Executive Board Members

Natalie Sawyer is an RN in British Columbia. She has worked her career in rural communities in areas such as general Med/Surg floor, Public Health, Home Health, Home Health Educator, and as an instructor for a local college working with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year nursing students. She has always had a vision that nursing could be more, and she has a deep passion for upstream health and holistic healing. In addition, Natalie is a Board Certified Nurse Coach, a Cannabis Nurse, and a Functional medicine practitioner. Her passion is true upstream healing and empowering her clients to heal themselves.

Susan Hagar is a Registered Nurse, Founder and CEO of Nurse On Board. In 2015, Susan established a unique service where individuals and families can retain a highly experienced RN to serve as a personal guide through the complexities of health care. As the largest body of regulated health professionals, Susan sees veteran nurses as the solution to the gaps in care that Canadians face. Her knowledge base is the result of 36 years of nursing in the areas of general surgery, urology, nephrology, cardiology, critical care, clinical research, and integrative medicine.

Susan established Independent Practice Nurses Ottawa in 2015, and her business success continues. She is also the past Board President of the Canadian Association of Self-Employed RNs. Her spiritual journey provides the foundation of her success, enhancing the most important relationship of all, the one with herself. This has led her to be a leader in business and to be the Board President of Unity Spiritual Centre Ottawa. Through meaningful relationships with self-employed Registered Nurses, Susan supports her colleagues across the country to become entrepreneurs, as a practical step toward changing the face of healthcare in Canada, and greater recognition of the extensive scope of practice of Registered Nurses.

Dana Clay, RN/NP, MN, CHC-NC, received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Distinction in 2004. She completed her Master of Nursing in 2019 specializing in Primary Health Care as a Nurse Practitioner. Her nursing career includes experience in acute care, community nursing, long-term care, and primary health care. Dana recently completed the Comprehensive Holistic Nurse and Nurse Coaching program through the CIINDE in 2021 and acts as a student advisor.
A holistic approach to health has always been a part of Dana’s life, continually learning how to support all aspects of the Self. She is a Usui Reiki Master/Teacher, certified BodyTalk TM practitioner, and continuing education in Functional Medicine, Holistic Cannabis Nursing, and Yoga theory and practice, to further support health on all levels for herself and clients. Dana is the owner and CEO of Stepping Stones Health and Wellness, where she provides private Nurse Practitioner appointments and integrative health services. Dana utilizes holistic nurse coaching and integrative modalities with all clients, believing that clients deserve the time to share their story, have meaningful conversations to get to the root cause of health imbalances, and create goals based on client priorities to support them as they move toward their best health. Dana is happy to be part of the Canadian Holistic Nurses Association to support and promote holistic and integrative nursing throughout Canada.

Shelly Scheideman is a Registered Nurse (RN) with a Bachelor in Nursing (BN) and a passion for holistic healthcare. Based in Alberta, Shelly has extensive clinical, operational and managerial experience where she has applied her nursing skills working directly in a variety of urban and rural healthcare hospital settings for over 20 years. She loves the problem solving of nursing, the intuition and the human connection required to provide quality care. She believes in caring for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and in empowering patients to take an active role in their health journey. Shelly completed the CIINDE Comprehensive Holistic Nurse, Nurse Coach and Consultant Certificate program and is the sole owner of the Nurse Coach Collaboratory. She is a Registered Yoga Instructor (RYT 200 hr), Certified Orenda Method Facilitator, Meditation Teacher and Reiki Level II Practitioner. Her approach combines the nursing process with evidence-based nursing practices and complementary integrative therapies including Yoga, Reiki, Breathwork, Meditation and guided Self-Discovery to promote health, wellness and enhanced well-being. Shelly enjoys spending time with her beautiful family, loves to create in the kitchen and is a strong advocate for the importance of self care, which further enriches her dedication to holistic wellness. She is also very active in her community, volunteering with the Orenda Community Youth and Family Society, an organization that supports the well-being of youth, families, and individuals in her community to show up and find purpose, open up to build authentic relationships, and rise up to make a meaningful difference in their own lives and the world around them.

Linda Yetman started her nursing career with her three-year diploma as a Registered Nurse. While her clinical specialty is neuroscience nursing, Linda’s career of 40+ years has spanned a variety of nursing roles in clinical practice, management, academia, and research in five Canadian provinces.

Linda’s practice has always been guided by evidence-informed perspectives with a holistic approach to her patients and families. While this holistic approach was always fundamental in her practice, it was not always apparent in her self-care, or in her colleagues. Linda’s interest in the need for self-care for nurses became very evident in her doctoral findings with staff nurses in acute care. Since completing her dissertation in 2005, Linda has continued advanced nursing and coaching studies for her own self-growth as well as for other nurses.

Combining nursing and coaching practices with her nurse clients, Linda supports them to manage exhaustion and chronic stress and to find ways to achieve work-life balance. Her individualized client coaching services draw upon advanced practice nursing, solution-focused, depth psychology, narrative, dream work, and holistic nurse coaching perspectives. She believes when a client is seeking to understand the root of an issue, breakthroughs may need to be sought from more than one source for true change to occur.

Linda provides one-on-one and small-group coaching. She has developed a 7-step framework, From Exhaustion to Revitalization to guide nurses from feeling overwhelmed, fatigued, and chronically stressed to feeling empowered, calm and revitalized. Linda is honoured to serve as a CHNA board member and promote holistic nursing in Canada and beyond its borders.

