Board of Directors

Nathan Wickett, RN
NANB Board President (2023-2025)

president@nanb.nb.ca

Nathan Wickett, the current President of the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB), boasts a comprehensive career spanning over two decades in both private and public healthcare systems. Armed with a Master’s degree in Health Care Studies and certified as a Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt, he has consistently held advanced leadership roles, tackling intricate and controversial systemic issues.

Nathan’s professional passion lies in the improvement of healthcare access and services. Dedicated to effecting positive change, he collaborates with the citizens of New Brunswick, fostering a community with a genuine intent and compassion for others. His commitment to continual improvement aligns with the belief that change is an ongoing necessity for creating a more effective and compassionate healthcare landscape.

Residing in Fredericton, Nathan and his wife Angela have two children and they are constantly on the move. If he’s not playing taxi to kids, Nathan can be found at the gym, playing sports or dabbling in construction.

Chad L. Doucet, RN
President-elect (2023-2025)

Chad L. Doucet is an accomplished healthcare professional with administrative expertise. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from the Université de Moncton, as well as New Brunswick certification in critical care. He has also completed a certificate in project management at McGill University.

His beginnings in critical care were mainly in emergency and intensive care. Over the course of his career, Chad has held a variety of leadership positions. He has served in university teaching and as faculty advisor for the New Brunswick Critical Care Nursing Program at the Université de Moncton. During periods of increased activity due to the COVID-19 pandemics, he was also responsible for the occupational health department and organizational development. He is currently Executive Director, Clinical Services and Professional Practice, Vitalité Health Network.

Chad is recognized for his academic and professional excellence, as evidenced by academic excellence awards at bachelor’s and master’s levels. He has also published scientific articles and is currently collaborating with several researchers in the province on projects aimed at improving health care in New Brunswick.

Outside his profession, Chad is a devoted father and husband. He enjoys music, cooking and running. What he’s most passionate about is creating an environment that fosters the development and success of the people around him.

Julie Émelie Boudreau, RN, MN, CNeph(C), CCNE
Director, Region 1 (2023-2026)

Julie Émelie Boudreau, born in Dieppe, NB, graduated from the Université de Moncton, Campus Moncton in 2007 with a Bachelor in Nursing. She also earned a Master’s degree and a Specialized Graduate Diploma in Nursing from the University of Calgary in 2012. She has maintained certification in nephrology nursing since 2010, as well as certification as a nurse educator with the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing since 2018. She worked as a bedside nurse in the nephrology program at the Dr. George L. Dumont University Hospital from 2007 to 2010. She has held occasional positions in home care, in a level 3 long-term care home, and currently in an acute medicine unit at The Moncton Hospital. She has been a lecturer in nursing at the School of Nursing at the Université de Moncton, Campus Moncton, for more than 11 years. She has also been a mentor for the Canadian Nurses Association certification program since 2019, chairs the finance committee and is secretary-treasurer of her union, ABPPUM, at the Université de Moncton, Moncton Campus. Her clinical focus is internal medicine. Her research focus is simulation as a teaching strategy. Julie loves good laughs and is a creative and generous person. She takes care of her health by practicing yoga and weight training. She is a member of the 1000 Club at Peak Fitness. Her favorite hobbies are reading fiction-style detective thrillers by Lisa Jewell and Gilly Macmillan, and hiking in Fundy National Park. To relax, she likes going to the theater or watching movies with her husband. She loves Mediterranean cuisine.

Kathy Helpert, RN
Director, Region 2 (2022-2025)

Kathy Helpert is a Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Extramural Program (EMP) and supports nurses by promoting evidenced-based practice. She facilitates a Provincial EMP Clinical Practice Leadership group for EMP Skin and Wound care as well as acting as a Subject Matter Expert in the roll out of the CommunityCareNB electronic solution. Kathy has worked for 30 years at EMP and has worked as a staff nurse and as a manager prior to working in her current role.

Kathy completed her Master of Nursing from Athabasca University in 2013 while working full time and playing an active role in the lives of her teenage children. She values the importance of education and promotes education for the staff at EMP. She has assisted in the development of education modules for staff, participates in policy review, and acts as a Facilitator for EMP staff enrolled in the LEAP program from Pallium Canada. She recently obtained a certificate of completion from a Wounds Canada Institute Super Program #1 to increase her competency in wound prevention and care.

Kathy enjoys reading, walking and paddle boarding. She loves spending time with her four precious granddaughters and is very thankful that they live nearby.

Holli LeBlanc, NP
Director, Region 3 (2023- 2026)

Holli LeBlanc is the Director for Region 3 area and is happy to be a Nurse Practitioner (NP) representative as well. She completed her Bachelor of Nursing Degree in 2006 through University of New Brunswick (UNB) and then went on to obtain her Masters of Nursing- NP in 2017 through UNB as well. Holli enjoyed working as an RN on a busy surgical/burn unit at the Moncton City Hospital, has worked as an NP in various rural settings, and is proud to be a founding NP at Horizon’s NP Clinic in Fredericton. She also enjoys expanding health care access to those in need by working with various private virtual care platforms to offer episodic and primary care.

Holli has a passion for advancing the NP role as well as advocating for NP equality in health care. She sits on various committees within Horizon and NANB. She is also very active in mentoring NP students at various universities and also helps to guide and mentor new NP graduates as they transition into their new role. 

Holli loves spending time with her family. She can often be found at a rink, court, derby track, or football field with a cowbell in hand or hollering encouragement to her favorite players.

