Rural roots shape new RHPAP chair’s commitment to community

Deep rural roots, an entrepreneurial spirit, governance experience, and personal connections to rural healthcare are just a few of the attributes RHPAP’s new board chair brings to the table.

Amber Link is no stranger to RHPAP, having joined the board of directors in 2021 while serving as Wheatland County reeve and as a director with the Rural Municipalities of Alberta.

“Rural Alberta has given myself and my family so much so serving as chair of RHPAP is just one way that I can give something back and help ensure that rural Albertans can continue to build healthy lives and strong, sustainable communities,” says Link, who began her new appointment in July.

“Rural communities are filled with innovative, amazing, hardworking people, but they need the right foundations to really thrive. I strongly believe that reliable healthcare is one of those foundations.”

Link appreciates the importance of accessible healthcare, given two of her now-adult children have complex healthcare needs. Her husband, Kevin, who recently retired after serving as a paramedic for 37 years in the region, also has given her insight.

“Those experiences have given me such enormous respect for our healthcare professionals and the teams. They’ve also reinforced that access to healthcare is not an abstract policy issue. It affects real people and families, and it’s needed during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.”

Link grew up on a farm in Wheatland County and now lives on an acreage in Namaka, a small hamlet southeast of Strathmore. She says her family was fortunate to live within close proximity to Calgary for specialized healthcare, but many people throughout rural Alberta aren’t so lucky.

“Through discussions with colleagues who are leaders across municipalities across Alberta, I have heard such tangible examples of how the work that RHPAP does has strengthened rural healthcare,” says Link. “That’s incredibly meaningful to me.”

Her municipal work also kept her attuned to the needs of county residents and demonstrated how accessible healthcare is strongly connected to the overall viability of a community.

“Healthcare is foundational infrastructure for rural communities, just like roads. We think about water lines and schools, but healthcare is just as critical. Rural healthcare does support that economic growth and diversification, and employers do need healthy employees and prospective workers considering healthcare access.”

It’s an important connection for Link, a trained pyrotechnician, who spent many years working with her family’s fireworks business.

“It taught me a lot about business, safety, creativity, and taking calculated risks, lessons that have stayed with me throughout my career.”

That experience, coupled with her municipal work, gives her a good understanding of the needs of rural Alberta from many perspectives and how everything is woven into the success of a region.

“Rural healthcare challenges can’t be separated from housing, transportation, childcare or spousal employment. Community infrastructure, healthcare, and economic diversification are all so integrated.”

She plans to continue to build on that success so rural Alberta can continue to attract and retain valued health professionals.

"My first priority is to build on the strong foundation that we already have and to support our team in remaining focused, responsive, and forward-looking,” says Link. “We need to continue listening to our rural communities, healthcare professionals, our learners, and our educational institution partners and our government partners.”

As RHPAP plays a role for health professionals from career awareness to early education and professional development, Link sees retention as an important part of that continuum and an area RHPAP must continue to focus on.

It’s those relationships and the professional supports helping integrate families into the community and quality of life that helps those practitioners stay in rural communities,” she explains.

Link herself knows the importance of lifelong learning and the winding path it often takes. She is working on her Master's in Business Administration and currently serves as a senior consultant with Integrated Strategic Partners.

Outside of work, Link enjoys camping, hiking, paddling, and archery.

“Being outdoors is just what recharges me. I love spending time outdoors.”

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