Nursing Story Slam
All stories matter. We want to hear yours.
Nursing is full of powerful stories: of care, connection, challenge, and change. From moments of joy and heartbreak to experiences in research, teaching, and practice, these stories shape both nurses and the care they provide. Too often, they go unheard.
UCalgary Nursing Story Slam features nurses taking the stage to share short, meaningful stories drawn from their personal and professional experiences.
Learn more about future Nursing Story Slam events by reaching out to nursingevents@ucalgary.ca.
2026 Presenters
Nicole Chen
Nicole is a public health RN who enjoys direct client and community nursing care. Although she's adventured further by advancing her nursing education with an MN, her ultimate love remains client centered. Her various community health roles have included working as a staff public health RN with Alberta’s school health nursing programs, well child health clinics, refugee health services, and notifiable disease control and outbreak. She has also worked as an Assistant Head Nurse (AHN) within the provincial Communicable Disease Control team and with the COVID immunization program. Her love of public health will forever be her career path.
Jennifer Selene King
Jennifer has an incredible 30 year nursing career. She graduated from Mount Royal College and got hired onto the unit she completed her final practicing on at Rocky View Hospital. She received a scholarship to take Advance Critical Care Nursing and worked in ICU at the RGH for 12 years where she was the first Code 66 nurse in Canada – this is now across Canada! After her 3 children were born she completed her nursing degree at the University of Calgary! She held positions in management, in palliative home care, and is currently the clinical nurse educator for palliative home care.
Julianne Buchler
Julianne Buchler is a former registered nurse, speaker, and author whose work explores the intersection of neuroscience, embodiment, and human connection. She began her career in clinical nursing, including time as a travel nurse in Scotland, where experiences like the one she shares today continue to shape her perspective. She later worked internationally as a healthcare consultant, where she also taught communication and public speaking. Julianne is the author of Flip the Fear of Public Speaking and is an alumna of the University of Calgary Faculty of Nursing. She is passionate about sharing stories that illuminate the deeply human moments at the heart of healthcare.
Jan Veenhuyzen
Jan is a graduate of the Foothills Hospital School of Nursing and the University of Calgary's Faculty of Nursing. She is the program manager of the Amyloidosis Program of Calgary, Department of Cardiac Sciences, University of Calgary. Jan has 30 years of cardiac nursing experience in diverse practice settings ranging from critical care to ambulatory care, and more than 15 years of clinical research experience. She serves on the Canadian Amyloidosis Society Executive Committee, is the Chair of the Canadian Amyloidosis Nursing Network (CANN) and past Co-Chair of the Prairie Amyloidosis Nursing Network (PANN).
Lucy Reyes
Lucy Reyes completed her master’s in nursing from the University of Calgary while working fulltime and nurturing a young family. Her experience includes acute frontline clinical manager, health informatics specialist, and as a project management leader to several organizational initiatives. She was the project lead in connecting patients living with a Cardiac Electrical Implantable Devices (CIED) remotely from their homes to their clinics in both urban and rural areas. This project received the HQCA Patient Experience Award and the Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses Patient Advocacy and Health promotion Award in 2021. Lucy was also the recipient of the Alberta Queen Elizabeth II Golden Platinum Award in 2022 and the King Charles Award in 2024. In 2022 she led the creation of the Philippine Canadian Nurses Association as founding president.
April Boychuk
April has been an oncology RN for over 17 years, at the Tom Baker, now Arthur Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. In the 17 years as an oncology RN, April prides herself on patient advocacy, patient education, and patient navigation. She has had the pleasure of helping build the Adolescent Young Adult Cancer Patient Navigator Program for Cancer Care Alberta. With many volunteering opportunities under her belt, her most memorable is white water rafting in the Grand Canyon with Mike Lang and cancer survivors. April has participated in the ride to conquer cancer, with many patients and fellow oncologists. Her next adventure is getting to participate in a 300mile cycling trip across the USA, for cancer awareness.
