Welcoming our first Patient Advisors to the Board

In 2024, Hearing & Speech Nova Scotia (HSNS) officially welcomed two Patient Advisors to the Board of Directors, deepening our commitment to client voices at the highest level of decision-making.

Patient Advisors are volunteers from our Partners in Care (PIC) committee who bring lived experience and thoughtful insight to strategic discussions. Their role is to participate in Board conversations, provide input on key issues and ensure client perspectives are reflected in decisions.

Their appointment marks an important step in integrating client experience into organizational strategy and ensuring that those we serve help shape the future of care at HSNS.

Our inaugural Patient Advisors to the Board are:

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Ferne Mardlin-Smith

A member of PIC since 2020, Ferne shares her experience as a stroke survivor who encountered both challenges and successes in her recovery. She’s passionate about helping to improve services for other stroke survivors and has contributed to accessibility work on the HSNS website, the informed consent project, the mEDIa Club, and education for the Board of Directors.



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Courtney Douglas

A member of PIC since 2021 and volunteer co-chair since 2024, Courtney brings the perspective of a parent who has received care from HSNS for her son. She’s committed to giving back to the organization that supported her family. In addition to her leadership on PIC, Courtney has contributed to the EDIRA Committee, the mEDIa Club, and the Communications Committee.