About Me

Hi, and welcome. I’m glad you’re here and ready to start this conversation. I am Vanessa – a nurse, spouse, parent, life-long (un)learner, and advocate. I entered nursing because of the holistic way nurses contribute to the healthcare and the unique perspective we bring to teams. While I have spent time in many roles – NeuroTrauma ICU, Academia, Continuing Education, and Formal and Informal Leadership – my specialty is Nursing Professional Development. It was through this work, with a heavy focus on project management, quality, and health and workforce equity, that I really began my journey in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with vigor in 2020.

In April 2021, I acquired a physical disability. Suddenly, as a new full-time wheelchair user, I had to relearn my own identity, while simultaneously experiencing ableism, or disability discrimination, first-hand. I was thrust into a world of instant discrimination, bias, and stigma. This lived experience pushed me towards a PhD in Nursing, where ableism in nursing and healthcare is the focus of my research, and it has fueled my passion for sharing my experience alongside the best available research.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and beyond.

My perspective and personal understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion has changed over time, and continues to evolve as I learn and grow as a human and scholar. I hope our conversations will help to expand yours as well.

  • Diversity refers to a broad range of perspectives. While often focused on race and ethnicity, diversity also encompasses disability, age, religion, gender, sex, addiction and many other identities.

  • Equity refers to providing each individual with the resources and support they require to reach the same level of opportunity. This is different from equality where all individuals are provided access to the same resources.

  • Inclusion refers to feelings of safety within an environment, and when done intentionally to create a culture shift within an organization or shared space it can lead to a perception of belonging.

  • Finally, intersectionality refers to the fact that all humans have many intersecting identities which make each person, their lived experience, and their perspective unique.

As someone who is incredibly passionate and directly impacted by lack of inclusion in working, learning, and social spaces, conversations around racial inequities, health disparities, disability discrimination, and social injustices are the foundation and the purpose behind work I do, and the conversations I hold space for.