Sent on behalf of Jessica Nehrebecky, Office Manager and Senior Executive Assistant to Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO
Effective immediately, meetings or events scheduled in the Executive Boardroom (Room 3043) before 8:00 a.m. or after 4:30 p.m. require advance coordination with the Security Department.
To ensure timely access to and from the Boardroom outside of regular business hours, please contact Mohammed AseemKhan (Mohammed.AseemKhan@tbh.net) and copy Nicole Moffett (Nicole.Moffett@tbh.net) and Christian Nielsen (Christian.Nielsen@tbh.net) from Security prior to your scheduled meeting.
Show appreciation during this year’s Employee Recognition Week, taking place from February 27 to March 6. Send a Recognition O’Gram, submit a Thumbs Up, or send an electronic recognition card to your colleagues.
Clinical placements play a vital role in a health care learner’s journey, bridging academic learning with real-world practice and helping students build confidence, competence, and professional identity. Through hands-on experience, learners develop essential clinical skills, teamwork, and an understanding of patient centred care.
As an academic health sciences centre, our Hospital is proud to support learners by providing a safe, supportive, and enriching placement environment where future professionals can learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to patient care. Every month, the department of Academic Affairs is highlighting learners at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Today, we meet Jack, who is in the Kinesiology Program at Lakehead University.
Hometown: Thunder Bay, ON Program: Lakehead University – Kinesiology – placement with Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Travis Marion
What does an average day during your placement look like?
A typical day in placement varies depending on what setting we are in. Following Dr. Marion involves being in either the Operating Room, the Fracture Clinic, or his clinic, Big Thunder Orthopedics. In the OR I will typically watch Dr. Marion perform various surgeries, as well as follow him as he sees the patients pre and post operation. The Fracture Clinic is very different from the OR, as it is fast paced, and we see a high volume of patients with various conditions and injuries. Lastly, in his clinic it is similar to fracture clinic and we see patients that are either seeing Dr. Marion for the first time or following up with him so he can see how they are progressing. Regardless of the setting, every placement day has been extremely insightful and very enjoyable.
Is there a mentor of faculty member who has significantly impacted you?
Given that my placement is with Dr. Marion, I will have to say that he has had an immense impact on myself, as a student and hopefully as a future physician. Dr. Marion’s compassion, knowledge, leadership, and respect toward everyone in the hospital are traits that I one day hope to have as a physician. Dr. Marion’s guidance will stick with me for the rest of my career regardless of the field I one day end up in.
What is one interesting fact others might not know about you?
I am currently a student athlete playing on the men’s hockey team at Lakehead University.
Skip the all staff email. Post your message on the Daily Informed Newsletter instead.
The Daily Informed Newsletter is published Monday to Friday and distributed to all Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute staff via email (tbh.net accounts).
Why should I post my message in the Daily Informed Newsletter?
It’s the most effective way to reach all staff, professional staff, learners and volunteers electronically. It can also support a variety of content formats.
Please include a high resolution photo (.jpg or .png) to accompany your item. A member of the Communications and Engagement team would be happy to take the photo for you if needed.
Indicate both the preferred date to start posting and the expiry date.
Submissions about events include any education, information or awareness raising initiatives and activities happening in the community that support TBRHSC and TBRHRI’s Strategic Plan.
Please ensure that content intended for the Daily Informed Newsletter has been endorsed by your department’s Manager/Director/VP prior to submitting.
Each year in February, Canada observes Black History Month—a time to honor the significant achievements and contributions of Black Canadians. It also serves as a moment to reflect on the historical injustices faced by Black people in Canada, while reaffirming our commitment to dismantling the power structures that perpetuate anti-Black racism.
The 2026 theme for Black History Month in Canada, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries,” honours the Black Canadians who have shaped our past and present, and the inspiration they provide to future generations.
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Steering Committee invites you to celebrate Black History Month as we highlight the contributions of our colleagues to healthcare, and build our capacity to provide inclusive and equitable healthcare services.
Tune into the Daily Informed Newsletter throughout the month of February to learn more about how TBRHSC is honoring Black History Month. For more information on Black History Month, click here.
Have you ever wondered about the significance of the colours used during Black History Month?
