01/29/2026
Meet Nicole Dillman!
In early December, Nicole was ecstatic to begin her new role as Team Lead for the First Nations Health Programs (FNHP) at Whitehorse General Hospital. This new role was created to strengthen patient care, support staff, and bring greater consistency to how Indigenous patients and families experience care within Yukon Hospitals.
Nicole is a Citizen of Kwanlin Dün First Nation, who lives in Whitehorse with her husband, their three children, and their dog, Berek. Although she grew up in Kamloops, B.C., she has strong family roots in the Yukon.
For Nicole, becoming the Team Lead of FNHP is a responsibility she takes seriously, but also one that represents a personal continuation of work she has been building towards over the last decade. She first started working at the hospital in 2018 as a practicum student in the social work program through Yukon University. Then, she was offered a job as a support worker with FNHP.
“I loved it, and they asked me to stay, and so I did,” says Nicole.
Eight years later, she was ready to step into the new Team Lead role with FNHP.
Some of Nicole’s favourite moments come from spending time with Elders.
“They’ll start telling you all these stories about back when they were growing up, and what they did in the extreme cold,” she laughs.
Looking ahead, Nicole hopes that the new role will help to strengthen relationships, improve care, and ensure First Nation patients and families feel supported during their time at Whitehorse General Hospital. She also plans to take on a greater role in supporting staff well-being.
“I’ll be working to build the best team possible to make ourselves the best support workers that we can be for patients and their families,” she says.
Read more of Nicole’s story at www.yukonhospitals.ca
