Leadership Forum 2024
BCNU’s April 24 leadership forum brought 185 union activists and leaders together this week at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
The in-person event was focused on the importance of working together as a team and the desire to transform, engage, activate and mobilize. Through speaker presentations and facilitator-led activities, participants explored different leadership styles, the importance of understanding individual and collective values and how our values drive behaviour. They also explored self-care strategies and were provided with leadership tools to promote team building and unity. Watch for full conference highlights to be shared in the summer issue of Update Magazine.
Speakers
David Allison is a human values expert and acclaimed author, who transforms human values into measurable data through his Valuegraphics Project - the first global inventory of core human values. He assists major brands in connecting with audiences by honouring their values. He is author of the groundbreaking book The Death of Demographics which has been praised as "convincing, insightful, and revolutionary"; his work has also been featured in Harvard Business Review and Forbes magazines.
Len Pierre, Coast Salish from Katzie First Nation, is an educator, consultant, TEDx speaker, social activist and traditional knowledge keeper. With a master's degree from SFU, he focuses on Indigenous curriculum and instructional design. Pierre brings extensive experience in Indigenous education and leadership from various organizations across colonial Canada. Specializing in the development of programs and services rooted in decolonization and reconciliation, he approaches his work with an open heart and mind, seeking reciprocal respect and understanding.
Ming Pilz is a consultant with Watson specializing in governance and leadership. Her expertise includes leadership development, evaluations, succession planning, facilitation, strategy support and organizational structure. With extensive experience advising clients, Pilz draws from over a decade of roles in HR leadership across diverse sectors and cultures, including start-ups, Crown corporations, and multinational companies. She holds a German law degree, is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and is certified in coaching by the Justice Institute of BC and UBC.
Sara Fung, MN, BSN, RN, is a health care leader, advocate, speaker, and consultant with nearly 20 years of nursing experience. Her roles span frontline care, leadership and entrepreneurship, with expertise in maternal child health, including obstetrics and NICU care. Fung co-hosts the Gritty Nurse podcast, co-authored The Wisdom of Nurses: Stories of Grit from the Frontlines, and contributes to major Canadian news outlets. She is committed to issues like mental health, workplace improvement, and patient-centered care. Her company, The RN Resume, is nominated for a Young Entrepreneur Award from the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.
Amie Archibald-Varley, an acclaimed thought leader and speaker with the National Speakers Bureau, is a health equity specialist, award-winning author, and podcaster. Her book The Wisdom of Nurses by Harper Collins has garnered recognition. Archibald-Varley fosters courageous conversations, promoting gender equality and collaboration among diverse communities. She contributes to national and international news outlets like CBC and Newstalk 1010's The Rush. Her expertise in health equity and anti-racism informs her work as a consultant for large health systems and government bodies.
Dr. Brian Goldman is an ER physician in Toronto. He's the host of White Coat Black Art on CBC Radio One and the CBC podcast The Dose. Brian is the author of four non-fiction Canadian bestsellers. His latest, The Power of Kindness: How We Can All Work Better Together, was published in 2022.
Coleen Langlois, a Senior Consultant at Thomas International in Vancouver, brings over 30 years of business expertise, with 20 years dedicated to Thomas. She specializes in optimizing talent acquisition, management, and development for organizations of all sizes, including national and multinational firms. Leveraging behavioural, cognitive, and emotional intelligence assessments, Coleen provides strategic solutions for recruitment, onboarding, and employee development. With a background in business ownership and leadership, she is deeply passionate about guiding clients toward transformation and success.
Sharon Jones is dedicated to helping individuals excel in the workplace and beyond. With a background in the advertising industry spanning the UK and Canada, she rose to the position of VP of Client services before transitioning to a role focused on facilitating professional development. Jones joined Thomas International in 2013, where she discovered the transformative power of self-awareness through assessments. Jones continues to support individuals in discovering their strengths and navigating challenges through training and workshops.
Adriane Gear was elected president in 2023 and began her three-year term on September 1. Adriane first became active with BCNU in 2004. A registered nurse from Victoria, she has experience as a steward, regional occupational health and safety representative, regional executive member, and held Provincial Executive Committee roles including executive councillor for OHS and mental health, and vice president.
As union president, Adriane brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role and is committed to ensuring that health employers treat BC’s nurses with respect. She is committed to championing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within the union and the health-care system. Adriane is dedicated to upholding the Nurses’ Bargaining Association collective agreement and ensuring that the province implements nurse-patient ratios, which will improve the staffing and practice conditions needed to keep nurses in the profession and improve patient care.
Tristan Newby is an RN of 13 years and has had the opportunity to work in the areas of mental health, public health, emergency, and site leadership. He is a fierce advocate for improving the lives of his patients and peers. Tristan currently serves as the BCNU’s vice president, and advocates for nurse-patient ratios on the union’s planning and executive steering committees.
Sharon Sponton was elected BCNU provincial treasurer in a special election in December 2023. She previously served as the provincial treasurer from September 2016 to August 2023. She has been involved with the BCNU Finance Committee, Retiree Benefit Program Committee, Human Resources Committee, and Bursary Committee. She was the provincial returning officer overseeing elections and ratification votes and chair of the Provincial Job Action Committee from September 2016 until August 2023.
Denise Waurynchuk was appointed interim Executive Councillor, Occupational Health & Safety and Mental Health in March 2024. She began her career at East Kootenay Regional Hospital after completing nursing school in 2009. She has since worked in various roles at the hospital and at Cranbrook home and community care.
Denise became a BCNU steward in 2013 because she wanted to create positive change for nurses. She was first elected to the East Kootenay regional executive in 2016, where she served as her region’s professional responsibility advocate and steward liaison. She also served a three-month term as a steward-at-large.
Denise was elected as East Kootenay regional council member is 2020, and served on several BCNU Council committees, including the Human Resource, Bursary and Retiree Benefit Fund committees. She was re-elected in 2023 before assuming her current role.
Meghan Friesen coming soon
Jim Gould has been proudly serving as BCNU’s interim chief executive officer and chief negotiator for the Nurses’ Bargaining Association since January 2022. As an experienced arbitrator and mediator, Jim has championed nurses’ rights through his past work as senior external legal counsel to BCNU for 17 years. He is committed to strengthening BCNU members’ voices with government through collective bargaining and by uniting with other nursing unions through the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions(CFNU).