Are you currently a student?
I’m currently applying to begin my Masters of Science in Nursing

Are you currently employed?
I am currently employed as a Registered Nurse in the Prince George Regional Hospital Operating Room.

Have you completed secondary school?
I completed secondary school at Caledonia Senior in Terrace, BC

Have you completed university/college?                       
In 2007 I completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Northern British Columbia

Have you completed any technical/professional school?       
I haven’t attended any technical or professional schools

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
English

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).
I have training in equestrian sports including dressage and jumping and I’m a classically trained ballet dancer.

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
I have participated in dance for 16 years, running for 3 years, skiing for 3 years, English riding for 2 years, and have recently taken up snowboarding! (I.e. sliding down the hill on my bottom)

Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Northern British Columbia and hope to graduate with a Masters of Science in Nursing by 2012.

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
Charities I have supported with my time and resources over the past two years include Save Darfur Now, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Red Cross, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, New Hope, and the Prince George Child Development Centre

What would be your "dream job" in life?
My dream job in life would be a career that encompassed the art of nursing, wedding planning, snowboarding, and space travel.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
One person, other than my parents, who has had the most influence on my life would be my social work professor, Dr. Si. Transken. She is the human embodiment of the mythological phoenix. Dr. Transken is an individual who has transformed experiences of victimization and oppression into regularly exercised creativity and elation with the experiences each day brings. Her stories and her spirit inspire the most indifferent of students into excitement over their personal potential in contributing to the world.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)
My proudest personal accomplishment that I hope to continue to accomplish is bringing comfort to the patients I interact with on an everyday basis. I have yet to find anything as rewarding than seeing the gratefulness on a person’s face for providing nursing care with genuine care.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
One of my career ambitions is to provide high quality healthcare services to women living in rural communities. One way I plan to accomplish this is by initiating research on the healthcare needs of women living in northern areas of BC. On obtaining my Masters degree in Nursing, I hope to be in a better position to accomplish this and make positive, culturally competent changes in women’s healthcare delivery.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was raised in a small, isolated town in northwest British Columbia called Terrace, known for its pristine rivers, outstanding salmon fishing, and regal mountain ranges. I grew up in a large house on a couple of acres of property where my parents boarded horses, cultivated fruits and vegetables, planted a exhibition of flowers, and raised my little sister and me. My days were spent attending a Catholic school, riding horses, climbing coniferous trees, taking ballet lessons, and planting the odd time capsule. My parents instilled in us the value of staying true to oneself, remaining independent, obtaining an education, and maintaining one’s spirituality. I couldn’t imagine a happier childhood than mine!

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
One of the most interesting jobs I’ve had was teaching ballet to a group of twenty 8 year-olds. While it was certainly one of the most challenging jobs I’ve had, I quickly learned the importance of patience and composure!

List any volunteering you have done.
The most significant volunteer experience I’ve had was as a RN volunteer on a surgical mission in the Philippines. I was able to assist in operations for people who, without the volunteer group, would never have been able to obtain the treatment they so badly needed. It was an eye opening experience as to how lucky we are as Canadians are when it comes to access to healthcare!

I have also contributed a large amount of my time launching an organization called the Community Health Initiative by Northern University and College Students (CHINUCS). CHINUCS is a group of health care students (nursing, medicine, social work, dental assisting) who have come together to help address the health and social needs of the marginalized population in the community. One event we started was a beauty night where we provided free hair and spa services for disadvantaged women so as to enhance their overall well-being. In addition to the surgical mission and CHINUCS, I have volunteered for various events supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Prince George Child Development Center, Save Darfur Now, and the Red Cross. I am also a regular volunteer for the Prince George Symphony Orchestra.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?
The most interesting place I have been was Heerlen, a city in the province Limburg, Netherlands. Heerlen was once a coal mine community where my Opa (grandfather in Dutch) grew up. While there I was able to tour the house he lived in before WWII. It was fascinating to see the room where my great grandfather saw patients during his medical practice and the attic walls where my Opa and his siblings drew pictures. It was also stirring to see the detailed and majestic architecture of the Netherlands and know I have roots there.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
While I believe that each individual has something special to offer the world, I believe I’m unique in a number of different ways. My mother is Filipina and my father is Dutch, so one way I’m unique from the other contestants is that I’ve grown up exposed to two fascinating but very different cultures. This has given me the opportunity to visit family on opposite sides of the globe and has given me a broad perspective on life, love, and family. Second, my career as an RN has given me the great honour of being with people through devastation and elation, during grief and relief, at birth and at death. The exposure to such extremes in human existence has expedited my knowledge of what is most important in life and what I need to do in order to live each day to the fullest.

What is your philosophy of/in life?
There are two primary elements to my philosophy in life. First, I believe in staying true to yourself through maintaining independence, trusting your intuition, and feeling free to make your own mistakes. Life is made for living! I also believe that each person you come in contact with has something important to teach you. Therefore, give each person the benefit of the doubt, cherish each interaction, and know that there is “no greater wisdom than kindness” (Jean Jacques Rousseau). Third, I believe in living a life of thankfulness. I have been blessed with a loving family, amazing friends, health, and happiness and I am so thankful to God/the Creator/the Supreme Being for such fulfillment.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
In ten years I hope to be working in a fulfilling career, surrounded by the ones I love, starting a family and reflecting back at my amazing experience as Miss Canada 2009.

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
In 2007 I had the opportunity to speak at the Canadian Conference on Medical Education on the challenges of initiating a collaborative health student program in a rural community amidst a physician shortage. I’m also a dog lover, self-declared book worm, and Beatles fan.