We are very pleased to announce that in July 2026 Lynda McLeod XRN BScN MALT CPCC joined the Board of Directors of Canada Health Alliance.

Lynda has had a long career in nursing and has spent many years teaching registered nurses ethics, relational practice, and research at both the college and university levels.

Her interest and expertise in ethics and her demonstrated commitment to the principles of ethics in nursing during the Covid era impressed us very much and aligned with our beliefs, making us a perfect match!

Lynda’s background in her own words is as follows: “I started my career in intensive care at Sick Children's Hospital (SCH) and Toronto General Hospital (TGH) in the neonatal, pediatric, and adult ICUs. I moved into hemodialysis and became a clinical teacher, researching slow continuous hemodialysis as an option for people at home. At this time, I began using creativity to express the inexpressible from witnessing suffering. 

When my family moved west, I entered academia, teaching registered nurses ethics, relational practice, and research at college and university. I developed curricula on creativity and health as an elective for all students and for teachers in the Master of Education program. I spearheaded "Art by Nurses," launching a website connecting nurses internationally. I hung the first Healing Hallways exhibit at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, BC, followed by fundraisers highlighting nurses who used art for self-care. I spoke at nursing conferences, presenting "The Art of Nursing Leadership Paintings" to show how art heals nurses and patients alike. 

When COVID hit, I applied my code of ethics alongside research to make sense of what unfolded. I witnessed how anti-vaxxer name-calling escalated to othering, medical discrimination, and violence. Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents reminded me that dehumanization has been central to oppressive systems—from slavery to genocide to caste hierarchies. To address dehumanization and medical discrimination in healthcare, I brought together health-promotional coaching, arts-based interventions, and visual art to launch the Re-humanization Movement (RHM). 

I hung the first RHM exhibit at a restaurant in Victoria as a fundraiser for Canada Health Alliance (CHA). The Re-Humanization Art Exhibit invited people to gather, reflect, and rebuild compassion through ART—addressing collective trauma caused by lockdowns, mandates, and medical discrimination. 

The second RHM exhibit appeared at the CHA Self-Care is Healthcare Conference in Squamish, BC, launching a creativity and health workshop. I'm now working on the third RHM exhibit, "ART Reveals the Silence Necessary to Re-humanize Humanity," scheduled for the CHA conference in April 2027.”

When asked why she joined the Canada Health Alliance Board of Directors Lynda replied: “During COVID, I honoured my code of ethics by not renewing my registered nursing license. I continued my health-promotional coaching practice, educating people on how to shift from victimhood caused by fear to empowerment. It's a magical process—an option people can use to take responsibility for their health. 

CHA's mission aligns with both my professional and personal values. Working alongside deeply committed passionate educators who are co-creating a just healthcare system grounded in ethics is inspirational. I am honoured to have the opportunity to continually learn, grow and contribute in some way to help bring people together.”

Lynda then went on to explain the longer term vision she has for Canada Health Alliance, saying that, “CHA champions optimal health through education, collaboration, and open discourse. I can contribute by bringing art to the forefront to reveal the silence necessary to re-humanize humanity. Art gives people an opportunity to access emotions and acknowledge the collective trauma we have all endured. 

CHA is rebuilding a healthcare system that honours self-care first, so people do the inner work necessary to respond instead of reacting when perceptions and perspectives differ.  We are then able to suspend judgment, listen first to understand, so we can tap into empathy and compassion. CHA is the only organization that l know of that is addressing this critical work for humanity.”

On behalf of all our CHA members across Canada we would like to welcome Lynda to the Board and look forward to the positive impact she will have on our organization and on the numerous projects that we are undertaking over the months and years to come.