Fiona Auld
Fiona has been a nurse for over ten years, many of those in critical care. She was educated in Victoria and gained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria. She obtained a Specialty in Nursing Critical Care at the University of Alberta Hospital.
Fiona has been connected with VIHA since graduation, but has also had a few adventures working overseas in both England and Scotland. Fiona joined the Vancouver Island Health Research Centre in 2003 and has been enjoying the camaraderie and teamwork within the department. She possesses a strong belief in evidence-based practice and enjoys being active in the process of research which drives this practice.
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Leslie Atkins
Leslie was raised in Calgary and moved to Victoria in 1999. She completed her diploma in nursing at Mount Royal College, her degree in nursing at the University of Calgary and finally the Adult Critical Care Certificate at Foothills Hospital.
She has spent most of her career working in adult ICU. She feels she was fortunate to be given the opportunity to work at the Vancouver Island Health Research Centre in May 2005. She currently works part-time doing stroke research trials and assists with some critical care trials.
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Karen Coles
Karen graduated from the Nursing Diploma program at Algonquin College and began her career at the Ottawa Civic Hospital in general surgery and at the Ottawa Heart Institute in cardiac surgery.
Karen immigrated to Victoria in 1987, leaving behind the frosty Ottawa winters and her ski-doo boots. Other than a brief stint working in a psycho-geriatric nursing home in Auckland NZ, Karen continued to work in cardiology until 2003.
Her experience in research started in 1999 with cardiology studies, expanding to include diabetes, memory disorders, weight loss, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, infectious disease and peritonitis.
She joined the Research and Evaluation team in 2003 where she has obtained her Certification through the Associates of Clinical Research Professionals.
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Peggy Leonard
Originally from Montreal, Peggy graduated from Camosun College with a nursing diploma in 1988 and has lived and worked in Victoria ever since.
Her clinical background has mainly been in medical cardiology and coronary care. Her interest in research started in 2001 and she has since gained hands-on experience coordinating clinical trials in a variety of areas, including diabetes, heart disease, lipids, hypertension, Crohn's Disease, hepatitis C and Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Peggy officially joined the VIHA research team in October 2004 and is enjoying the positive working environment and professionalism of her colleagues.
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Laurie Robson
Laurie graduated from the nursing program at Vancouver Community College, Langara Campus, in 1984. After a year of nursing in adult medicine, Laurie moved to BC Children’s Hospital where she would remain for 18 years.
Her clinical background in pediatrics includes nephrology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, biochemical diseases and transplantation.
With her special interest in nephrology and transplantation, Laurie took on the role of research coordinator for the pediatric nephrology program in 2001.
In spite of a move in 2003 to “the heart of the sailing world”, the Saanich Peninsula, Laurie continued to commute to BC Children’s Hospital until 2005. At that time, she joined the Research and Academic Development team to coordinate a clinical study for the nephrology program, as well as several pediatric studies, and has since taken on coordinating the MS studies for the neurology program.
Laurie feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with and learn from her colleagues in both the research centre and the clinical areas she is associated with for her studies.
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Linda Soloshy
Linda’s role in Clinical Research in Psychiatry is one of project management. As coordinator for clinical trials at Eric Martin Pavilion, she oversees both industry sponsored and investigator initiated studies, involving drug trials, observational data collections, foundation and government grant applications, and related UBC/UVIC academic liaisons with psychiatrists at VIHA.
Linda is certified with the Society of Clinical Research Associates as a Certified Clinical Research Professional, and has been working in this area since 1996.
Prior to finding her “niche” in psychiatry, Linda was a buyer in purchasing at a children’s hospital, and also spent many years in the telecommunications industry. She volunteered over those years with Big Sisters, Catholic Women’s League, Children’s Miracle Network Telethon, and is now a devoted “Hockey Mom”.
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