Linda’s website is: lindayetmancoaching.com

Bio Pending : )

A Registered Nurse for over 35 years, Kate maintains an independent practice (Synapse Integral Health Inc.) integrating holistic perspectives to health and wellness. With a strong interest in Integral theory, consciousness, and research, her passion for supporting nurses and other health professionals to develop holistic self-care is shared with all of her clients. The launch of The Conscious Nurse Project has been an exciting addition to her practice.  Her MA in Integral Health rounds off her education to fully support her holistic approaches to health and wellness.

Kate is a CIINDE Certified Holistic Nurse Coach/Consultant & student advisor with the Canadian Institute of Integrative Nursing Development & Education LTD.  Actively involved with the CHNA for a number of years, Kate also served as past President since 2019.

I acknowledge that I work and live on the ancestral, occupied, &unceded lands of the Kwantlen and Katzie First Nations

Introducing Jenn Johnson, an ER nurse whose passion for healthcare extends beyond the chaotic walls of the emergency room to the pages of her books. With 14 years of hands-on experience in one of the most demanding medical environments, Jenn Johnson brings a unique perspective to holistic nursing. In the ER, Jenn thrives under pressure, utilizing her quick thinking and calm demeanor to provide critical care in high-stakes situations. From stabilizing trauma patients to helping those transition to palliative care, she’s witnessed the full spectrum of human vulnerability and resilience. It’s this frontline experience that infuses her writing with authenticity and depth, capturing the raw emotions and complexities of medical crises.

But Jenn is not just a nurse; she’s also a storyteller with a pen. Drawing inspiration from her daily encounters in the ER, she crafts narratives that delve into the human condition with precision and empathy. Through her books, she sheds light on the triumphs and struggles of healthcare professionals, offering readers a glimpse into their world behind the scenes. Her debut novel “Nursing Intuition” brings forward the science that now supports the use of intuition in everyday nursing practice. Whether she’s documenting the adrenaline-fueled rush of saving lives or exploring the quieter moments of reflection amidst the chaos, Jenn paints a vivid portrait of the ER environment. Her writing is both informative and engaging, appealing to medical professionals and lay readers alike. She recently started a line of care planners for nurses focusing on the coping skills not taught in nursing school. 

With a blend of expertise, compassion, and literary talent, Jenn Johnson is not just an ER nurse and author; she’s a voice for those on the frontlines of healthcare, sharing stories that resonate long after the last page is turned.

Sierra’s journey into holistic nursing began during her studies at Lakehead University, where she recognized the sacred nature of the healing journey. Appreciating the interconnectedness of mind, body, spirit, and emotions, awakened a desire to delve deeper into holistic principles and coaching techniques through the Comprehensive Holistic Nurse, Nurse Coach & Consultant Certificate Program (CIINDE). With a diverse background in nursing, Sierra has gained experience across multiple fields including mental health, community health, surgical care, public health, holistic wellness, and complementary modalities. As a lifelong learner, Sierra is eager to explore new avenues and expand her knowledge in holistic healing practices.

As the founder of Whole-Hearted Nursing, Sierra is driven by a clear mission: to serve as a gentle guide, helping individuals tune into the whispers of their soul, unearth their true essence, and tap into their inner power. Her passion lies in helping people connect with their innate wisdom and harness the transformative energy of love. Acknowledging the profound impact of trauma on health and well-being, Sierra is deeply committed to integrating trauma-informed care in her own practice and at a systemic level. She believes in creating spaces that are safe, accessible, and inclusive. Sierra passionately advocates that empowering individuals as their own healers and considering a whole-person perspective can create profound shifts within the healthcare system and redefine care paradigms. She views her involvement in this transformative movement as a great honor, recognizing that change is not only imminent but also necessary.

I am currently a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department  as well as Primary and Urgent Care and also working on my specialty in Holistic Nurse Coach and Consulting through the CIINDE.

I have an array of experiences caring for a broad range of patients from infants to senior citizens within various scenarios including post-operative, infectious diseases, medical, oncology, palliative, public health, primary/urgent care and emergency departments. My particular areas of interest revolve around health prevention, promotion and holistic care. I have also received her certificate in Level one Therapeutic Touch. I absolutely love the emergency department, however, I am wanting to  create change within the allopathic healthcare system by providing holistic nursing care to patients and colleagues (nurses) and of course, most importantly, to myself! I would like to collaborate with my organization by being an agent of change and being able to empower patients in all walks of life to create their own changes. I would like to be a part of the solution for our healthcare to assist for better outcomes for patients and change our healthcare system for the more empowered!

Hello and Namaste!
My name is Vanessa and I am a lover of travel, adventure and healthy eating! I made my way to Vancouver from my hometown of Edmonton in 2010. With a degree in Nursing and a desire to help, I dedicated my time and energy to provide compassionate care to the vulnerable and marginalized individuals of Vancouver who experienced mental health and substance use issues.
After backpacking to Madagascar, India and Nepal in 2018-2020, I returned to Vancouver and to my workplace as a Nurse. I felt a deep misalignment with the approach to care I was trained to take and that which I wanted to take and this began to pull at my heartstrings.
In 2021, I returned to school full time at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, graduated with honours, and became a Registered Holistic Nutritionist in August 2022. Now, I take great pride in empowering individuals to make healthier, more balanced food choices to support their body systems while educating them about the amazing benefits of nutrition.
In my free time, you will find me biking or rollerblading on the seawall, swimming at Third Beach, camping, swinging in my hammock, finding bargains at a thrift store, eating colorful foods or appreciating various cultures on a backpacking trip.