Meet the Board
Dzifa Dordunoo, PhD RN
President
Dzifa Dordunoo (she/her) is native of Dzodze, Ghana, and is an esteemed educator, researcher and leader with nearly two decades of experience. As one of the co-founders of the Coalition of African, Caribbean and Black Nurses in BC, Dr. Dordunoo was asked to be our president because of her vision, passion and extensive knowledge (both academic & lived) on contemporary nursing concerns.
She is a practitioner with over 19 years of varied clinical practice experience working in general medicine and coronary care units as well as outpatient clinics at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. She continues to expand her clinical nursing knowledge as she completes her nurse practitioner post-graduate certificate.
With extensive experience working on investigator initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trials at the Johns Hopkins University, her current program of research leverages dissemination and implementation science to address factors that influence quality of care and patient outcomes. Dr. Dordunoo has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals working collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team.
As an assistant professor, she teaches both in the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs.
She holds a bachelor's degree (with distinction) from University of Victoria, a Master's degree from Duke University with post-master's certificates in clinical research management and teaching. She completed her doctoral education at the University of Maryland Baltimore with a focus on heart failure.
Kyra Philbert, RN
Vice-President
Kyra Philbert (she/her) is a queer biracial (Black/White) ciswoman settler living on unceded Coast Salish territories, specially those of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Stó:lō, Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Nations. She is a registered nurse with clinical experience in emergencies rooms of various sizes and home health. In 2022, Kyra completed a second undergraduate degree in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice. Currently she is focused on her thesis project for her Masters of Science in Nursing. She plans on getting a PhD with interests in concepts of (outdoor) recreation, health and Blackness in settler Canada.
She sits on board of ZeeZee Theatre (2021), a local theatre company devoted to telling diverse stories and one of the co-founders of the Coalition of African, Caribbean and Black Nurses in BC.
Natania Abebe, RN
Secretary
Natania Abebe (she/her) is graduate student at the University of British Columbia and is currently pursuing a double master's degree in nursing and public health. As a registered nurse, Natania's background is in mental health and public health. Natania's interests include gender equality, immigrant mental health, anti-racist health care approaches and media and health. She is one of the co-founders of the Coalition of African, Caribbean and Black Nurses in BC
In her spare time, Natania makes films that discuss health issues. For example, her short film, Just a Nurse premiered at Lucasfilm Studios in 2018.
Twitter : @Natania_Abebe.
Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali, MN RN BScN
Treasurer
Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali, RN, BScN, MN. hails from the Ibaji tribe in Kogi state of central Nigeria; this situates Angela as a Nigerian-Canadian. She earned both her BScN and MN degrees from the Thompson Rivers University which is located on the traditional lands of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc within Secwépemc'ulucw, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Angela has been working as a Registered Nurse for over 10 years largely in Mental Health and Substance Use with Interior Health Authority (IHA). She recently worked in a seconded position as Steward-at-Large with the British Columbia Nurses Union (BCNU) from July 2020 to May 2022, covering about 30 sites within Thompson North Okaganan region. Angela is presently working as clinical practice educator with Interior Health Authority (IHA) under tertiary mental health.
Angela is one of the Co-founders of the Coalition of African, Caribbean and Black Nurses in BC (CACBN). She is also involved in a number of antiracism initiatives such as: the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) anti-racism working group and Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) anti-racism Advisory Council.
In her spare time, Angela likes to travel, network and spend time with family. Angela is committed to fostering a culture of care, respect, integrity and trust; and deploys these values in pursuit of social equity, peace and inclusive human development in the community.
Janille Wingson-Gore, MHLP RN BSN
Member-At-Large
Janille Wingson-Gore (she/her) is a Trinidadian-Canadian Nurse who, with gratitude, lives, works, and plays on the unceded territories, of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm , Sḵwx̱wú7mesh , and Sel̓íl̓witulh Nations. Janille has earned a Bachelor of Kinesiology, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as her Master of Health Leadership and Policy in Clinical Education from the University of British Columbia.
Janille's clinical experience includes pediatric nursing, transfusion medicine, and nursing instruction. She works to provide safe and effective transfusion care, while also educating and empowering current and future nurses. Janille believes in dismantling systemic barriers to equitable healthcare, particularly for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour populations, and envisions a world in which all individuals are able to receive the care they need.
In her spare time, Janille enjoys spending time with family, traveling, being active and trying new foods.
Twitter: @JanilleWG
Rishma Chooniedass, MN RN
Member-At-Large
Rishma (she/her) is a first-generation Canadian with immigrant parents from Trinidad. She is a nurse who is grateful to reside on the unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Peoples. She is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia— Okanagan. In addition, she is the advisor to the Dean in the Faculty of Health and Social Development. Within this role, Rishma strives to advance equity within the academic institution and beyond. Specifically, Rishma is facilitating communication on anti-racism, and decolonizing curriculum.
Rishma’s nursing career has focused on maternal-child health, with over a decade of experience with research in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba. This engagement in academia inspired Rishma to pursue graduate studies; she completed her master’s of nursing in 2017.
Rishma directly shapes the next generation of nursing professionals while encouraging their evidence-based practice and clinical thinking. Rishma supports the student experience with her anti-racism work by fostering a psychologically safe environment for students, staff, and faculty.
