Health Talks
Health Talks is our annual evening event that takes place on the first day of the Quality Forum. It’s a perfect activity for anyone seeking an inspirational end to their day – you don’t have to be a Quality Forum participant to attend!
The event starts with a ceremony to recognize the winners of our BC Quality Awards, which celebrate improvements in quality of care.
Next, you’ll hear from a diverse group of awesome speakers who will all answer the question: What are your hopes for health care?
As a Powered by PechaKucha event, Health Talks’ speakers don’t use presentations full of bullet points. Instead, they use the PechaKucha presentation style, which is a visual storytelling platform that simplifies the artful process of inspiring others. The 20×20 format is short and simple: each presentation contains 20 photos and each photo is displayed for exactly 20 seconds before automatically advancing to the next one.
2024 Health Talks Speakers
Alex Halonen
Registered Nurse
Interior Health
Alex was born and raised in Northwestern Ontario and moved to Kelowna in 2017 to pursue a career in nursing. He is completing a Master of Science in Nursing at UBC Okanagan and his research focuses on pediatric COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Alex works as a Patient Care Coordinator in the inpatient surgical department at Kelowna General Hospital. He has been involved in several quality improvement projects and has a particular interest in positioning frontline staff as drivers of change. Outside of work, you can find Alex hiking, playing volleyball, and wine tasting.
Trevor Stokes
Teacher
Streetfront Alternative Program
Trevor has been teaching at the Streetfront Alternative Program since 1999. Under his leadership, Streetfront has become a world leader in motivating and inspiring at-risk youth, producing the largest cohort of high school marathoners in the world and leading the Street2Peak Project on expeditions across 5 continents. He believes that all students can find success when supported and cared for.
Cameron Lee (2024 Student Contest Winner)
Grade 11 Student
St. George’s School
Cameron is a Grade 11 student attending St. George’s School. He enjoys competitive hockey and plays rugby on the St. George’s 1st XV rugby team. When Cameron was 8, he was diagnosed with an ureteropelvic junction obstruction, necessitating surgery at BC Children’s Hospital. After a successful surgery, Cameron was inspired to explore the healthcare field and is a volunteer researcher at the BC Children’s Hospital Cardiac Electrophysiology Research Program. Cameron is honoured to speak about his medical experiences and the importance of active play in the health care system.
Jared Basil
Cultural Educator
Jared is a Cultural Framework Educator with the social sector of the Ktunaxa Nation. His work consists of cultural safety and humility trainings, presentations, as well as continuous educational opportunities derived from the Nation’s Social Sectors Practice Framework. In conjunction with education, Jared continues to work with health partners to develop culturally safe spaces with the hope and intention of impacting and benefiting future generations. His work also reaches education institutions in creating meaningful opportunities to learn about Cultural Safety, creating long lasting relationships that translate to strong, healthy conducive working partnerships moving forward.
Jaigris Hodson
Canada Research Chair in Digital Communication for the Public Interest
Royal Roads University
Jaigris Hodson is the Canada Research Chair (tier 2) in Digital Communication for the Public Interest. Her SSHRC and CIHR funded research examines the ways that misinformation can be mitigated through digital communication efforts, particularly those targeted at the research community. Thus her current work examines such interdisciplinary topics as educational interventions to address COVID-19 related misinformation, the online harassment of diverse researchers, the discourses of conspiracy theories, and ecological approaches to understanding misinformation in a modern context.
Coco Miller
Regional Lead of Indigenous Partnerships and Community Collaboration
Northern Health
Coco comes from the northern communities of Thornhill, Kitselas, Gitanyow, and Gitseguekla, having lived all her life in Thornhill. She is Gitxsan, Irish, and Tsimshian from the grouse clan of the house of Skogum Laxha. She loves people and has served her local communities in the areas of family development, natural resources, mental health, community engagement and emergency services. Some of her academic background includes areas of study in public health & social policy, human development, emergency response, and natural resources. The areas of work that bring her the most fulfillment are supporting opportunities that bring people together to learn from one another and develop solutions creatively to bring about the best ways forward – together. She was taught this by her two wonderful parents who have modeled serving their surrounding community with excellence along with a host of mentors she is so grateful to have learned from.
Jonny Morris
CEO
Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division
Jonny Morris is the CEO at the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division and has more than 20 years of experience in community-based mental-health services, policy and advocacy. He has research and practice experience in suicide prevention, is a trained counsellor and has taught child and youth care courses at the University of Victoria and Douglas College.
Jonny is committed to a vision of mental health for all, working at the Canadian Mental Health Association to lead system change efforts in preventing mental health problems, responding to crisis and improving care when people need to go to hospital. As an advocate for reducing stigma, he regularly speaks with workplaces, colleges, universities and communities about the opportunity to ensure mental health is a priority.
Previously, Jonny led the policy and legislation branch for BC’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, helping build the newly formed ministry from the ground up. Jonny comes at his work with lived experience personally and as a family member
Quality Forum 2024 Health Talks Student
Contest Applications are Closed
Health Talks Student Contest
An individual or team of students will share their hopes for health care as part of our annual Health Talks event at Quality Forum.
About Health Talks Student Contest
Health Talks will take place on the first evening on Quality Forum and is a Powered by PechaKucha event. PechaKucha is a style of presenting ideas, knowledge and passion in an easy and memorable way. This format is simple, visual and short: 20 images x 20 seconds.
Share Your Hopes for Health Care at Quality Forum 2024
Students, apply today for your chance to share your hopes for health care as part of our annual Health Talks event at Quality Forum 2024.
Apply by December 31
2023 Student Contest Winner
Aija Chaney
Douglas College
Presentation focus: Mental health
2023 Student Contest Runners-Up
Christina Lam
Simon Fraser University
Presentation Focus: Patient Centered Experience
Watch the video!
Navjit Moore
University of British Columbia
Presentation Focus: Chronic Disease Mentor
Read the storybook!
