Ash (They/Them)

Policy and Education Specialist

Ash is a non-binary/agender and pansexual member of our team working as a Policy and Education Specialist. They work to create best practice guidelines and training modules for healthcare professionals to improve care for trans and gender-diverse patients in Alberta. 

“As a trans/gender-diverse person, I am personally connected to this work. Unfortunately, both myself and many of my family members and friends have had negative experiences with healthcare professionals. These personal experiences and connections have helped me see the variety of barriers and forms of discrimination, from overt transphobia to misinformation to microaggressions, that exist in our health system. My experiences have shown me how these interactions can negatively impact individuals' health and well-being. In my work, I draw upon my education, my own experiences, and the experiences of other 2S/LGBTQIA+ people.”

Ash is passionate about gender-affirming care and addressing more basic issues that exist in the healthcare system. They want to counter the misinformation and base assumptions that lead to microaggressions and friction in healthcare provision by helping doctors and other healthcare professionals gain more understanding and awareness. For example, they’d like to help professionals understand that misgendering a pharmacy client can lead to a patient avoiding picking up and taking medications. 

Prior to joining the QTHC, Ash worked in Japan as an English teacher. As a member of the Japanese Foreign English Teachers’ Association, they introduced and supported a number of queer initiatives. In their spare time, Ash loves watching educational videos about world history, reading books about religions and keeping up with geopolitics. They also love the outdoors and go camping whenever they have the opportunity.

Ash can be reached by emailing ash.noelck@ourhealthyeg.ca.