CVAA's Vision Statement
To be the national advocate for excellence in evidence-informed vascular access and infusion therapy.

CVAA's Mission Statement
CVAA will advocate for safe, quality care across the healthcare continuum by providing leadership and empowering its members and the broader healthcare community to engage in education, partnerships, knowledge and research in vascular access and infusion therapy for optimal patient outcomes.

Chanda MacDonald, RN, BScN, M.AdEd, CVAA(c), CCNP
President

Chanda MacDonald, a graduate of the St. Francis Xavier University nursing program, has been a registered nurse for 23 years with a successful background in critical care. Currently a Clinical Educator with the Nova Scotia Health Authority, Chanda demonstrates the values of integrity, compassion, and commitment to ensure best practice guidelines are promoted and implemented when delivering education. She has dedicated much of her career to the support of new nursing graduates as they enter the nursing profession. Chanda has been involved with the Nova Scotia CVAA chapter for 8 years, and currently serves as President of the Nova Scotia CVAA chapter. She has presented at Global Vascular summit, and previous national CVAA conferences.

Disclosures:
Any affiliation with industry or paying organization:TBD
Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose.TBD 

Christina Belza, PhD, MN, ACNP, BScN, CVAA(c)
Treasurer

Christina Belza received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McMaster University before working in a variety of areas including Blood and Marrow Transplant, Clinical Response Nurse and the Emergency Department before pursing her Masters. She has been a nurse practitioner for the past 15 years in the pediatric intestinal failure program at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In her work capacity she manages inpatient and outpatients on long-term parenteral nutrition and intestinal failure. Academically, she completed her PhD in clinical epidemiology with a focus on evaluating burden of care for caregivers of children with intestinal failure. Her research interests also focus on evaluating long-term outcomes for children with intestinal failure and implementation of novel therapies to improve long-term morbidity and mortality.

Disclosures:
Any affiliation with industry or paying organization: TBD
Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD

Alana Aquino, BScN, MN, RN, CVAA(c)
Director

Alana Aquino is a Registered Nurse with a BScN from McMaster University and a Master of Nursing with a focus in Education from Athabasca University. She is currently the Educator of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Prior to her role as an Educator, she was a member of the Vascular Access Team at Hamilton Health Sciences where she was involved in day to day patient care including vascular access assessment, insertions and collaboration. Alana also worked on curriculum/policy development, and the creation of a Centre of Excellence  at Hamilton Health Sciences which provides education and support to other centres for PICC insertions and vascular access problem solving. This is Alana’s first time as a board member and she is excited to learn, grow and continue to advocate for excellence in vascular access and utilizing the right device, for the right patient at the right time. 

Disclosures:
Any affiliation with industry or paying organization: TBD
Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD

Emily Higgins, BScN, RN, MMI, CVAA(c)
Director

Emily Higgins BScN RN MMI CVAA (c) is a registered nurse and Clinical Sales Specialist. She gained clinical experience in critical care and vascular access at Mount Sinai and Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, notably in the Emergency Department, PACU, and Acute Oncology. Emily is committed to improving patient outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration and best practice. She is currently working on the CVAA 2024 Guideline Revision. She holds a Bachelors of Science from the University of Guelph and completed her nursing degree and a Master of Management of Innovation at the University of Toronto. In her free time she enjoys yoga, skiing, and biking.

Disclosures:
Any affiliation with industry or paying organization: TBD
Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD

Elizabeth Martin, RN, BScN, VA-BC, CVAA(c) 
Director

Elizabeth (Beth) Martin is an Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) from IPAC team of PHC (Providence Health Care) in Vancouver, BC with over 15 years of vast nursing experiences in acute and ambulatory medicine, vascular access, home infusion therapy, long-term care and home parenteral nutrition. She is CVAA certified and Vascular Access Board Certified. Beth is a leader, educator, clinician and lifelong learner that observes and endeavors implementation of evidenced-based practice to reduce risk of healthcare associated infections (e.g.  sharing awareness and improvement of practice to reduce rates of Staph aureus bacteremia from Peripheral IV catheters.) She’s a supporter of knowledge translation project to use I-DECIDED toolkit (Tool 5 CVAA module #1) which will further help staff provide better care and maintenance of vascular access devices in general. Beth is strong advocate in capturing OFIs (Opportunities for Improvement) with PHC Chart Club (which involves multidisciplinary team) who are currently reviewing mortality cases at St Paul’s hospital. She is a member of SQPSC (Surgical Quality and Patient Safety Committee) where data, surveillance and initiatives are shared and discussed. At her leisure time, enjoys hanging out with ToastMentor’s Toastmasters Int’l, looks forward to quality time with husband and 3 children and/or walk/run along Fraser River while listening to audiobooks/podcasts.

Disclosures:
Any affiliation with industry or paying organization: TBD
Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD

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Director Catherine Hunt, RN, CVAA(c)

Bio to come

Disclosures:

Any affiliation with industry or paying organization: No Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD

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Nadine Smith, NP
Director

Bio to come

Disclosures:

Any affiliation with industry or paying organization: No Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD

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Gillian Weppler, RN, CVAA(c), VA-BC
Director

Bio to come

Disclosures:

Any affiliation with industry or paying organization: No Any conflicts of interest that could affect your Board role: TBD
Are there other relationships or activities that could influence or give the appearance of potentially influencing your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD
Do you have any patents, whether planned, pending or issued, broadly relevant to the work done by CVAA or your role on the Board? If so, please disclose. TBD

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Juan Jose Avila Amariles
Student Ambassador (non-voting)

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Gerry Kimmel
Patienet Liaison (non-voting)

Gerry Kimmel is a retired Airline employee and lives an active lifestyle enjoying walking, skating and cycling. He has been on Home Parenteral Nutrition for over thirty years and has had twelve CVCs. He has been a long-time Patient Advisor for the BC Home Nutrient Program and an Advisory and Resource Committee member for the Canadian Patient Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Alliance (CPPENA). He looks forward to expanding his knowledge and sharing his experience and perspective with CVAA!