“I don’t always recognize myself as a leader, so it’s nice to be tapped on the shoulder and be told ‘Yes, you are a leader,’” she says. “By taking a leadership course, I hope I can better recognize my strengths as a leader, but also my limiting behaviours that might be holding me back.”

Yerex is one of 13 faculty members, students or trainees who have received 2021 awards through The Winnipeg Foundation’s Martha Donovan Leadership Fund.

The $250,000 fund was established in 2019 to provide leadership development opportunities for women in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. Up to $50,000 will be awarded annually for five years.

Recipients are funded to take a leadership course of their choosing, allowing them to develop their skills and advance their careers.

“Leadership is no different than any other skill set: it can be learned, and those of us who have taken the time to develop these skills will do better,” says Dr. Sara Israels, Rady Faculty vice-dean of academic affairs.

“We know that women are still under-represented in top leadership positions in the university and in the health-care system, and that the statistics have barely budged in the last 20 years. Supporting women in meeting their leadership goals is the purpose of these awards.”

Yerex is enrolled in the Oxford Women’s Leadership Development Programme through the Saïd Business School and the University of Oxford. She hopes this will help her narrow down her research topics, which include the oral microbiome’s relationship with oral disease, the oral health of Indigenous children, and quality assurance in dental hygiene practice.

“I think I’m most excited to clarify a vision for my career and map out a path that I want to pursue,” she says. “Right now my research is in a number of different areas, and I wonder if I would have more impact as a leader if I focused on one thing.”

Dr. Nicole Harder, an associate professor of nursing who is the current Mindermar Professor in Human Simulation at UM, was recently appointed associate dean of undergraduate programs at the College of Nursing. She will use her Martha Donovan funding to complete the Women’s Leadership Program offered by the Yale University School of Management.

“This program equips women with the knowledge and skills that they will need to lead, both now and in the future,” she says.

Harder, a specialist in human simulation learning, anticipates that the program will help her to explore the human side of leading in an area that relies heavily on technology.

Olabisi Ayeni, a nurse and PhD candidate in nursing, says the award will help her to promote the health and well-being of immigrant families in Canada. In Nigeria, Ayeni worked with the commissioner of health to get the Lagos State School of Nursing accredited.

While she considers that a great leadership experience, she’s hoping that taking a course will teach her how to confidently lead a team.  

To Ayeni, leadership is about inspiring the people you work with to achieve goals together. That’s something the course she has enrolled in promises to help her develop. She’s hoping to focus on her communication skills.

“As a leader, I think you need to be dynamic and be able to communicate to the people you’re working with,” she says. “You need to be able to motivate people through your words.”

The Martha Donovan Women’s Leadership Development Award was created to encourage women to seek out leadership positions and ensure they are confident enough to apply, Israels says.

“Women with leadership skills will be prepared when leadership opportunities present themselves and will be more confident to seek them out,” she says. “We want to grow the potential in the next generation of women leaders. This is an investment in the future of academic health care.”

The award is open to any woman who is a part-time or full-time academic faculty member, student, postdoctoral trainee or resident in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. To apply, visit the website.

2021 RECIPIENTS:

FACULTY MEMBERS

• Aviva Goldberg, Pediatrics, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Nicole Harder, College of Nursing
• Alexa Hryniuk, Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Erin Knight, Psychiatry, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Jennifer Protudjer, Pediatrics, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Kathy Yerex, School of Dental Hygiene, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry

STUDENTS/TRAINEES

• Olabisi Ayeni, College of Nursing
• Allison Balasko, Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Sikta Chattopadhyaya, Physiology, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Anna Chudyk, College of Nursing
• Jasmine Frost, Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Qian Liu, Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine
• Karen Livingston, College of Nursing

“Some adjustments had to be made to support students and mentors working remotely, but we are officially underway with a full summer program,” said Diane Cepanec, director of the program, which brings together 16 student researchers and 14 mentors from the College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

To begin the program in its virtual form, Cepanec facilitated a video conferencing orientation session for all participants that focused on a discussion of roles and expectations setting up an online office and opportunities for training and networking and emphasized the importance of keeping a work routine and maintaining a positive and healthy life-work balance.

“We also discussed connecting as people beyond our formal titles, which is so important and makes a difference in the kind of experience and learning that students have,” she said.

Sidrah Khawaja, a research assistant for her third consecutive summer, said that being connected to her colleagues has been a key part of her success with the program.

“Research is about teamwork and now we’ve been forced into an uncomfortable situation of having to be isolated, but having the support from the MCNHR team and my mentors has made the transition so much easier” she said.

Khawaja, who also has a UM bachelor’s degree in genetics, noted the program has been very important to her since she entered the College of Nursing.

“In my first year, one of my professors noticed I had an interest in research and told me about the program,” she said. “I wouldn’t have known this opportunity existed for students prior to that, and I thought it would be an interesting way to learn more about nursing research. It’s become such a big part of my life now.”

This summer, Khawaja is working with Dr. Donna Martin, associate dean of graduate programs, and assistant professor Dr. Marnie Kramer on an international project led by Dr. Amanda Kenny from LaTrobe University in Australia that focuses on a review of research in nursing education and the impact of how nursing education is constructed.

Khawaja and Naomi Armah, another returning research assistant, gave an online presentation on May 19, welcoming participants and highlighting methods for success while taking part in the program remotely. They said this was especially important for students new to the program.

“We highlighted the need for excellent communication and establishing relationships with your mentors, support staff and colleagues,” Armah said. “Resilience begins in the mind, and once you have that intrinsic motivation, you will be better able to learn, adapt to changes and explore other contextual factors that can support you through the journey.”

Armah, a PhD student in the College of Nursing, is in the program for the fourth time. Over the last few years, she has been involved in multiple projects, including one that led to a published article in the International Journal of Public Health in 2019. This summer, she’s working with Dr. Nicole Harder, Mindermar Professor in Human Simulation, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, on a scoping review of psychological and moral distress in healthcare providers who are involved in the withdrawal of treatments of patients in intensive care settings.

“I have had the opportunity to work on literature reviews, engage in data collection and data analysis, and work on grant and ethics applications. So many opportunities have come my way from working at the MCNHR as a summer intern,” Armah said.

First-time intern Sandra Aboh said she appreciated the online introductory sessions and they helped her feel welcome.

“We got to meet our team and learn about the resources we have. We also had an opportunity to work on schedules and have some coffee time, since we can’t meet on campus anymore,” she said.

A bachelor of nursing student set to enter her fourth year, Aboh moved to Winnipeg from Nigeria in 2017 to study nursing. She previously earned a degree in microbiology from Bowen University in Nigeria.

“I’ve always been interested in research, and as I went through the program I found topics that were of interest, like youth and marginalized populations,” she said.

Aboh received an undergraduate research award to take part in the seminars and work with Dr. Roberta Woodgate, Canada Research Chair in Child and Family Engagement in Health Research and Healthcare, and her team on a project looking into culturally-sensitive services for youth.

“I know this time is different because I can’t just walk up to my mentor, but she is very accessible through video conferencing apps, email and phone, and will answer any question I have,” Aboh said.