Jenny (she/her) is a first generation settler with Dutch and British Ancestry. Her parents immigrated to Canada in the late 1960’s and settled on beautiful Vancouver Island on the traditional and unceded lands of the Cowichan People. Jenny has lived,learned, and raised her family as a grateful and uninvited guest on the traditional and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation for the past 19 years.

Jenny joined the FNHA family in September 2020 as the Regional Addiction Specialist for the Vancouver Island Region, and in 2022 she joined the central Four Directions Team as a Nurse Practice Consultant for Substance Use
and Harm Reduction. Jenny is a Registered Nurse by trade and holds her Certified Practice in Reproductive Health. She has worked in a variety of clinical and community-based settings over the past 15 years. Her passion throughout her nursing career has been in community health, and supporting people who use substances from a trauma-informed and harm reduction lens. In 2023 Jenny graduated from the University of Victoria with her Master of Public Health. 

Jenny is a very busy mom to 3 kids including an almost 15 year old boy and 12 year old twin girls, as well as her fur baby Rosie and two cats. When not at work Jenny is most likely to be found at the rink or the pool, volunteering and cheering her kids on in their sports. For wellness Jenny enjoys walking in the forest with Rosie, swimming, crocheting, and cooking/baking. Jenny is very excited to be re-joining the Vancouver Island Team in this new role as the Toxic Drug Response Manager.

FNHA Contact: Jenny.Peters@fnha.ca

The Communicable Disease, Population and Public Health (CDPPH) team is delighted to announce Michelle Prince as a new manager. She is a proud member of the Tse'khene Nation of McLeod Lake Indian Band on her mother's side and French European on her father's side. She lives on the picturesque lands of the Ts'uubaa-asahx First Nation.

Michelle has been with FNHA since 2017. Prior to joining the OCNO, Michelle worked as Director of Nursing for the Vancouver Island regional team. This role was pivotal in enhancing her leadership skills and understanding of diverse health care needs.

In her new role, Michelle will support the CDPPH portfolio which includes Maternal Child Health, the STBBI Program (HIV/AIDs, Hepatitis B & C, syphilis, and other sexually transmitted infections), the Tuberculosis team, the Immunization Program, Infection Prevention and Control (ICP), and Communicable Disease (CD) management.

Michelle is a mother of three wonderful children aged 23, 25 and 27, and an Atsu (grandmother) to a delightful five-year old. Her dog Duke is a cherished member of her family. She loves nature and spending as much time as possible in the forest or near water.

Michelle is excited about this new adventure and looks forward to sharing her knowledge and learning from her new team to support OCNO work. Please extend Michelle a congratulations on her new role! 

FNHA Contact: Michelle.Prince@fnha.ca

The First Nation Health Authority, Vancouver Island Regional Team is proud to announce that Melissa Joe has accepted the role of Regional Manager, Environmental Public Health Services (EPHS).

Melissa’s traditional name is Qwan-qwa maat, which comes from her maternal great-grandmother from Qualicum.  Her other grandparents are from Snaw-naw-as, Stz’uminus and Cowichan.  Melissa is a member of the Stz’uminus First nation and has been living in Stz’uminus since returning to Vancouver Island in 2019.

Melissa has been supporting the Vancouver Island EPHS Team in an Acting Manager capacity since April 2024 and looks forward to formally stepping into the role to support the  team and leading them to provide quality EPH services to the Nations on Vancouver Island. Melisssa has been an Environmental Public Health Officer (EPHO) since 2000 and originally hired with Health Canada to serve the mid-Vancouver Island region.  She has served as FNHA Manager of EPHS in the Fraser Salish and Vancouver Coastal regions from 2016 to 2019 and returned to Vancouver Island supporting as an EPHO.  

In her role as the Regional Manager of EPHS, Melissa will provide leadership to the EPHS Team working in partnership with First Nations communities to identify and prevent environmental public health risks in First Nations communities that could impact the health of community members. 

FNHA Contact: Melissa.Joe@fnha.ca

​​​The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is continuing to host engagement sessions with the urban and away-from-home (UAH) First Nations population in BC, urban Indigenous organizations and health system partners across the province.

Our goal is to learn how we can improve communication pathways with the UAH First Nations community and better understand your health and wellness needs.​

Vancouver Island engagement sessions

We are excited to share upcoming engagement sessions being held across Vancouver Island. Come share your ideas and enjoy a meal, wellness supports and children's activities (ages 2+). This is a free event, and there will be gifts for all participants!

August 21 in Courtenay: Wachiay Friendship Centre from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (pop-up booth)

August 22 in Duncan: Hiiye'yu Lelum – House of Friendship from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (pop-up booth)

August 26 in Port Alberni: Port Alberni Friendship Centre from 12 to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.

Sign up for a session by completing our registration form.

Upcoming Vancouver Island engagement sessions

We are looking to schedule future engagement sessions and pop-up booths in the following locations:

• Port Hardy
• Victoria
• Nanaimo
• Campbell River

Stay Connected

For those unable to attend these in-person sessions, you can complete our online engagement survey.

For more information about future virtual and in-person engagement sessions, UAH events and how you can get involved, please visit the UAH webpage or get in touch with us at UAH@fnha.ca.

FNHA Contact: Becki.Nookemis@fnha.ca