Hello, I am from Strathmore, Alberta but now live on a farm south of town. Over the course of my career, I have worked in pediatrics, public health, emergency and primary care. I am currently working with OKAKI as a Diabetes Educator. Since 2017, I have been working in chronic disease management for clients living in rural and remote regions of Alberta. I received my Certified Diabetes Educator certificate last year and that has helped me continue to support clients in their management of diabetes. Where you live should not be a detriment to receiving good health care, and I am proud to be part of a team that strives to bridge that gap. I received my Bachelor of Nursing from Athabasca University in 2005. I am married to Rob, and we have two great kids, Hannah and Jack, along with two happy dogs, Max and Aussie. I love to read, play slo- pitch, and watch sports.
My name is Misty Fraser, and I have been the Medical Office Assistant for the OKAKI Virtual Diabetes Clinic since January 2022. I have worked at a First Nation medical clinic and have been working as a Medical Office Assistant for the past two years. I received my Medical Office Assistant certificate from Norquest College in 2020. One of the highlights of working with OKAKI is being able to reach clients in rural and urban locations. I enjoy working with our clients and that OKAKI offers many different options to educate themselves on their diabetes journey.
Hello! I have worked as a dietitian specializing in diabetes management for the past 6 years, with a focus on improving access to care in Indigenous communities for the past 2 years. I currently work as a diabetes care coordinator with the RADAR team (Reorganizing the Approach to Diabetes through the Application of Registries), alongside my role as a certified diabetes educator with the OKAKI Virtual Diabetes Care Clinic. These roles allow me to work with health care providers, people living with diabetes, and their families and support systems. My primary passion is supporting people living with diabetes to understand the relationship between food, movement, and medication, empowering them to manage their chronic condition in a realistic and sustainable way. My goal is to make diabetes education engaging, approachable, and even fun! I hold a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science and have completed a dietetic internship to complete my licensing as a dietitian. I am also a certified insulin pump trainer and have special interest in technology for diabetes management. When not working, you can find me exploring the Millcreek Ravine with my husband, daughter, and dog, or experimenting with new recipes in my kitchen.
I graduated from the University of Toronto medical school in 1995.
I then moved to Edmonton where I completed my training in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology at the University of Alberta. I have been practicing as a community endocrinologist in Alberta since 2003, and joined the OKAKI program in 2021. I enjoy working with the team to provide comprehensive multidisciplinary care to individuals with diabetes.
Tansi, my name is Kari Meneen and I am from Tallcree First Nation located in Treaty 8 territory. I am married and a proud mother to three daughters and one fur son.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology from Concordia University College (2005), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Alberta (2010) and a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University (2018).
For the last 12 years, I have worked in various First Nation communities as a Home Care Nurse, Retinal Photographer, Diabetes Educator and Care Coordinator. In my current role, I support patients, families, frontline nurses and community health workers in improving diabetes care and health outcomes as the Program Lead for OKAKI’s Diabetes program.
I am passionate about improving access to diabetes care and providing culturally safe diabetes care and education for Indigenous peoples living with diabetes.