Mélissa Duguay, RN
Director, Region 4 (2023-2026)

Mélissa Duguay stands as a seasoned Clinical Nurse Specialist: Professional Practice with Vitalité Health Network, marking two decades of dedicated service in nursing since January 2004. Her journey encompasses a rich academic background, earning a BA in Nursing in 2004 and started her Master’s in Nursing in 2022.

Throughout her career, Mélissa has demonstrated versatility by contributing her expertise to various nursing realms, including Emergency, Concentrated Care, Extended Care, Medicine, and serving as a past Internship Instructor for UdeM. Her diverse roles also include positions as a Resource RN, involvement in Nursing Home Care Levels 3 and 4, and active engagement in Professional Practice.

Beyond her professional commitments, Mélissa is a devoted mother of three, embodying a vibrant and active lifestyle. Her love for the outdoors, passion for spinning, dedication to yoga, zest for travel, culinary pursuits, and cherished family time all reflect her multifaceted nature. Mélissa is driven by new challenges, embodying a spirit of perpetual growth and innovation in both her personal and professional life.

Sylvie Bernard, RN
Director, Region 5 (2024-2027)

Sylvie Bernard, born in Eel River Crossing, in the north of the province, graduated from the Edmundston School of Nursing in 1986, earned a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 1992 and a Master of Nursing degree in 2019, both from the Université de Moncton. She also obtained a certificate in adult education and a certificate in applied aging studies from the Université de Moncton.

She has worked as a nurse in various settings. From 2011 to 2023, she was a clinical nurse specialized in seniors at Vitalité Health Network. She was a volunteer and consultant for the Alzheimer Society of NB from 2012 to 2015, and returned to her volunteer role in 2023, organizing a 2^nd Walk for Alzheimer’s in the Campbellton area. 

Sylvie gave presentations on the role of the caregiver and white bereavement at The Summer Development School on Aging, Shippagan campus, Université de Moncton in 2017. She presented the results of her research on family caregivers of people with dementia in rural francophone settings at the 2019 Annual Conference of the Canadian Association on Gerontology.  

Sylvie was a Catholic catechetical educator in her region for 10 years. She has three children and three grandchildren, aged 3 years, 15 months and 11 months. She loves golf, nature, the ocean and travelling.

Sylvie currently works as a registered nurse in a primary care clinic in the Dalhousie area.

Stéphanie Roy, RN
Director, Region 6 (2022-2025)

Stéphanie Roy’s career path has been diverse and rewarding. Having held a variety of positions including university teaching, management, research, evaluation and development of services and programs, and executive management, she has seen herself evolve into varied leadership positions where she has had to deal with stimulating and complex operational and systemic challenges.

Stéphanie holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. She has also completed additional training in management, administration, and leadership. She has a keen interest in organizational and team leadership. Strategic and innovative by nature, she is a passionate son leader who greatly appreciates the strategic, operational, and clinical supervision of teams, as well as the work surrounding the development of new programs or service offering models. She has evaluated, developed, and restructured major programs throughout her career.

More recently, as Executive Director of the Primary Health Care Sector at Vitalité Health Network, she is responsible for the development and launch of an integrated primary care services model, where extensive experience in change management to foster a culture of integrated, collaborative interdisciplinary team practice in the community is a must.

In addition to her work, Stéphanie is passionate about her family. A common-law mother of two, Stéphanie enjoys all the activities and little pleasures that family life brings.

Charis Lynch, NP
Director, Region 7 (2024-2027)

Anne Caverhill
Public Director (2024-2027)

Anne Caverhill is proud to be a public member sitting on the board for the Nurses Association of New Brunswick.

Anne’s educational background is in both law and social work and she spent a long career as a public servant combining both of these trainings primarily in policy, research, legislative reform and lastly as a Manager for Child Welfare. Although formally retired from Social Development, in Anne’s retirement”, she has worked as a Grief Counsellor with Family Services and currently, is teaching Law and Social Work at St. Thomas University. She is also an active member of the New Brunswick Association of Social Workers and chaired the By Laws Committee when new legislation governing social workers was passed in 2019.

One area that Anne is most proud of was her work with nurses in both hospital and public health, to focus on a multi disciplinary approach to protect and service the most vulnerable in our community— infants and children. This approach led to in service training, Workshops, and regular meetings to address some of the systemic barriers that prevented effective care for infants and children at risk.

Anne is particularly proud of sitting on a board that works to ensure professional protection for the public. 

Claude G. Savoie
Public Director (2024-2027)

Claude G. Savoie was born in Fair Isle and lives in Pointe-A-Tom. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the Université de Moncton and a master’s degree in social work from Université Laval. As a social worker, he has held several positions within the Department of Social Development. He served as Regional Director of the Acadian Peninsula and Bathurst area offices. Later, he was Provincial Director of Child and Youth Services at the head office in Fredericton. After 36 years of service, he retired in 2011.

He sits on the Board of Directors of Line Ferguson Residences, and was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Reserve Unit, and Honorary Aide-de-Camp to five Lieutenant-Governors of NB.  He was actively involved in the North American Association of Social Work Boards.  He was President of the New Brunswick Association of Social Workers  (NBASW).

He received the Raoul Léger Award from the NBASW in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the social work profession, and the Recognition Award from the Canadian Association of Social Workers.  In addition, the Lieutenant-Governor awarded him the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee and Platinum Jubilee medals. He was also awarded the Viceregal Commendation. 

He enjoys practicing Tai Chi and playing guitar.

He is married to Carmen Godin. They have four children, a grandson and a great-grandson.