement support via phone, video link, and in-person.

Bri joined Hospice Halifax when it first opened it's doors to patients in May 2019. Bri has an extensive background in healthcare in a variety of settings and graduated from NSCC Practical Nursing Program with Honours in 2010. Bri worked in long term care for close to 9 years before finding her calling in palliative care-Hospice setting. She feels incredibly honoured to be apart of each patients journey and supporting them and their loved ones in such a compassionate work environment. In her spare time, Bri enjoys listening to podcasts, meditating, going for nature walks, travelling, watching Baseball; especially her favorite team The Toronto Blue Jays and spending time with family and friends.

Stephanie is a Family Physician (CCFP, RACGP) with dual certification in Health Care of the Elderly (COE) and Palliative Care (PC) from Dalhousie University. A strong advocate for improving palliative care for all Canadians, Stephanie is an active member of the National Advance Care Planning Task Group, a Palliative Care Committee member with the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and an executive board member (Secretary) of the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians (CSPCP). Stephanie has been a volunteer and member- both on the Board of Directors and a general member- with Hospice Halifax since 2008 and is honoured to be the first Medical Director. If Stephanie is not at the Hospice or engaged in activities to build capacity for palliative care in Nova Scotia, she can be found hiking in the woods or hanging out with her husband Mark or one of their 3 sons.

Ellen joined Hospice Halifax in 2019 when we first opened our doors to patients, as a member of the clinical team. After completing her CCA Certificate from Success College in 2017, graduating with High Honors. Gaining experience in Long Term Care and Home Care before coming to Hospice. Ellen found a true passion for helping those who are nearing the end of life. Ellen treats all patients and families with compassion and kindness, treating them how she would want her loved ones to be cared for. In her spare time, Ellen enjoys time with her fiancé, family, friends & fur babies, camping and watching movies.

Karlee joined Hospice Halifax in 2019, as one of the clinical team members. Karlee graduated with her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of New Brunswick in 2017. Karlee previously worked on a medical unit, palliative care unit, and in long term care. Karlee has always had a passion for end of life care, as she took care of her grandmother during her last year of life. In Karlee’s spare time she likes to spend time with family, play video games, and watch movies.

Kate is a Registered Nurse who joined Hospice Halifax when we opened in the Spring of 2019. Kate is from Ontario, but we try not to hold that against her! Kate holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in International Development and Global Health from Dalhousie University. On her days off, Kate can usually be found somewhere outdoors - hiking, biking or swimming - with her beloved dog, Pinto (also known around Hospice as "Pinto Bean", "PB" and "the Bean Man").

Kyla joined Hospice Halifax as part of the clinical team. Kyla has been an LPN since 2001 when she graduated from the Centre for Nursing Studies in St. John's NL. Kyla brings with her many years of nursing experience from long-term care and acute care. Kyla has a driving passion for Hospice care. Kyla spends her downtime with family and friends and painting pictures.

Lori joined Hospice Halifax in 2019. She holds a BScN from Dalhousie University and worked in Oncology before joining the team at Hospice. Prior to completing her Nursing degree, Lori worked with programs supporting science education and continues her involvement in these programs as a volunteer. Lori can usually be found spending time with family and friends, working in her garden, or finding new hiking trails to explore.

Mallory became involved with Hospice Halifax as a special events volunteer in 2018. She graduated from Dalhousie University in 2019 and joined the nursing team in August 2020. Mallory was drawn to the holistic aspects of hospice care and has enjoyed learning about the use of empathy and therapeutic communication in nursing practice. Mallory appreciates opportunities to spend quality time with patients and their families and is grateful to be a part of the hospice team. Mallory loves spending time outside, being with friends and family, reading, cooking, and volunteering.

Meghan joined Hospice Halifax in the spring of 2019 as an LPN. Born and raised in Halifax, she obtained her Practical Nursing Diploma from Holland College in January 2016. Since completing her education, she has worked in a variety of settings including palliative care, long-term care and mental health and addictions. When she’s not at work you can find her at the beach, spending time with her friends or catching up on the latest reality TV shows.

Shauna brings several years of speciality nursing experience in the field of pediatrics, devoting the last 15 years of her nursing career to the IWK. She has a passion for palliative care nursing and has been the pediatric palliative care Clinical Nurse Specialist for much of her time at the IWK working with many patients, families and care teams both within the IWK and Maritime communities. With her knowledge and expertise in palliative care nursing, she has been actively involved with provincial and national palliative care committees. She has a love for teaching and communication, sharing her expertise with a wide variety of healthcare providers and medical students. Shauna places great emphasis in building relationships and fostering connections with care teams, patients, families and community partners for the highest quality palliative and end of life care. Shauna is a proud Nova Scotian, hailing from her hometown of Antigonish. She graduated from the StFX School of Nursing in 2004 and completed her Master in Nursing at Dalhousie in 2009. Shauna has lived in Halifax with her husband, her 4 beautiful boys and their beloved dogs since 2005. Family time is her favorite. She can be found running through the streets and trails, cheering on the sidelines of her boys’ sports teams and hiking with her adorable lab, Farley.

Yvonne joined Hospice Halifax in 2019 as a member of the opening clinical team. Yvonne graduated from NSCC Lunenburg Campus in 2014 from the LPN program. Yvonne came to nursing later in life after 20+ years in the Hospitality. Before Hospice, Yvonne began her career in nursing with a short period in long term care and over four years in Acute Care and the Emergency department of Queens General Hospital. Yvonne was a long standing member of Pinehurst Rebecca/Oddfellows Lodge before moving to Halifax. In her free time Yvonne enjoys spending time with her son and making knit goods that she shares with others.

Dean has worked in the long term care nursing home sector as a Maintenance Coordinator and Environmental Services Manager for more than 8 years. He has a long list of experience in preventative maintenance, inspections, and safety training. He is passionate about providing a comfortable and safe environment for residents and staff. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering as a coach on different competitive sports teams. He also enjoys the outdoors, going on hikes and many adventures with his family and their dog, Remington.

Seoa joined Hospice Halifax in 2020 as a casual cook, after several months of working she became a full time cook. She studied culinary arts at Nova Scotia Community College(NSCC). Seoa really enjoys cooking, is very organized, and loves making new menus. She is from Korea and came to Canada in 2015. When she’s not at work she becomes a busy mother, she takes care of her three children, she also likes making food for her children. Where ever Seoa is, whether she is at work or at home, she is always in the kitchen.

Melissa joined Hospice Halifax in July 2018. She has a BA in Kinesiology and Psychology from St. FX. She has worked for over 5 years within private physical therapy clinics throughout HRM and has over 5 years of extensive customer service management in large scale operations. She was born and raised in Pictou County with a large extend family with Cape Breton roots. Melissa has lived in Halifax for over 10 years, enjoys thrift shopping and traveling as much as possible.