The Faculty of Nursing welcomed back alumna Nancy Edwards (BScN 1974) for a March 7 address entitled “Lessons learned about leadership and capacity-building: a 45-year career in public and global health.”

Dr. Edwards is a professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa and an author, most recently of Not One, Not Even One: A Memoir of Life-altering Experiences in Sierra Leone, West Africa, published by FriesenPress in 2022.

Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Debbie Sheppard-LeMoine, called Edwards’ remarks inspiring: “Our guests from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, the University, retirees, students, faculty, staff, and donors all heard the passion, commitment and innovative strategies that Nancy has shared across Canada and globally.”

Edwards’ clinical and research interests are in the fields of public and population health. She has conducted health services, policy, and clinical research that has informed the design and evaluation of multi-level and multi-strategy community health programs. Her work has spanned four continents with a focus on maternal and child health and capacity-building.

During her tenure at the University of Ottawa, she held positions as director of the Community Health Research Unit, director of the Population Health PhD Program, principal scientist at the Institute of Population Health, senior scientist at the Élisabeth Bruyère Research Institute, academic consultant for the City of Ottawa, and scientific director for the CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health.