Meet our executive

President - Piroska Bata

Piroska Bata

Piroska is a nursing professional with 31 years of Burn-Trauma/Critical Care/Mental Health, teaching, and business management experience. Studied Nursing at McMaster University, Professional Coaching at Adler International, International Executive MBA at University of Toronto. Currently studying for her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. Has earned her Licensed Practitioner and Master Practitioner Certificate in NLP and became an NSP Hypnotist. Piroska is now a Licensed Trainer of NLP.

Piroska is also Reiki Master/Teacher, Therapeutic Touch practitioner. This fits in with the love of martial arts/meditation and teaching of self defense. Passionate speaker about Brain Injuries, Mental Health and Workplace violence prevention, in health care settings. Piroska also is sought out by Nursing professionals in business and career coaching as the landscape of Health Care is changing. She has been a keynote speaker for nursing groups about secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue. Presented also to various organizations about workplace violence and advanced directives, end of life care. She is also a guest instructor at York University in their privacy certificate program, detailing the challenges of digitalization of health care data from a privacy perspective.

As an RN she has worked in ICU through SARS and H1N1 on Neurotrauma ICU, Burns, Med – Surg ICU, and CV ICU for 20 years. The next 10 years she taught clinical education ( medical surgical, mental health ) was in management for over 4 years in hospitals and a College Clinic. She held an academic appointment with Seneca college for 5 years teaching Coronary care, Chronic Disease Management, and Nursing Leadership and Management. As well as coordinating all those programs for International Nurses.

As an RNAO member, she is currently the President of the Independently Practicing Nursing Interest group. She was previously on the Board of Directors of the RNAO and in various positions in Region 6 and Complementary Therapy Practice Interest Group. Strong advocate for RNs to work in their full scope of practice and be the voice of advocacy for speaking out for health and patient advocacy. On a personal note, Piroska’s father suffered a traumatic brain injury at work, which opened her eyes to what was not available in the health care system. Translating for her parents and coordinating services for her family and father created the realization how much this is needed in the community.

The past two years her focus has been Patient advocacy and helping patients navigate the health care system in Canada. This includes assessment of the situation, patient education, health teaching, remotely coaching clients and their families how to navigate the system while in hospital. Provides detailed educational materials and resources in the community such as what other health care professionals may be able to assist or are required to resolve issues. Dedicated to excellence in patient centered care, evidence-based practice, best practice guidelines and working collaboratively to create models for outstanding customer service with integrity, humanity, respect, and dignity.

Membership Network Executive Officer - Betty Franklin

Betty Franklin - Executive

 - Registered Nurse, Mental Fitness and Wellbeing Expert, Author, Coach, Educator

Betty works with organizations to fast forward employee mental and physical wellbeing. Using research-based concepts, highlighted in her book, "GUTS - Get Uncomfortable to Succeed - Embracing Health, Balance, and Abundance", her workshops and coaching program deliver a mental fitness and wellbeing model that integrates, and embraces six key components of a fulfilling life. By integrating these components - called the "F Words" - Family, Fitness, Friends, Finance, Fun and Faith - Betty supports, guides, and inspires people to harness their power to live well, no matter the circumstances. Betty's passion is to help people take command of their life and be fully responsible for all aspects it.

Communications Executive Network Officer - Tracey Hotta

Tracey Hotta

Tracey has had the opportunity to lecture across North America on surgical and non-surgical plastic surgical procedures and has published several related articles. She is the past president of the ISPAN, a founding member for the Canadian Society of Aesthetic Specialty Nurses (CSASN), and a member of the prestigious Quarter Century Club of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. 

Tracey was one of the first RN injectors in Canada and is a aesthetic nurse specialist.  She opened her own aesthetic practice in 2014 and a few years later started her medical aesthetics consulting practice.  She is currently the Communications Executive Network Officer for IPNIG.

