Rural communities in Alberta’s northwest and southwest regions will receive enhanced support for attracting and retaining health care providers with the addition of two members to the RPAP rural consultant team.
RPAP is pleased to introduce Holly Handfield and Julie Davis: the newest members of the RPAP Rural Community Health Professional Development Consultants team. Holly is now serving as the consultant in the northwest, while Julie assumes the role of consultant in southwest Alberta.
Holly and Julie join Rebekah Seidel (Central West), Lara Harries (Southeast), Colleen Lindholm (Central East), and Kim Fleming (North East) on the RPAP rural consultant team, now at a full complement of six members.
About Holly Handfield
Northwest Alberta has always been home for Holly Handfield. She grew up on a small cattle and grain farm near Grimshaw, lived for 22 years in Sexsmith where she and her husband raised their two children and has recently moved to Grande Prairie.
Holly has worked in education, early childhood, literacy and community development in Northwest Alberta in various capacities for over 20 years. Although she is intimately familiar with life in rural northwest Alberta, working directly with communities has been a relatively new journey for her over the past five years. This journey that has sparked a new passion for igniting a community’s potential to work together to ensure their community is the best that it can be. Holly is looking forward to her role with RPAP as she continues her work with communities in a different context.
About Julie Davis
Julie Davis joins us as a Rural Development Consultant for the south zone west region. Julie comes to RPAP as a New Zealand registered Midwife, who has experience and a passion for supporting access and equity in primary care service provision in rural and remote settings. She has supported midwives in clinical professional development, and worked for the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services as a senior midwifery consultant where she managed a territorial wide community stakeholder engagement project and contributed to regulatory and health system strengthening activities.
The 2010/11 Christchurch earthquakes and aftershocks led to a renewed interest in community and international development, and a move back to Canada in 2012. Julie is excited to return to southern Alberta where she grew up, to support communities and health professionals in the region. When not working, Julie enjoys Latin dancing, travelling, and is looking forward to having a small backyard garden, to build a sauna and entertain. Her teen son plays rugby, and is always on the hunt for a good meat pie and fish and chips.
Give your community a boost
Do your community’s efforts to attract and retain health care professionals need a boost? Our consultants are happy to come to your rural Alberta community to discuss how RPAP can enhance your efforts to attract and retain health care professionals. We invite you to reach out to our consultant team at consultants@rpap.ab.ca – let us know about your community and your challenges, and the consultant for your area will be in touch.