A registered practical nurse whose approach to care is rooted in respect and deep empathy, taking time to listen to patients and understand their experiences. A resident assistant who respects residents with the same love, patience, and respect she would show her own family. A clinical operations leader, whose leadership is a steady force of humanity, gentleness and unwavering respect. A manager who challenges the status quo to evolve a program’s core components to elevate the quality of care delivered. A team who consistently exemplifies the value of community through their remarkable ability to foster collaboration, trust, and joy across multiple departments. And a registered practical Nurse that is a champion for equity, cultural humility, and anti-oppressive practice.

These are the winners of the 2026 Our Shared Values Awards at Providence who have been recognized for going above and beyond to embody Unity Health’s values of human dignity, compassion, excellence, community and inclusivity. Here are some of their stories in the words of those who nominated them.

Sajini Tom, Registered Practical Nurse, Stroke and Neuro Inpatient Rehab | Human Dignity

Sajini’s approach to care is rooted in respect and deep empathy. She does not make assumptions about what a patient needs or feels. Instead, she listens carefully and takes the time to understand their experiences.

One powerful example of this occurred when a patient preparing for discharge from the Stroke and Neuro Rehab inpatient unit, confided in her that he was experiencing suicidal thoughts due to unbearable pain. Rather than rushing through her duties, Sajini stopped, gave the patient her full attention, and created a safe space for him to express his fear and hopelessness.

She listened with compassion, free of judgment or impatience, allowing the patient to feel truly heard.

Recognizing the gravity of his words, Sajini immediately took appropriate action. She informed the attending physician, who prescribed necessary pain medication, and arranged for the patient to be sent to the Emergency Department for mental health support.

Her swift yet sensitive response preserved not only the patient’s safety but also his dignity, affirming that his pain and his emotions were valid and deserving of care.

Sajini’s daily practice reminds us that dignity is not something we bestow upon others; it is something we protect and uphold, together.

Karen Peralta, Resident Assistant in the Houses of Providence | Compassion

Karen treats every resident with the same love, patience, and respect she would show her own family. Karen is also a wonderful colleague. She is always willing to lend a helping hand to her teammates, offer advice, or step in when someone needs support. Her approach goes far beyond the basic responsibilities of her role. She nurtures, listens, and ensures that each person she encounters feels valued and understood.

There was a family visiting their loved one during the pandemic while visiting restrictions were causing stress for families wanting to see their loved ones regularly. Karen made sure the resident was up and ready in her chair for her visit. She made sure the resident was dressed up, hair combed and styled, with lipstick on. She even made sure she had a scarf and slippers to match her outfit and that she was warm and ready for her visit. The resident went out to meet her family in the outdoor tent and they were very happy that their loved one looked so beautiful even in the midst of everything. They were so touched. They were able to take some pictures with the resident and her visiting family.

Angela Portsmouth, Clinical Operations Leader, Palliative and Transitional Care | Compassion

In the complex and emotionally demanding environment of palliative and transitional care, Angela’s leadership is a steady force of humanity, gentleness, and unwavering respect.

Angela has an intuitive ability to recognize distress, whether shown openly or quietly held beneath exhaustion or uncertainty. Staff often say she “just knows” when someone is struggling and steps in gently and without judgment. One afternoon, a family who had just learned their loved one was transitioning to end-of-life care became visibly distressed. Without hesitation, Angela guided them to a quiet space, offered presence and time, validated their emotions, and explained next steps with clarity and compassion. The family later shared it was the first moment that day they felt “safe enough to breathe.” These moments, small yet profound, are a daily part of her leadership.

Compassionate leadership requires humility, and Angela models this consistently. During a period of staffing strain, a team member shared that communication during a busy shift had felt abrupt. Instead of defending or dismissing the concern, Angela followed up immediately, apologized sincerely, and asked how she could better support staff during high-pressure moments. Her openness fosters genuine psychological safety and encourages honest dialogue across the team.

Shawna Funston, Manager, Clinics and Adult Day Program (ADP) | Excellence

Shawna’s leadership, collaborative spirit, and steady commitment to continuous improvement make a real and meaningful difference.

