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Susan Georgoussis - Chair
- Susan has been a perinatal nurse for almost 40 years in numerous roles including management, clinical education and a co-founder of a maternity/parenting centre in the community. Her background includes Masters of Nursing - Community Health, Lamaze Childbirth Educator, HypnoBirthing Educator and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for 15 years in hospital and community settings. She is passionate about empowering women during childbirth, encouraging nurses to take on leadership roles in health care teams and evidence-based health care. For the past five years, Susan has been the Coordinator of Prenatal Education at Mount Sinai Hospital.
- Susan is excited to work with the current MCNIG executive to bring resources, continuing education and job opportunities to nurses and students who are interested in pursuing a career in Maternal Child nursing.
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Leigh Baetz - Finance Executive Network Officer
- In the 32 years of her nursing career, Leigh has worked in roles such as lactation consultant, prenatal educator, clinical teacher and clinical nurse. She has been involved with MCNIG for the past 20 years and is happy to be working with this dynamic group in the Chair position for the next 2 years.
- Leigh is currently working as a the Advanced Practice Nurse in the Family Birthing Centre at Michael Garron Hospital (formerly known as Toronto East General).
- Leigh has also worked with students in the past year from Ryerson University to teach about maternal and child health basics to help students prepare for NCLEX. She looks forward to continue working with students.
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Rona Khudayar - Communications Executive Network Officer
- Rona is from Ryerson University. She is an active education facilitator for parents with newborns for eight years and in this role, she teaches the mothers how to play an active role in their child's social, physical, intellectual, and language development. This has increased her passion to be a part of MCNIG. Her participations in the RNAO's Board of Directors student placement at the Queen's Park Day and at the Annual General Meetings demonstrates her strong commitment and interest for this area of nursing. She also participates actively at the Queens Park and Queens Park on the Road to advocate for the nursing profession and healthcare.
- She understands that the perinatal period is an important phase of a child's life and is determined to use her skills to support and advocate for mothers and their children through her involvement in MCNIG. She is looking forward to continue to represent and advocate for MCNIG's issues with the intention of promoting and in creating an understanding of the importance of optimal health for children, mothers and their families.
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Brooke Vickery: Membership and Services Officer
- Brooke is a new graduate RN from Ryerson University. She is thrilled to be involved with RNAO. She served as the Vice President for the Nursing Students of Ontario Interest Group (2015-2016) and is currently the Membership Officer for the Maternal Child Nurses' Interest Group.
- Brooke is thrilled to be working at Lakeridge Health Oshawa in the Birthing Suite.
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Erika Fifield: Policy and Political Action Executive Network Officer (PPAN)
- Erika has been a registered nurse since 2018. She has worked as a registered nurse at a fertility clinic and is currently working as a registered nurse on a birthing unit in Newmarket.
- Erika has also developed an independent nursing practice in the fertility field. She is passionate about pre-conception/early conception and the intricacies of family planning. Erika is honoured to fulfill a role in which she can grow as a nurse leader, educator, and advocate.
- She is excited to work with an enthusiastic team making an impact in providing the highest quality of nursing care to women, families and infants across the spectrum of maternal-child care.
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Andrea Fulton: Policy & Politics Action Network Officer (PPAN)
- Andrea has been working in McMaster Children's Hospital NICU since completing her undergraduate nursing degree at the University of Ottawa in 2010. She is currently completing her Masters of Nursing at McMaster University, focusing on families with technology-dependent infants and children using the Family-Managed Home Care model.
- Andrea is passionate about family-centered care, infant developmental care, quality of life and palliative care, and advocating for equitable and culturally competent health care. Andrea is thrilled to be working with the MCNIG team to support and advocate for families, mothers and children through their work.
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Emily Fung: Social Media Executive Network Officer
- Emily obtained her BScN at Ryerson University and has been working on the High Risk Antenatal Unit at Mount Sinai Hospital since graduating in 2017. Emily has strong leadership, educator, and clinical skills, and holds many roles at Sinai: Charge nurse; Unit Council Co-Chair, Unit Council Advisory Member; Infant Feeding Champion; Member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group; Preceptor to consolidating nursing students.
- Emily is passionate about maternal-infant health and has piloted numerous quality improvement projects over the years. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Nursing in the Clinical Field with a Collaborative Specialization in Women’s Health at the University of Toronto. At U of T, she is a member on the Executive Team for the Graduate Nurses Student Society as the Junior Social Director.
- Emily has been a part of RNAO and MCNIG since starting her undergraduate program and has held the role of Social Media Officer on the MCNIG Executive Team since 2018. She has enjoyed expanding the MCNIG network and providing exciting events and webinars for MCNIG members.
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Dakota Carrie: Social Media Executive Network Officer
- Dakota Carrie graduated from the Ryerson University BScN in 2019. Since getting her license she has started working in general medicine and mental health. During her time at Ryerson she had the opportunity to gather data on the Humanized Birth Policy in Brazil and Obstetric Violence. She has volunteered at Jessie Caldwell’s centre for young women in Toronto, and is an advocate for more robust, inter-connected health services to address health disparities faced by BIPOC Canadians, new Canadians and rural Canadians.
- Dakota is a settler on this land, and hopes to continue to learn from, and honour the many Indigenous cultural traditions that are woven into the fabric of Canada.
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Theresa Bannon – Student Liaison Executive Network Officer
- Theresa Bannon is in her fourth year of Nursing (BScN) at the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Ryerson University and is extremely passionate about maternal child health. She is very grateful and thrilled to be currently enjoying a clinical placement in Labour & Delivery at St Michaels Hospital.
- Theresa is also looking forward to being a liaison between the MCNIG and all students!
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