You may have noticed that Black History Month often features black, red, green, and gold/yellow. These colours are derived from the Pan-African Flag, a black, green, and red flag that was created by Marcus Garvey in 1920, and the red, green, and yellow of the Ethiopian flag. These colours symbolize the resilience and liberation of Black people, and each colour holds special significance:
Black Represents Black skin, and the resilience of Black people
Red Represents the blood of those who have been lost throughout history to enslavement, colonization, and other forms of violence
GreenRepresents the rich greenery of Africa
YellowRepresents Ethiopia, the only African country that evaded colonization. Yellow therefore denotes optimism, justice, and equality
Black History Month: Staff Features Callout:
We are currently seeking staff members or learners who identify as Black (for example, African, Caribbean, African Canadian, Afro-Caribbean, and Black Canadian) who are interested in sharing about their learning and/or work experiences in healthcare, and what Black History Month means to them.
Submissions will be featured on the Daily Informed Newsletter and TBRHSC social media pages.
If you would like to participate, or have any questions, we invite you to email the EDI Steering Committee by February 9, 2026 at 4 p.m. at: TBRHSC.EDISteeringCommittee@tbh.net.
As January comes to a close, we are looking forward to some reprieve from what has been a challenging month across the organization. As you know, this year started with incredible pressures related to influenza and related overcapacity. Our Emergency Department experienced a spike in admissions as our community and region were hit hard with influenza, which we responded to with significant leadership and care. I continue to be inspired by your ability to step up and respond, yet again, to support the needs of our patients and families, locally and regionally.
With that being said, Employee Recognition Week (ERW) is around the corner and provides an opportunity to celebrate the people who make our organization exceptional – our medical staff, employees, teams, volunteers, and Patient Family Advisors. Each day, your skill, compassion, and dedication make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and families across Northwestern Ontario. From February 27 to March 6, I encourage all staff to take part in ERW activities by visiting the Corporate Intranet, reading the Daily Informed Newsletter, and following our social media channels. Throughout the week, there will be opportunities to connect and celebrate through prize draws, daily trivia, and other engaging activities. Most importantly, it is a time to say thank you and to recognize the extraordinary commitment that defines our collective work.
Looking forward, while we navigate capital improvements and planning, this is also the time of year when we plan our operational budgets for the next fiscal year. This year, however, is far from typical as we have shifted our focus to Health Sector Sustainability Planning in an environment where most hospitals across Ontario are planning for deficit budgets based on a set of planning parameters which assume more inflation and cost pressures than anticipated ministry revenue to meet those pressures. We are no different.
This new landscape for planning in Ontario hospitals is challenging us to think differently, be innovative and advance efficiencies across our health system. The pressure continues to address our growing population health inequities and respond to regional needs.
While the financial landscape for Ontario hospitals can bring uncertainty, we remain focused on supporting our teams and ensuring we continue to provide the best possible care experience, grow opportunities to improve patient care and flow and respond to unmet care needs. We encourage everyone to stay informed and reach out with any questions or concerns, and we will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available. We know we are supporting health care needs in a rather unique environment with more challenging issues related to access to care, chronic disease and geography.
We are starting to prepare for our accreditation process. Accreditation demonstrates our commitment to safe, high-quality care and ongoing improvement across our Hospital. To prepare for the May 2026 on-site survey, we will hold a Simulation Survey on February 18, a practice run designed to increase readiness and offer practical guidance. As we prepare for May, the mock survey will help to empower our teams to uphold rigorous standards, for safe, quality care. Through accreditation, we strengthen trust with our patients, staff and communities, to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to excellence in everything we do.
February is Black History Month, a time to share and honour the achievements, histories, and contributions of Black communities throughout our province and beyond. It serves as a meaningful opportunity for us to reflect, learn, and engage in conversations that foster understanding, inclusion, and respect. As we recognize Black History Month, we encourage everyone to participate in activities and educational initiatives that celebrate diversity and enrich our Hospital and Health Research Institute.
Between the weather and the patient volume we see, I recognize that this time of year can often be difficult for many. Please ensure to prioritize your well-being and be mindful of those around us that may need support. In doing so, we create a healthier, more supportive environment for everyone.
As always, I welcome your feedback about this blog or anything else on your mind. You can reach me at rhonda.ellacott@tbh.net. I appreciate hearing from you.