When Shawna joined the ADP, she truly dove into her role as manager, and quickly came to understand the program’s complexities. Even so, Shawna had the courage to challenge the status quo and evolve the program’s core components in order to elevate the quality of care provided, and improve access for the clients and caregivers who rely on the service.

This year, Shawna was assigned clinical leadership of three additional programs. Her primary concern with taking on more clinics was not the amount of added work, but the quality of leadership she would be able to provide to so many different teams. Shawna embraced the challenge with humility, determination and patience for herself and others, as she sought to fully understand the work of each group – their priorities, concerns, and goals. She did this by asking questions, listening, and then asking more. She heard not only the loudest voices, but sought to understand all perspectives.

To better understand a process, Shawna will observe it first-hand, asking questions in the moment to fully grasp the details. This gives teams the assurance that Shawna is truly invested in making informed leadership decisions. As a result, there is trust that decisions are made thoughtfully and with the genuine intention of helping programs to succeed. In turn, teams take pride in their work because their manager has demonstrated how much she values their time, skills, and talents.

Patient Flow and Admitting Team | Community

The Patient Flow and Admitting Team consistently exemplifies the value of community through their remarkable ability to foster collaboration, trust, and joy across multiple departments. Their work is inherently complex, requiring constant coordination between inpatient units and external partners, yet the team approaches every challenge with empathy, respect, and a deep commitment to building strong relationships that help patients and colleagues thrive.

One of the many ways that the team demonstrates exceptional commitment to community is in their navigation of complex patient transitions. In one memorable instance, a patient’s discharge was delayed due to multiple medical and social barriers. Rather than allowing frustration to build between the care team and family members, the team stepped in as mediators, listening to all perspectives, clarifying misunderstandings, and coordinating a cross-disciplinary meeting that included nursing, social work, rehabilitation, and admitting staff. Their calm, transparent, and solution-focused approach restored trust and unity among everyone involved.

Yasa De Silva, Registered Practical Nurse, Palliative Care | Inclusivity

In palliative care, where people arrive with diverse identities, complex histories, and deeply personal beliefs about health and dying, inclusivity is not optional, it is essential. Among our team, one of the newest members, Yasa, already distinguished himself as an exceptional champion of equity, cultural humility, and anti-oppressive practice.

Language can signal safety, and Yasa uses it thoughtfully. He adapts his communication to health literacy, cultural context, and patient preference. He self-corrects when needed, avoids assumptions, and uses clear, accessible words. When caring for a patient whose gender identity was often misunderstood, he privately asked their preferred name and pronouns, updated the care plan, and modelled inclusive communication for the team. His approach protected dignity during a vulnerable time.

Yasa ensures understanding by checking in frequently and explaining care plans in a calm, respectful manner. A family member once described speaking with him as “having someone translate a new language, without feeling judged.” He avoids jargon and empowers patients and families to make informed decisions.

He openly reflects on how systemic structures can create inequity and frequently prompts the team to do the same. When staff labelled a patient as “non-compliant,” Yasa encouraged the team to consider underlying factors, such as trauma history, communication challenges, or socioeconomic stressors, shifting the discussion toward curiosity and compassionate understanding.

Providence Boiler Replacement Team | Spotlight on Sustainability

The boiler plant serves both Providence and the Houses of Providence, making it a critical piece of infrastructure without which the facility could not operate. It provides all the heating needs including hot water for showers, taps, dishwashing, cooking and cleaning. Steam and hot water are also provided to heat and humidify spaces. They run year round, even in the summer. The existing plant was made up of 3 main boilers, 1 acting as backup in case of failure. This project aimed to replace 1 of the 3 main boilers.

A significant amount of detailed analysis took place to determine what piece of equipment would best serve the facility needs, while bringing more environmentally efficient and flexible operation to the plant. The team had a tight timeline to maintain and had to work within the constraints of the existing facility infrastructure. Within this context, they selected a natural gas boiler that was more efficient than the existing infrastructure that was capable of operating at much lower loads with lower gas consumption than the existing boiler. The new boiler is estimated to save 30,000 m3 of gas a year, which is enough to heat 10 individual homes and 57,000 kwh of electricity. The replacement of this boiler comprises the first step in a long-term sustainability and decarbonisation plan for the boiler plant.

For more photos from the event, see below:

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