Lucie has been working in primary/community care as an RN and NP since 2008, most of them in Alberta in remote, rural and urban settings. She is currently practicing in primary care under the Alberta Health Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program.

Her dream of working in autonomous primary care has come to fruition but she would love to see more nurse practitioners as primary care providers along her side. Lucie wished to work with the NPAA to educate the population and medical colleagues on the role and scope of nurse practitioners, and to work towards eliminating legislative barriers to autonomous practice while supporting advances in team-based care.

She practiced at Westgrove Medical for over a decade, helped develop the Westview Women’s Health Clinic, served as the primary care provider for the Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation from 2011–2025, and now practices part-time in downtown Edmonton while teaching in the University of Alberta’s Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner program.

Linda is passionate about improving access to primary care, women’s health, and addictions services. She has contributed to substance use disorder guidelines, completed advanced training in addictions care, and mentors new nurse practitioners entering primary care. Linda continues to advocate with policy makers for the advancement of NP practice across all agencies in Alberta.

Sara is a Nurse Practitioner whose clinical experience spans long-term care, family practice, acute care, intensive care, and emergency settings. She earns her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Calgary in 2012, her Master of Nursing from the University of Saskatchewan in 2021, and a postgraduate certificate in Acute and Hospital Medicine from the University of Toronto (Bloomberg) in 2023.

She begins her NP career serving a small Indigenous community in Northern Alberta, where she practices for three years. She currently maintains a full family practice through the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program. In addition, she works with the Alberta Health Services locum team, supporting hospitals and communities across the province during times of provider shortage.

Through these roles, Sara gains valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities facing Nurse Practitioners across both rural and urban settings, as well as within primary and acute care environments.

She is deeply committed to advancing the NP role, improving access to care, and strengthening collaborative healthcare teams. She is particularly motivated by the opportunity to advocate for her colleagues, strengthen the NP voice, and support a future where Nurse Practitioners can practice to their full potential.

Outside of her professional work, Sara enjoys spending time with family and friends, often gathering around the table for “Soup Sundays.” She also enjoys paddling, hiking, and skiing, and finds her greatest joy in spending time with her children.

Along with her NP designations she holds graduate certification in chronic pain.

Throughout her career, Crystal has developed expertise in the assessment and management of both acute and chronic health conditions, preventive medicine, women’s health, seniors care and complex medical presentations. Her diverse healthcare background allows her to approach patient care with a broad clinical perspective and a strong focus on thorough assessment, education, and shared decision-making.

In addition to her clinical work, Crystal is passionate about advancing access to high-quality primary care and supporting the continued growth and development of the Nurse Practitioner profession. She maintains a strong interest in healthcare innovation, policy development, and improving healthcare delivery for patients and communities.

Outside of practice, Crystal enjoys travelling, fishing, and spending time outdoors. She is an avid beekeeper with a particular interest in apitherapy and the health benefits associated with honeybee products. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, their beagle, and their cat, who help keep life both active and entertaining.

Melanie Snider has worked as a Nurse Practitioner in rural Alberta for 11 years, specializing in primary care. She earned her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Calgary in 2004 and worked in a variety of roles before finding her niche in primary care in 2007.

She is deeply committed to ongoing professional development and lifelong learning. Her academic background includes a Master of Nursing, a Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner certificate, and a Tropical Nursing Diploma. She is currently completing a Master of Public Health.

Through her work in rural settings, Melanie understands the barriers Nurse Practitioners face in accessing in-person education and training. As Education Director, she is focused on delivering high-quality, unbiased educational opportunities that are accessible and responsive to the needs of NPs across Alberta.

She looks forward to collaborating with the board and committees and values the opportunity to support and serve the Alberta NP community.

She has a diverse research program and have an academic appointment with the University of Calgary. She is also a Charter Fellow with the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada (NPAC).

She is looking forward to building on the foundational work completed by the NPAA to engage with leaders about NP practice in acute care, further advocate for advance education and specialization opportunities, and co-develop programs aimed at recruitment and retention of NPs who work in acute care.

Trudy has over 20 years of experience in nursing, including more than 11 years practicing as a Nurse Practitioner. Her career spans multiple settings, including roles within Alberta Health Services during periods of wage restraint, urban family practice, and, most recently, rural family practice.

