Caroline Chartrand, RN/BN - Executive Director

cchartrand@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

Caroline is the Executive Director for the Diabetes Integration Project. Caroline originates from the Pine Creek First Nation (Ojibway Nation) in Manitoba. Her nursing career began at Red River Community College where she graduated in 1986 with a Licensed Practical Nursing Certificate. Caroline continued her education on a part time basis and completed the Registered Nursing Diploma in Nursing in 1988. She furthered her education and in 1994, received a Bachelor of Nursing Degree from the University of Manitoba. Caroline has worked as a Community Health Nurse in her own community. Eventually, Caroline worked as the Director of Nursing for a Tribal Council over a period of 10 years. Caroline enjoys the work involved in health for our First Nation members, working collaboratively with First Nation organizations, and health professionals from various areas throughout Manitoba.

Fran Desjarlais, RN/BN - Province Wide Coordinator

Leave of absence until March 1, 2011.

Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada, Board of Directors, Manitoba Region.

Fran is an Aboriginal nurse from the Swan Lake First Nation (Ojibway Nation) presently working as the South Coordinator for the Diabetes Integration Project. Fran has many years of experience, initially as an LPN working in hospital and personal care home settings. Fran went on to take her Bachelor on Nursing Degree, graduating in 1995. She was only unemployed 4 days after graduating when she was hired at Children's Hospital in Winnipeg on a term position. From there, Fran has worked in First Nation communities primarily in Community Health gaining vast knowledge of the health issues and their affects on First Nation people. She also was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 in 2003. She knows first hand the impact of this diagnoses, and the lack of support and services needed to address prevention and complication of diabetes. She comes to the Diabetes Integration Project excited to be involved in the development of the project.

Sharon Flett - LPN, Winnipeg Team

sflett@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

Hi, my name is Sharon Flett and I am a band member from the St. Theresa Point First Nation. I graduated from the Assiniboine Community College as a Licensed Practical Nurse in October 2008. I have recently been hired effective June 22, 2009 by the Diabetes Integration Project for the Winnipeg #1 Team. "It is a great honour and look forward to working with the people in their respective home communities". In my years of employment, I have worked in various capacities in the health care field and to this day, I still enjoy working with the people.

Alice Gardai - LPN CFCN

agardai@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

My name is Alice Gardai and I was initially hired on March 19, 2009 as the Foot Care Nurse (South) for the Diabetes Integration Project. I am of Metis descent and my father is from St. Francoise Xavier, Manitoba and my mother comes from Pine Creek First Nation, Manitoba. My nursing career started in 1988 after graduating from St. Boniface School of Nursing as a Licensed Practical Nurse. I have 21 years of nursing experience in a number of different areas such as acute care, personal care homes, and 7 years in the First Nations Home and Community Care Program. In 1998 I took the Foot Care Course offered through the Winnipeg Technical College. I have had the privilege of working on several First Nations doing diabetic foot care for the past 11 years.

Sally Harper - Administrative Assistant

On maternity leave until Feb 19, 2011.

sharper@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

I'm from Garden Hill First Nation, Island Lake, Manitoba. I was hired in September 2007 through the Four Arrows Regional Health Authority (FARHA) and the Manitoba First Nation Diabetes Committee (MFNDC) to work for the Diabetes Integration Project (DIP). My job is a lot of fun. I love it. I enjoy it. I'm the Admin Support. I make sure everything runs smoothly in the office. Working with DIP is quite a learning experience. I enjoy working and meeting new people everyday (specialists, doctors, nurses, etc.). And yes, it can be quite busy in the office! I am honored to be part of a team whose main goal and commitment is helping First Nations people throughout Manitoba. Diabetes is something that we should never take lightly, and it needs to be addressed seriously. And that's what we're here to do...to make a difference!

Dr. Barry Lavallee - Medical Consultant

Barry is a member of the Saulteaux/Metis Aboriginal communities of Manitoba. He is currently practicing family medicine at the St. James Street Medical Clinic and Hope Centre in Winnipeg. He graduated from the University of Manitoba and completed his post-graduate training in Family Medicine with an emphasis on rural/Aboriginal health in 1990. He completed his Masters of Clinical Sciences in Family Medicine at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario in 2004. His area of research focuses on the experience of Aboriginal patients within the patient-physician therapeutic relationship, diabetes and other chronic diseases, pap smear screening programs in Aboriginal communities, collaborative practices and international Indigenous health. He has an interest in trans- generational trauma as it manifests itself in the challenges some First Nations and Metis face in working towards health and healing.

Barry is the past president of the previous Native Physician's Association in Canada and now sits as a board member of the newly formed Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada. He is a member of the Canadian working group of the International Indigenous Health Knowledge and Development.

