President
Jennifer Mador
Jennifer Mador has been a Nurse Practitioner for over 10 years with clinical experiences ranging from rural health, emergency care, inpatient family medicine and family practice. She has practiced across Canada in the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta. She has been a part of the NPAA board of directors since 2021 working predominantly on the independent practice initiative through her roles as Director of Rural Primary Care and Vice President.
She is also a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University completing an MBA and DNP combined degree. It is through these studies that she hopes to bring modern leadership skills and business acumen to the role of NPAA president while incorporating her previous clinical experiences.
She is passionate about the pivotal role of Nurse Practitioners within the healthcare landscape and recognizes these benefits have yet to be realized within the province of Alberta. She will strive to maintain the momentum created by her predecessors in working towards strong NP representation, improved patient access and quality of care in Alberta.
Past President
Dr Susan Prendergast
Dr. Susan Prendergast NP has been involved in Nurse Practitioner curriculum design, education regulation, and research for over 15 years in Alberta as well as Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Graduating with her undergraduate degree from McMaster University, she worked as a RN in the NICU and public health in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. As well, Susan was fortunate to be able to complete her Midwifery education and to work alongside pregnant and birthing women in New Zealand.
Susan’s experiences working overseas spurred an interest in her to pursue a graduate degree. Since completing her MN-NP, Susan has worked in primary care with women and unattached patients but also, as a second support to local Midwives.
Susan’s research passions center around birth and mothering and as well, Nurse Practitioner education and practice. Susan continues to work clinically as a NP and is the owner and Clinical Director of Ellithia Healthcare, a primary care practice where she provides care virtually for people seeking support with fertility and endocrine health.
Treasurer
Lindsay Thomas
Lindsay is a Nurse Practitioner working in Edmonton in In-patient Geriatric Psychiatry at Villa Caritas, This role allows her to address the complex medical needs of patients, provide mentorship and education to promote best practice and quality improvement.
Lindsay chaired the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) in collaboration with Canadian Gerontological Nurses Associations (CGNA) Choosing Wisely list, Gerontolgical nursing: 6 things nurses and patients should question. Lindsay was the Treasurer for Alberta Gerontological Nursing Association (AGNA) from 2017-2019. Lindsay is the current national treasurer for CGNA. Lindsay volunteered for the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta (NPAA) for conference planning from 2017-2020. Lindsay also works as sessional instructor for Macewan University in the Gerontological Nursing certificate program since 2016.
Lindsay graduated from the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta) with Baccalaureate in Science in Nursing in 2006, then continued to complete her Masters of Nursing in Advance Practice with specialization in Geriatrics in 2013.
Prior to working at Villa Caritas, Lindsay worked as a Nurse Practitioner in Facility & supportive living for 9 years in Edmonton.
Outside of work Lindsay enjoys spending time with her family and friends, getting outdoors, and travelling.
Secretary
Mary Obstfeld
While I was completing my masters at the University of Alberta, I learned about the NPAA and started my advocacy work for NPs by volunteering as the student representative for the NPAA. Since I have graduated I continue to advocate for NPs by having discussions with politicians, decision makers, and others as much as I can to educate and inform about what NPs bring to the healthcare system. I have also advocated for changes to expand services NPs provide including discussing with my MLA about red tape that kept us from completing forms such as driver’s medicals. NPs have since been given legislative permission to complete. I continue to discuss the need to cut more red tape to allow NPs to provide full primary care.
More needs to be done to continue advocacy, and now is a very important time to ensure that the public is informed about NPs and the work we do to improve healthcare, policy makers continue to include NPs in future healthcare decisions, and NPs receive the best support possible through a strong association. I believe now is very important time to step forward to assist with building a strong association.
Creating a strong association will require strong and eager members to assist with executive duties. Currently there are 4 director at large positions available, and I am recommending we create a 5th position if there are enough members who come forward to fill positions. This 5th position would be specific for indigenous care representation. I feel now is also an important time for our association to recognize that we have an obligation to respond to truth and reconciliation calls to action for healthcare and a director focused on this goal would not only benefit the association, but also the patients for whom we provide care.
Please accept this letter as my intent to have my name stand for a director at large position – either primary care or indigenous care. I have been working as an NP since 2016 first with the military at CFB Cold Lake. During my 4 years working at the base, I took a short stint working at the Bonnyville hospital with their hospitalist program and it became apparent to me that there were quite a few of indigenous patients in the area who did not have appropriate primary care. I reached out to Cold Lake First Nations to see if they were interested in having a nurse practitioner work with them. Of course, they were very interested, however, they did not have funding to make this happen. It took them 3 years to establish funding and during this time I returned to the base, then took a position at the Bonnyville PCN. For nearly 3 years I have been working with the Cold Lake First Nations, creating a primary care program in the community on reserve. This has been hard and rewarding work. Primary care is important and needs to be available to everyone. I am passionate about my work, and about advocating for NPs.
Director of Education
Dr. Mohamed El-Hussein
Dr. El-Hussein is a Ph.D. prepared NP who has been working in academia for the past 20 years. He is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, in the Faculty of Health, Community and Education at MRU where he has taught for the past decade. He’s also an adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary.
Dr. El-Hussein has published over 35 articles in a variety of national and international nursing journals and always has research projects on the go. Dr. El-Hussein’s impact on nursing education in Canada is reflected in his contributions to the science of nursing education through publications, grants, presentations and through other knowledge dissemination activities. Mohamed’s research program focuses on clinical reasoning in nursing practice and the utilization of innovative teaching strategies to enhance critical thinking among nurses. To stay current in clinical practice as a Nurse Practitioner (NP) Dr. El-Hussein continues to hold a casual position as an NP in the division of Cardiology at the Rockyview General Hospital
As a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and academic Dr. El Hussein sees himself as a Knowledge broker who has the knowledge and expertise to facilitate bridging the gap between research and practice to improve outcomes for patients and keep his students up to date. Because he remains clinically active, Dr. El Hussein’s research is grounded in the day-to-day issues pertaining to patients and relevant to the students. As a researcher immersed in a clinical setting Dr. El Hussein is in an excellent position to identify what research questions matter to the patient, to the nursing students, and to the profession. He is in a prime position to interpret and apply research findings in a practical and useful way.
Director of Membership
Christiane Eitzenberger
Christiane Eitzenberger commenced her nursing career in 2007 upon graduation from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Nursing Degree. She gained valuable experience in a southern Alberta semi-rural primary care clinic, and quickly recognized the importance and value that Nurse Practitioners bring to the Health Care System; Christiane subsequently obtained her Master of Nursing Degree as a Nurse Practitioner (Family All Ages) through Athabasca University in 2015. She presently continues her work at the Bigelow Fowler Clinics in Lethbridge as part of the Chinook Primary Care Network, providing primary care to Albertans with a specialization in diabetes and obesity care.
Christiane additionally holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from the University of Liechtenstein, and the sum of her education and experiences suit her well to advocate for the Nurse Practitioner role in Alberta.
In her free time, she can be found travelling, mountain biking or simply enjoying a walk with her dog in the Lethbridge coulees.