Tammy Whittaker, ‘15 EMBA

Tammy Whittaker's journey in healthcare began with a deep-rooted passion for advocacy, inspired by her mother’s leadership in nursing. From her time as a summer student, Tammy, ‘15 EMBA, rose through various roles in Alberta Health Services to eventually develop the pioneering Telestroke program. Her pursuit of an Executive MBA from the Alberta School of Business further honed her leadership skills.
In this month’s BAA alumni profile, learn how Tammy co-founded Ember Healthcare and blueBell Connect to empower healthcare professionals and provide exceptional care to communities, particularly in dementia care.

BAA: Can you share your journey leading up to your current role as co-founder and CEO of Ember Healthcare and co-founder of blueBell Connect? What inspired you to pursue a career in healthcare?

As a child I had an innate interest in advocating for the vulnerable and those who could not advocate for themselves. It came naturally to me. 

During my late teens I took a summer employment opportunity at the Capital Health Authority (now AHS) where my mother worked as a registered nurse in a leadership role for 20 years. I was in awe of how the staff respected my mother, how she led with kindness and inspired people to deliver high quality care. She — along with Pauline McCormick, the department director at the time — were instrumental in helping me open my mind and instilled a sense of curiosity about other cultures and disparate experiences of my own.

The exposure to Pauline and my mother’s kindness and compassion for people, and seeing the respect they earned from those they worked with, changed my life. I knew then who I wanted to be: a pioneer in healthcare who would also lead with kindness and compassion to create a respectful working environment for all employees, where the achievement of high-quality care for clients and people in our communities was something to be proud of. 

I completed my bachelor of science degree in nursing at the University of Alberta in 2003, which included a stint as a summer student at the University of Alberta Hospital (where I stayed for five years). Later, I was instrumental in developing the first and largest Telestroke program in Canada, developed so that stroke neurologists could deliver care through video conferences, making it easier for patients in remote locations across Alberta, Northwest Territories, Northern BC and Saskatchewan to receive timely acute stroke care that they would otherwise not be able to access. 

That experience led me to a position that supported the creation of the Medical Engagement in Quality Advisor Council.  There, I met a colleague who had recently graduated with her executive MBA. Her experiences with the program inspired me to enroll. 

Following the completion of my Executive MBA in 2015, I worked in a variety of roles with AHS Home Care, which included leading a group of high performing multidisciplinary professionals who taught me everything I know about home care. In 2017, I started a new position as area director for a large national company contracted by AHS to provide personal care in the Edmonton Area. In this role I was responsible for 140,000 home care visits a month for west and southwest Edmonton from 2017-2022.

BAA: Let’s talk about Ember Healthcare and your role within the organization. What motivated you to start the business? 

Pre-Covid, the healthcare industry was experiencing high staff turnover and staffing shortages. It was in this climate that I was forced to ask my staff to focus on a seemingly insurmountable amount of healthcare tasks. After the pandemic, the struggle to keep up intensified, resulting in an increased need to prioritize tasks over care. This left me and other healthcare providers with moral injury regarding the care we were able to provide. 

When I started in healthcare, I told myself I would protect my patients and staff and no client would experience poor care on my watch. But post-Covid, I watched as my friends and family in healthcare experienced anxiety, loss of sleep and burnout due to an inability to provide quality care.  The creation of Ember is the embodiment of my desire to build a safe place where healthcare workers are enabled and empowered to provide the type of care to our clients and our communities that they can be proud of. Ember Healthcare provides personalized healthcare services focused on optimizing patient outcomes through a range of clinical and support services. They offer innovative solutions and a patient-centered approach to address diverse healthcare needs, enhancing overall health and well-being.

BAA: Similarly, could you discuss your experience co-founding blueBell Connect, an arm of blueBell Village? How did you become one of the founding members?

Developing and piloting blueBell with co-founder Andy Karesa has been one of the best experiences of my career. Along with my personal experiences meeting and learning from clients and their family members while working in home care, we both share the same passion for improving care for people with dementia in communities through continuous learning from clients’ stories and experiences. 

The current information systems that are being used in healthcare do not have a place for the client’s unique story, which can have a direct impact on patient care. 

