Val is excited to be part of the PCNIG executive serving as the Chair. She previously supported the team in secretarial and communication roles. Val is the Director of the Champlain Hospice Palliative Care Program in Ottawa, an organization that supports providers to deliver high-quality palliative care in any setting. She completed her BScN at Queen’s University, and MScN and PhD at the University of Ottawa. She has been a nurse for over 30 years, starting her career in the Canadian Forces. When she left the military, she transitioned to roles in oncology and palliative care before moving into post-secondary nursing education up until taking on her current role. She is passionate about decision support (helping patients and families make the best health and life decisions possible); knowledge translation (her PhD research looked at nursing students’ use of guidelines for pain and symptom management); education (preparing entry-level and practicing practitioners with the information they need to deliver high-quality palliative care); and looking at issues from a pragmatic, consultative, and interprofessional point of view. Val was thrilled to be the 2025 recipient of the Canadian Palliative Care Nursing Association Leadership Award.
With 18 years of experience in paediatrics, Kimberly Daffern, began her career at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. For the past decade, her passion has been in paediatric palliative care, particularly through her work at Emily’s House children’s hospice. She was a member of the working group who created the Canadian Paediatric Palliative Care Nursing Competencies in 2021 and was a key content creator for the Introduction to Paediatric Palliative Care, A Child & Family Centred Approach, course offered through the SickKids Learning Institute. She has presented at the HPCO conference and was a co-poster presenter at MIPCC congress. Kimberly is thrilled to be joining the PCNIG executive team and is committed to being an advocate for palliative care policy and political action.
Dr. Celina Carter is a critical qualitative health researcher, nurse psychotherapist, and interprofessional educator. Celina has a BScN from Dalhousie University, a MN from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a PhD in Public Health - Social and Behavioural Health Sciences from the University of Toronto (U of T). With almost 20 years of experience in the field of nursing, Celina's research and practice originates from point of care challenges such as nursing burnout, early access to palliative care, grief and bereavement support for caregivers, and the alleviation of suffering for the dying with a particular interest in spiritual suffering.
As a scientist, Celina has received funding and awards from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to advance earlier goal-oriented conversations for frail older adults, and develop meaningful ways to advance occupational wellbeing in hospice care drawing on mindfulness-informed practices. Celina teaches Mindfulness Informed End of Life in Continuing Education at the University of Toronto and also runs a mindfulness-informed psychotherapy practice, Present at the End. Drawing on her journalism training at U of T, her expertise in knowledge mobilization , and her love of arts-based research, Celina has been the Social Media & Information Technology Executive Network Officer since 2022 working to further the impact of the Palliative Care Nurses Interest Group.
Carolyn Wilson is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care with extensive experience supporting patients and families across the lifespan—from pediatrics to older adults. She holds Canadian Nurses Association certifications in both Palliative Care and Pediatrics, as well as designation as a Canadian Certified Nurse Educator. Carolyn is deeply passionate about Advance Care Planning for all ages and has been actively involved in pediatric advance care planning initiatives.
Currently serving as the Legacy Coordinator at Viive Planning, Carolyn focuses on aging, legacy, and end-of-life planning. Beyond her professional work, she enjoys traveling, swimming, spending time with horses, and cherishing moments with family and friends—especially her incredible niece.
Maria Panzera Rugg is a nationally recognized Clinical Nurse Specialist and educator in hospice palliative and supportive care with over 35 years of experience spanning perinatal, pediatric, and adult populations across hospital, community, and hospice settings. She currently serves as Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse Educator with Life and Death Matters and as Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultant with VON Hospice Durham, advancing best practices and supporting interprofessional teams across Ontario.
Maria’s leadership has shaped provincial, national and international standards for palliative care,through her roles as Regional Clinical Co-Lead for Ontario Health’s Ontario Palliative Care Network and Interim Provincial Lead for Psychosocial Oncology with Cancer Care Ontario. She has contributed to national curriculum design and mentorship through the University of Toronto, deSouza Institute, and Pallium Canada, and has served on boards and committees with Hospice Palliative Care Ontario and the Registered Nurses’ Foundation of Ontario.
A Certified Health Executive and award-winning nurse leader, Maria has been honoured with the Dorothy Ley Award of Excellence and multiple awards for compassion and patient experience. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to advancing equitable, person-centred palliative care through education, mentorship, and system transformation.
Christina is a graduate student enrolled in the Master of Science in Nursing program at Western University. She holds bachelor's degrees in nursing and kinesiology and works as an RN at Southlake Health on the inpatient oncology and palliative care unit. Christina is also a BPSO champion at her healthcare organization, with a focus on pain management and pressure injury prevention. She has participated in numerous research ventures surrounding older adults, palliative care, long-term care, oncology, structural marginalization, language barriers, and virtual connectedness. She also serves as the equity, diversity, and inclusion group lead for the RNAO’s student leadership incubator. Christina has been involved with the PCNIG for over three years, attending multiple HPCO conferences, RNAO AGMs, and co-creating media posters regarding palliative care myths. She is eager to further the student perspective within the organization and involve student members in the palliative care community and beyond.
Carly is a student liaison for PCNIG and a student in the Compressed Timeframe Nursing Program at Western University. She holds a degree in Communication Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University and previously worked in sport marketing and teaching before pursuing nursing. Her interest in palliative care was sparked after participating in a palliative nursing simulation and witnessing the compassionate care her own family member received from palliative nurses in their final days. This experience inspired her to further explore the field, including writing academic essays highlighting the vital work palliative care nurses do. Carly currently serves on the Western-Fanshawe Nursing Student Association and is eager to help educate fellow nursing students about the palliative care specialty. Her specific interests include palliative care education for nursing students, increasing public awareness of palliative care and ways to support families and patients, and helping to destigmatize Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). After graduation, she hopes to work in pediatric palliative care, focusing on providing holistic support to children and their families throughout the care journey.
Drawing on two years of prior undergraduate work in Kinesiology, Neveen Shnoudeh is an accelerated BScN student at the University of Toronto. She is currently immersed in clinical practice as an extern in oncology and palliative care and simultaneously contributes to student life as a Residence Don and a nursing mentor for first-year students in her faculty. Neveen is deeply interested in palliative care and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with life-limiting illnesses. She is passionate about providing safe and culturally sensitive care for patients and families navigating advanced care planning and the end-of-life journey. Her top interests lie in pediatric palliative care and improving palliative care nursing education for undergraduate students. Neveen is super excited to be serving as a Student ENO for the PCNIG and looks forward to shedding light on palliative care within the student body.
Venus is a fourth-year nursing student at York University. She joined the PCNIG executive because of the influence of her grandparents, who inspired her compassion and shaped her passion for nursing. She is currently an Intensive Care Nurse Extern at Birchmount Hospital and has participated in several community events supporting individuals with Parkinson’s disease, such as The Fanny Bernstein Living Well with Parkinson’s Program, Dancing with Parkinson’s, and Rock Steady Boxing for Parkinson’s.