Rebecca Albrecht
A writer since she could do so, Rebecca is passionate about stories and how they weave together, connecting our internal worlds to others. She is a registered nurse with almost a decade of experience with a passion for holistic care for people of all ages. She currently practices in five distinct nursing areas and utilizes her knowledge to try and better each one in her own way. Rebecca is interested in research, baking, volunteering and loves music in all forms.
Performance and Coaching Workshop April 11, 2026
For the 10 selected presenters, we're offering a performance and coaching workshop Saturday, April 12, 2025 in the Professional Faculties Building on main campus.
Our previous presenters all agree the workshop is a key activity to participate in as it really helps to shape the stories and to learn how to deliver them effectively to an audience.
Pictured: Our 2023 presenters for Nursing Story Slam with co-lead Dr. Nancy Moules and coaches Dr. Mike Lang and Dr. John Williamson.
Dr. Mike Lang on how to craft your story
If you are unsure about having a story to share, please watch this short video from filmmaker and UCalgary Nursing alumni, Dr. Mike Lang MSc'15, PhD'22. In it, he provides ideas of how to pull moments from routine clinical practice, research, and/or personal experience, and craft them into stories that deepen our understanding of the human health experience.
Meet the Judges
Dr. Nancy Moules
Professor, Faculty of Nursing
Dr. Nancy Moules is a Professor in the Faculty of Nursing. She is Editor of the Journal of Applied Hermeneutics and the co-founder and Chair of the Canadian Hermeneutic Institute. Her clinical background in family and individual therapy and her research using hermeneutics has always had a focus on people’s stories. “Remember this one thing, said Badger. The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.” – Barry Lopez, Crow and Weasel.
Dr. Aoife Mac Namara
Professor, Faculty of Arts
Dr. Mac Namara is a Professor in the Faculty of Arts, UCalgary. Originally trained as an artist herself, she holds a doctorate in art, design, and the built environment from the University of Ulster in Belfast. She pursued a doctorate in art education at Concordia University, holds a master’s degree in the social history of art from the University of Leeds, and a master’s in fine art from the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. There is an art in the performance of good stories and Dr. Mac Namara offers her discerning artist eye to our Nursing Story Slam.
Dr. Derritt Mason
Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts
Dr. Derritt Mason is the author of Queer Anxieties of Young Adult Literature and Culture (2021) and the co-editor, with Kenneth B. Kidd, of two essay collections: Alt Kid Lit: What Children’s Literature Might Be (2024) and Queer as Camp: Essays on Summer, Style, and Sexuality (2019). Derritt also produces and hosts a podcast called 3QTL: Three Questions About Teaching and Learning. As a scholar of literature, Derritt is interested in how stories shape the world around us—and how culture and convention shape the stories we choose to tell.
Barb Shellian
Director Rural Health – Calgary Corridor Alberta Health Services
Barb Shellian is a graduate of the Foothills Hospital School of Nursing and earned her Bachelor and Masters Degrees from the University of Calgary. In 2024 she was awarded the Order of the University of Calgary. Barb is Director Rural Health – Calgary Corridor Alberta Health Services and she is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the University of Calgary Faculty of Nursing. Barb was the President of the Canadian Nurses Association from 2016 -2018. She currently is the co-chair of the National Ministerial Advisory Board for the Dementia Strategy for Canada. Barb is also the Editor in Chief for the Canadian Nurse online journal and is passionate about nurses telling their stories.
Meet your Nursing Story Slam co-leads and coaches
Marc Hall
Lead and Co-Organizer, Nursing Story Slam
Senior Research Specialist, Nursing Research Office
Marc Hall is the lead organizing this Nursing Story Slam event. He is a Senior Research Specialist in the Nursing Research Office and has been with the Faculty of Nursing for 13 years. Although he has never been a practicing nurse, he has experience in telling stories from his involvement in the creation of a documentary, made-for-tv-movie, and musical about events from his high-school years. Since he has worked closely with nurses while being in the faculty, he has gained a deep appreciation for what they do and is really excited to be involved in this event to showcase their stories.