That’s where we come in. Knowing about the unique personhood of a client enables us to create a place where the caregiver and client can be comfortable and gives a person with dementia a sense of familiarity, safety and companionship. Furthermore, I found that a repository or portal that could encapsulate this information with input from family, friends, caregivers and even the client themselves, early in their diagnosis, would have extreme value to the work that we are doing to improve dementia care in our community. 

BAA: blueBell Connect is known for its innovative approach to dementia care. What are some of the unique features or programs you helped develop, and what do they aim to achieve?

What I am most excited about is blueBell Connect’s ability to capture  dementia clients' routine, which helps a person with dementia know what to expect and gives them a sense of familiarity and safety. 

Routines also promote and support persons with dementia to be physically independent with their personal care; they are often physically able to perform a task but require cueing and personalized guidance. If a person living with dementia is physically independent, they have more care options, like staying in their home or with family. 

blueBell Connect is a platform that shares client information and brings caregivers and families together to work in partnership to enable timely, specific client care amongst teams of healthcare professionals and empowers the user with the ownership and control of their data. 

BAA: How do you see the future of healthcare evolving, particularly in the realm of dementia care? What role do you envision for both Ember Healthcare and blueBell Connect?

I am passionate about providing persons living with dementia the option and support to remain in their homes and communities longer. For many, the ability to stay in their homes can significantly enhance their quality of life. 

At Ember Healthcare, we have implemented a specific recruitment and staffing protocol tailored to the personalities and care needs of our dementia clients. We prioritize hiring individuals with high emotional intelligence, in addition to their education and experience. Currently, we are building an in-house dementia education program to assist our caregivers in providing quality, client-specific dementia care. We are also excited to develop more community partnerships, such as our collaboration with WeSeniors, which gives our clients access to forward-thinking support and services.

blueBell Connect is a key tool that we are piloting at Ember, and I am excited about integrating this system into our daily operations. This technology supports caregivers in having meaningful interactions with persons with dementia. For example, knowing that a client has four grandchildren and asking about them can light up their face. Understanding that a client was a professional accountant and engaging them in a conversation about their work can evoke a sense of pride. These moments are invaluable in dementia care, and blueBell Connect will help us create more of them.

BAA:  How did your Executive MBA from the Alberta School of Business influence your career and leadership style? What skills or experiences from the program do you find most valuable in your daily leadership activities?

My Executive MBA from the Alberta School of Business significantly shaped my career and leadership style. The program's comprehensive curriculum and experiential learning opportunities provided me with a robust foundation in strategic thinking, financial acumen and organizational management. One of the most impactful aspects was the emphasis on real-world applications and case studies. This practical approach allowed me to tackle complex business challenges and develop solutions that were both innovative and grounded in theory. It refined my decision-making skills and taught me to approach problems from multiple perspectives. This has been invaluable in developing my leadership style. Additionally, the program fostered a deep understanding of team dynamics and organizational behavior. Through collaborative projects and peer interactions, I gained insights into leading diverse teams and effective change management. This experience has enhanced my ability to communicate clearly, motivate others and drive strategic initiatives within my organization. The networking opportunities and relationships built during the program have also been instrumental, offering me the opportunity to network and engage with a group of similarly motivated professionals.

BAA:  Can you share a memorable moment or success story from your time at Ember Healthcare or blueBell Connect that highlights the impact of your work?

Ember Healthcare was born out of a deep-seated belief in the power of empathy and kindness. I believed it was possible to deliver exceptional home care services that honor each client’s dignity, comfort and unique needs. We stand out in the industry by focusing not just on clinical excellence but also on creating meaningful, personal connections with those we serve. We developed and implemented personalized care plans that cater to the individual needs of each client, ensuring a holistic approach to home care. By building strong relationships within the community, through partnerships with women who lead local home care companies and in coordination with senior centers, Ember has established a reputation for trustworthiness and care excellence. Seeing Ember succeed has been the most memorable moment in my career and I can not wait to see what the future holds.

BAA: Lastly, what legacy does Tammy Whittaker aspire to leave through her work? 

I would like to leave a legacy of working together and leading with kindness and compassion to inspire and enable healthcare professionals and staff to provide the best possible care to people in our community. Women supporting women to achieve success. My vision for Ember Healthcare is to be a legacy company, built from the ground up with the desire to listen and develop programs and services to help marginalized and vulnerable groups in our communities by people who live, work and have friends and family members who need high quality care.