New Grad Advocate - Alisha D’Souza

Hello/Bonjour, my name is Alisha (she/her/elle)! I'm currently wrapping up the second-entry accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at McMaster University in Ontario! I have a passion for working with children and families experiencing major illnesses and disabilities and have worked and volunteered in this area for nearly a decade. My love for leadership, advocacy, and policy regarding child and youth health has also lead me to be part of the Youth Advocacy Program with UNICEF Canada, and a member of the Young Canadians Roundtable on Health! I've been told by many that I have "camp-counselor energy" so you can expect to find me choreographing routines to Frozen, Encanto, and even Cocomelon with my patients in the near future! In the last few years, I've taken on various non-clinical roles and as graduation approaches, I hope to transfer those skills more and more into the clinical world! I'm excited to be the New Graduate Advocate with the CNSA's Board of Directors and look forward to working with Nursing the Future as well as hearing and advocating for my fellow new grads! As the previous POC Caucus Chair, I'm always interested in hearing about equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and how they can be incorporated into my current efforts to support new grads! I encourage those with ideas to reach out to me! In my spare time, I love being around those who fill my cup (including my cats), especially for outdoor adventures like hiking, camping, and being on the water. Fun fact: in high school, I was a vocal major in a regional arts program, and I still sing now, performing primarily in concert choirs and occasionally singing the national anthem at sporting and fundraising events!

newgrad@cnsa.ca