2024-2025 DURHAM executive

My name is Jamara Smith, and I am currently practicing as a public health nurse in the Immunization Program. I graduated from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Ontario Tech University) where I completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. I have been an active member of RNAO due to my passion for nursing excellence, advocating for healthy public policy, and health equity and networking with other healthcare professionals. I have previously held the roles of Student mentee, Student Liaison, and Social Media Executive Network Officer with the Durham Chapter. I look forward to serving the chapter members in the coming year.

I have been a nurse for over 20 years, with a passion for working with children, youth and their families.  I started as a registered nurse in the acute care setting and have transitioned to the community setting as a nurse practitioner working in child and adolescent mental health.  I have always been an advocate for the nursing profession and the vital role we play in healthcare, health equity, social justice, health promotion and disease prevention in population health. I am looking forward to becoming more involved in promoting nursing excellence as an RNAO member and meeting fellow nurses with similar interests and goals.  

My name is Sasha-Lee Allen, I am currently practicing as an Occupational Health Nurse. I attended the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Ontario Tech University) where I completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2018. I have worked in both the public and private sectors supporting employees. I also support clients in the community as a visiting nurse. I am very passionate about mentorship. I am also a part-time PSW instructor. I enjoy interacting with nurses from different backgrounds as this enables me to advocate for issues which are prevalent in different areas of nursing.

Roya Haghiri-Vijeh (She/Her/Hers) is an assistant professor and researcher in the School of Nursing on the treaty lands and the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. As a first-generation settler and an uninvited guest on this land, Roya is grateful for the opportunity to live and work here. Her scholarship, underpinned by Gadamerian Hermeneutics, interpretive phenomenology, and mixed methodologies is focused on underserved populations and individuals who identify at the intersection of identities. In particular, her focus is to enhance and advance the health and social care needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ migrants, youths, and older adults. Roya collaborates and volunteers with various organizations and she is the Policy and Politics ENO for RNAO's Durham Chapter and Rainbow Nursing Interest Group. 

Hi, my name is Sabrina Sudhai. This is my 2^nd year involved in the RNAO Durham as I have a passion for advocating for healthcare in the nursing realm. I graduated from the TMU (formerly Ryerson) nursing program and also completed my Master of Nursing there as well in Leadership, Health Policy and Education. I’m currently working as a Quality Improvement Leader at Lakeridge Health. I truly enjoy working with and learning about the different backgrounds of those in the Durham Chapter. I look forward to continuously being able to stand up and advocate for nurses everywhere.

Hugo is currently a 3rd-year BScN student at Ontario Tech University and is returning as the Durham Chapter's Student ENO. He is well involved in the school nursing community as the Co-President of the Nursing Student Community (NSC), a part of the Program Evaluation Committee with both at Ontario Tech, including acting as an RNAO ambassador for the second consecutive year, and is also the Policy & Political Action Officer of the Nursing Students of Ontario (NSO) interest group under the RNAO. He believes in improving the healthcare system through the lens of nursing via leadership, student involvement, and using the collective voice. 

Hugo hopes to use these unique opportunities to foster relationships to spearhead and bring forth change within nursing education so that it is equitable, and accessible and helps develop resiliency in nursing students. He is also interested in policy work that aims at decolonizing the current healthcare system to improve the quality of care received by those, particularly from minority populations.