She has also contributed to education and research, including teaching in the University of Calgary Nurse Practitioner program and collaborating on research initiatives with both Alberta Health Services and the pharmaceutical industry.

Trudy brings a broad understanding of healthcare systems across AHS, urban, and rural environments. Her diverse experience provides a strong foundation for navigating the complexities of primary care and understanding how different parts of the system are interconnected.

She is deeply invested in the future of primary care in Alberta and across Canada. She recognizes the importance of recent progress toward clearer and more transparent billing structures and is encouraged by ongoing government movement in this direction. She is also mindful of upcoming changes to the Canada Health Act and the potential impact on Nurse Practitioners nationwide.

She views the current primary care program as a strong foundation and is committed to supporting its evolution to ensure fairness, sustainability, and greater alignment with other primary care providers.

In this role, Trudy focuses on advancing equitable funding models, supporting clarity in billing and program structure, and ensuring that the needs and perspectives of primary care Nurse Practitioners are well represented.

…improving access to primary care for rural and underserved communities.
She completed her Bachelor of Nursing at Mount Royal University and her Master of Nursing – Family/All Ages Nurse Practitioner degree at Athabasca University.

Throughout her career, Nonye has worked across a variety of healthcare settings, including oncology, home care, virtual care, and primary care. She currently practices in rural Alberta, where she provides comprehensive primary care and has firsthand experience navigating the unique challenges faced by patients and healthcare providers outside urban centres.

In addition to her clinical practice, Nonye is passionate about mentorship and professional development. She regularly supports Nurse Practitioner students in clinical placements and advocates for greater exposure to rural practice opportunities to help strengthen recruitment and retention in rural communities.

Nonye is also the founder of a virtual women’s health clinic focused on supporting patients through perimenopause, menopause, and midlife health transitions. This work has further strengthened her understanding of healthcare access barriers and innovative models of care delivery.

As Director of Rural Primary Care, Nonye is committed to advancing equitable access to care, supporting the Nurse Practitioner profession, and strengthening rural healthcare across Alberta.

…professional experiences. She is highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with a demonstrated history of leadership and service in both professional and community settings. Her most important role is being a boy mom, and one she couldn’t be prouder of. When she does have free time you can usually find her at hockey rinks across Alberta, hiking, playing softball, or anything in the sun!

Heather has volunteered in a variety of leadership and organizational roles. She is also actively involved in community initiatives through her church, contributing to programs such as We Love YYC, Christmas Wish List, Send a Kid to Camp, and Mexico Home Build campaigns. These experiences have strengthened her skills in logistics coordination, stakeholder engagement, project management, and the successful execution of large-scale initiatives.

Heather is passionate about developing well-organized, purposeful events that create value for participants. She recognizes the importance of professional conferences in supporting continuing education, fostering collaboration, and advancing advocacy efforts. Her combination of clinical expertise, business acumen, leadership experience, and commitment to the profession makes her well suited to support the planning and delivery of impactful professional events and initiatives.

Born and raised in the UK, she moved to Canada over 30 years ago, beginning her career in finance and oil & gas before transitioning to the non-profit sector almost a decade ago, driven by a desire to contribute to her community.

She brings expertise in governance and financial management, with a proven ability to strengthen organizations and advance healthcare initiatives. As the former Executive Director of the Alberta Association of Midwives, she has supported professional communities and driven meaningful healthcare improvements.

Now leading the Nurse Practitioners Association of Alberta, Harj is focused on advocating for and advancing Nurse Practitioner (NP) practice to build a healthier Alberta. She is passionate about improving patient access and care quality, with a strategic vision of Nurse Practitioners being recognized as healthcare leaders, ensuring every Albertan has access to expert NP care. Her leadership is aimed at fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for healthcare professionals across the province.

Outside of work, Harj enjoys exploring the outdoors, traveling, spending time with her family, and curling up with a good book.

Madison Barabonoff is the Program Manager at the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta (NPAA), where she works across advocacy, program implementation, and operations for the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program.

She brings a background in administration, project coordination, and business operations, with experience supporting small businesses across Alberta and British Columbia.

Madison is known for keeping things organized and moving forward, especially when things get complex. She enjoys building systems that actually make sense and help teams work more efficiently, and has a natural eye for clean, functional design.

Outside of work, she’s usually heading to the mountains, appreciating good design (especially typography), or getting way too much satisfaction out of a really well-built spreadsheet.