Faculty and Staff

Anne began teaching at VIU in the Practical Nursing program in January 2020. She has worked as a nurse for over 20 years in Ontario and BC. Anne received her certificate in Practical Nursing at St. Clair College in Windsor Ontario and when she relocated to BC, she went on to obtain her BSN at VIU and Remote Nursing certification from Aurora College in Yellowknife. Anne has worked in Med/Surg, Palliative, Home Care and remotely in First Nation communities throughout BC.

Anne has discovered a new passion in teaching and strives to empower and inspire her students, sharing the knowledge and experience she has obtained over the years.

Malena started her nursing career in 1989, when she graduated from the Practical Nursing Program at Malaspina College (now Vancouver Island University). The program was instrumental in setting the foundation for her high standards of nursing care. Malena then proceeded to obtain her Diploma in nursing from Okanagan University College as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria. She also just completed the Provincial Instructors Diploma from Vancouver Community College.

Malena brings her passion for nursing directly to her classroom and clinical settings.  She enjoys sharing her twenty-four years of nursing experience with her students.  Malena has worked in variety of health care settings including medical/surgical units, telemetry and home care. She has been teaching in the Practical Nursing Program at Vancouver Island University since 2003, in both classroom and clinical settings. In order to ensure she keeps her skills up-to-date, Malena still works on a casual basis at NRGH.

Sarah began her nursing career after graduating from Blackpool School of Nursing (UK) in 1988. She worked in acute medical and specialist surgical areas where she attained diplomas in teaching and assessing in clinical practice. Her interest transitioned to a career in primary health care, with a focus on managing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory care and health promotion. In this setting she gained her post graduate BSc (Hons) as a Nurse Practitioner from the University of Central Lancashire, UK. She moved to Canada with her family in 2008. Prior to joining VIU, Sarah worked both as an employee and as an independent consultant in the fields of primary health care quality improvement and health care redesign. Sarah joined VIU’s BSN and PN programs as clinical sessional faculty in 2015, where she combines her passion for nursing excellence with the ability to educate, inspire and empower others. She is based on the Nanaimo Campus.

Ling joined the VIU Practical Nursing Program as a full-time instructor in 2016. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at the Athabasca University. From 2008 to 2016 Ling taught Practical Nursing at Bow Valley College (Calgary), the Career College (Vancouver), and at Sprott Shaw College (Vancouver).  Ling’s practice experience includes rehabilitation, gerontology, palliative and medical care settings. She is always encouraging students to reach their full potential by empowering them to think critically, and to identify their interests and strengths in learning. During her career as an instructor, Ling has developed her teaching skills and the ability to respond to various learning needs with innovative ideas and approaches.

Cindy started her nursing career over 40 years ago when she graduated from the Nursing Assistant Certificate Program at London Regional Nursing Assistant Centre.  She proceeded to obtain her Diploma in Nursing at Centennial College, BScN at Ryerson University, and MN at Athabasca University. She also completed several specialty certificates and is a Certified Oncology Nurse. Cindy started her teaching career in 2010 and has taught at many academic institutions in BC, Alberta, and Ontario. Cindy joined the Faculty of Health Sciences and Human Services in 2018 and has taught in both the Health Care Assistant and Practical Nursing Programs. She has also completed the Provincial Instructors Diploma from Vancouver Community College.

Cindy has diverse nursing experience focusing on nursing education, oncology research, long-term care, critical care, post-operative care, and medical-surgical nursing.  She has a keen interest in oncology and academic research. She has published in The Journal of Cancer Education and has been a contributor to a multitude of hematology-oncology studies. She is extremely interested in curriculum development and innovative assessment strategies.