Robin Miller - Registered Dietitian

rmiller@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

I am the dietitian with the Diabetes Integration Project. I have been working in the field of diabetes education for 10 years. I completed my Bachelor in Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba and my Dietetic Internship with the Regina Health District in 1999. I became a Certified Diabetes Educator in 2001. I really enjoy sharing my knowledge with communities and connecting people with resources to live healthier with diabetes. I look forward to visiting the communities and for using tele-health to deliver nutrition education sessions. It is exciting to be on the forefront of a project working toward preventing and delaying the complications of diabetes for First Nations communities! Thanks for stopping by our website.

Linda Moriaux - LPN, Dauphin Team

lmoriaux@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

Hello everyone, I have just recently been employed by FARHA for the (DIP) Diabetes Integration Project. I am very excited to be given this great opportunity to be part of such an important project. Diabetes is a project very close to my heart because I come from both a type 1 and 2 diabetic family. I myself have recently been diagnosed with type 2 in 2004.

I graduated in 2002 from the West Region Tribal Council Health Department LPN/Assiniboine Community College rotating site. I have been a nurse for the past seven years with nursing experience in both clinical and community setting. I previously worked for Nor Man Regional Health Authority, Sandy Bay First Nation, and Parkland Regional Health Authority. My knowledge also consists of diabetic wound care, foot care, and I sit on the Dauphin committee chair for the (JDRF) Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Previous to nursing I was employed with (MTS) Manitoba Telephone System as first a telephone operator which connected many aboriginal families to their communities in northern Manitoba some of which were Tadoule Lake, Brochet, Lac Brochet, and Shamattawa. Then I transferred to MTS Payphone Services and was a coin collector for Winnipeg, North and Southeastern part of the province including many first nations' communities, including Fairford, St Martin, Peguis, Ft Alexander, Lake Manitoba, Sandy Bay, Roseau River, Buffalo Point, Swan Lake, and Dakota Tipi. There I met many kind and gentle people who were very helpful when I didn?t quite know where to find the correct addresses to do my pickups.

On a personal note I am of Métis descent and I come from a large family of seven children which I am the youngest. I love to attend jigging and fiddling contest as I grew up listening to Eugene Laderoute, Andy Desjarlis- Red River Jig and Reg Bouvette. I love all kinds of music genres and go to many outdoor festivals. I look forward to visiting the First Nation communities and working collaboratively in development of a partnership with the DIP program.

Megwetch

Noella Pruden - Dauphin Team

npruden@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

Hi, my name is Noella [ Nikki] , I am an RN with many years of experiences . In my professional career, I started out as a Health Care Aid and then graduated with a Licensed Practical Nurse and then became a Registered Nurse in 1986. I have worked and travelled to outposts in Manitoba, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and British Columbia. I also worked as an RN in Winnipeg at the Health Sciences Centre on Burns/Plastic Surgery.

I am pleased to be given the opportunity to be a part of The Diabetes Integration Project and look forward to many new experiences working as part of the Mobile Health Care Service Delivery Team (Dauphin Team) with the West Region Tribal Council communities and Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve.

I have experience in both clinical and community Health and have many stories about my experience working in the north. I have been a Nurse-In-Charge in most of the communities in Nunavut, and have met many nurses from all over, who learned many new aspects of nursing.

I am single and have 2 children, one in Wpg, the other in The Pas. I am also a Nanna, with 4 grandchildren. I moved to Dauphin to be closer to my Dad, who lives in Kamsack, Saskatchewan. I worked in the Dauphin Hospital as the charge nurse on Medicine, and now I have the pleasure of working with the DIP Project Team based out of Dauphin, Manitoba.

Megwetch

Rose Unger, RN - Winnipeg Team

runger@diabetesintegrationproject.ca

On August 25, 2008, I joined the Diabetes Integration Project and am honoured to be the newest member of the Diabetes Integration Project. I attended the Southern Access and Nursing Program at Red River Community College and graduated with a Diploma in Nursing in 1991. I have nursing experience in hospital, community and Personal Care Home settings. In 2007 I attained certification in basic foot care through the Red River Community College Distance Ed program. It is my goal to increase my knowledge base through further education and experience around this specialized area of nursing. My greatest achievement as a nurse will be to have made a difference in the outcome of First Nations People's health.

On a more personal note, I come from a family of nine. As a young child, my family moved to Winnipeg from St. Laurent, Manitoba and settled in the core and east areas of Winnipeg. Of my siblings, I have one brother who is also in the health care field as a physician. I am married with three lovely adult children, and four beautiful grandchildren. My family also includes a cute female chocolate Chihuahua and a yellow female mainecoon cat.

I invite you to stop by or give me a call to introduce yourselves. Blessings!