Dr. Tracie Risling
Associate Dean, Innovation and Research, UCalgary Nursing
Dr. Tracie Risling is an Associate Professor and the Associate Dean of Innovation and Research in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary.
She is president-elect of the Canadian Nurses Association and a Past-President of the Canadian Nursing Informatics Association. A registered nurse with a practice background in pediatric and public health nursing, Tracie has extensive nursing education experience teaching, conducting research and engaging in curriculum design and evaluation for both undergraduate and graduate programs. She also leads a patient-oriented program of health and nursing informatics research including study on artificial intelligence, social media, co-design, and the use of texting for wellness and workforce support.
Dr. Mike Lang
Coach, Nursing Story Slam
Assistant Professor, UCalgary Nursing
Digital Storytelling Facilitator, Filmmaker/Producer, Mike Lang Stories
Dr. Mike Lang is a health researcher, filmmaker, and Level 3 Common Language Digital Storytelling facilitator. He has directed and produced five feature-length documentaries and three web series about the human health experience in addition to publishing academic research articles and facilitating the creation of over 850 short films with patients, family caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Connect with him on all socials @mikelangstories or @commonlanguagedst.
"Each of us is an artist of our days; the greater our integrity and awareness, the more original and creative our time will become." - John O’Donahue, To Bless the Space Between Us
Dr. John Williamson
Coach, Nursing Story Slam
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Werklund School of Education
Dr. John Williamson is a K – 12 Coordinating Teacher of Diverse Learning Services, adjunct assistant professor in the Werklund School of Education, and spoken word and “page” poet. His award-winning PhD Dissertation, The Case of the Appearing / Disappearing Slow Learner was republished in the Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, and, in 2019, he published his first chap book of poetry, Broken and Strong: Family Fragments through Calgary’s Loft 112. He continues to publish academically and creatively. John is a three-time winner of Calgary’s individual monthly poetry slam and a member of the Calgary 2018 poetry slam team that competed for the national title. He is also an executive member of Can You Hear Me Now? Provincial youth slam. Known for using humor and pathos to make the usual unusual and vice versa, John tries to live creatively by Emily Dickinson’s advice to “tell the truth but tell it slant.”
2025 Nursing Story Slam Presenters
Have a look at the various story presenters from our 2025 Nursing Story Slam event.
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Maggie Quance
Registered Nurse
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Kiri Michelle Dean
Sessional instructor, Faculty of Nursing
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Eleanor Benterud
Project Manager, CIHR REACH initiative
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Brittany Carde
Registered nurse
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Amanda Lucas
Clinical nurse
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Carol Gray
Adjunct Clinical Associate, Faculty of Nursing
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Karen Melon
Conduct Investigator, CARNA
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Abigail Bezaredie
ICU Nurse
2024 Nursing Story Slam Presenters
Have a look at the various story presenters from our 2024 Nursing Story Slam event.
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Dr. Merilee (Meredith) Brockway
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing
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Nicole Chen
Registered Nurse
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Dr. Jennifer Dorman
Sessional Instructor, Faculty of Nursing
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Jennifer Eyford
Director of Mental Health, Addictions, and Outreach, The Alex
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Juliana Rempel
Nursing student
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Logan Rutter
Registered Nurse
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Katherine Stelfox
Doctoral candidate
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Dr. Lorraine Venturato
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing
2023 Nursing Story Slam Presenters
Have a look at the various story presenters from our 2023 Nursing Story Slam event.
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Kate Wong
Graduate student, UCalgary Nursing
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Sara Dolan
Graduate Student, UCalgary Nursing
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Emily Hilton
Graduate Student
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Eric Lavoie
Adjunct Clinical Professor
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Katie Webber
Graduate student, UCalgary Nursing
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Jennifer Chung
Graduate Student, UCalgary Nursing
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Carine Zhu
Graduate student, UCalgary Nursing
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Tracie Risling
Associate professor, UCalgary Nursing
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Tiffany Brew
Graduate Student, UCalgary Nursing
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Lorraine Venturato
Associate Professor, UCalgary Nursing
See videos from the 2023 participants Read UToday article