Finance Executive Network Officer - Olivia Brundia

Olivia Brundia

Olivia is currently serving as the Finance Executive Network Officer for IPNIG and previously served as the Student Liaison to the group.  As a more novice Registered Nurse, Olivia is still accruing credentials and continuing education in order to pursue work as a independently practicing nurse.

In the education sector she has experience in clinical instructing for first year BScN students & serving as a preceptor for first and fourth year BScN students.  However, her primary practice specialty is acute psychiatry & medically supervised withdrawal management/detoxification where she has worked at the head nurse.  Her casual position is on her local sexual assault/domestic violence nurse examiner team.  She has her CVAA (c ) and CPMHN (c ) certifications, and taken various other courses in wound care.

Olivia has been a member of RNAO for several years.  She has previously been a Consultation representative for the AGM, served as a Stakeholder Reviewer for two RNAO Best Practice Guidelines, and also is very involved with the environmental interest group.  Olivia hopes to soon pursue her masters degree in nursing.

Student Liaison - Shelby Guillas

Student Liaison

Policy & Political Action Executive Network Officer - Christine Ritchie

Image of Christine Ritchie

Christine Ritchie is an experienced nurse with a wealth of knowledge.

EDUCATION

1985 Social Work 101, University of Waterloo
1998 Personal Support Worker Diploma (All levels) Career Canada College
2001 Completed Registered Nurse Program, Heritage College 
2005 Teaching and Learning Course Athabasca University
2006 Cellular Homeostasis Algonquin College
2007 Pain assessment and management
2008 Introduction to Palliative Care
2008 Preceptorship Workshop Elizabeth Bruyere
2008 PIECES Psychogeriatric Education Program
2009 E-Mentorship program for Advanced Practice Nursing in Oncology and Palliation sponsored by
Cancer Ontario
2021 Advancing as a Nurse Leader in Long Term Care

EMPLOYMENT
1975 Nurses Aid-Rideau Regional Center
1976 Central Supply Unit-Arnprior Civic Hospital Sterilization and distribution of all trays and supplies
for the operating room, hospital and emergency room
1978-1996 Accounts Receivable, Reception Office and Store Clerk-Ritchie Feed and Seed Ltd.

1997-1999 Personnel Support Worker Robertson House
1999 May-August Acting Marketing Manager Riverpark Place Retirement Residence
2000 UCP Nights Fairfield Manor
2000-2001 PSW Instructor Health Care Vocational Centre Clinical Instructor Glebe Centre
2001 Queensway Carleton Hospital Staff Nurse Surgery
2005 Teaching DNR policy Orientation Sessions for Nursing Queensway Carleton Hospital
2003-2007 Head Nurse Camp Tawingo Residential Camp Third Session
2005-2011 Elected member College of Nurses of Ontario, Quality Assurance Committee, Discipline
Committee
2008 Recovery Room PES Endoscopy
2009 Visit Nurse We care Home Health Services, Community Nursing in palliative care, oncology and
wound care.
2009 Clinical Instructor Algonquin College
2010 to 2015 Director of care Riverpark Place Retirement Residence
2015 to 2016 Nursing Supervisor for West End of Ottawa, Renfrew and Lanark County for St.Elizabeth
Health Care
2016 to present Director of Care for Omni Garden Terrace Nursing Home
Volunteer Experience
1978-1980 Special Friend Program (Trainer and volunteer) Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa-Carleton
1993-1995 Stittsville Villagefest Committee, Villagefest Parade
1993-1994 Chairperson A.Lorne Cassidy Public School Parents Association
1996-1998 Co-Ordinator for the West-End Groups of the Canadian Relief Fund for the Chernobyl
Victims of Belarus
1998-1999 Providing pastoral care through St. Thomas Anglican Church
2003-2008 Ethics Committee Queensway Carleton Hospital
2003-2004 Policies and Procedure Committee “DNR policy” Queensway Carleton Hospital
2008 QCH Foundation Organization Oktoberfest Oct.24,2008 Proceeds to new Irving Greenberg Family

Cancer Centre
2012-2014 Co-chair Clinical Practice Committee for Ottawa Regional Hospice Palliative Care Network