Nadine Elias
Nadine is a woman of much energy and determination and is dedicated to assisting others in developing skills and habits that will enable them to lead a healthy lifestyle. After obtaining her Bachelor Degree in Exercise Physiology, Nadine became a certified kinesiologist to better understand how the body works and gain the knowledge and tools to prevent and manage chronic diseases. Experiencing her own barriers and challenges of losing weight and keeping it off, she is keen to help individuals take control of their health in a simple and attainable way. As a mother of two young children, she understands firsthand the challenge of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle while juggling work, family and extra-curricular activities. Her focus areas are weight loss and fitness, cardiovascular conditioning and heart disease education. Her personal interests include coaching ringette, swimming, skating with her kids, and exploring new grounds! “I can never get enough of new travel and I love to volunteer at my kids’ school”.
Natalie Martin
Natalie’s enthusiasm for living a healthy lifestyle, health and good food drove her to achieve her degree in Human Biology and Nutritional Science from the University of Guelph. Before joining the Ottawa Heart Institute’s Prevention and Wellness Centre as a facilitator and Health coach, she worked as a facilitator with the Healthy Schools 2020 Program, helping schools create healthy school environments. She believes that every accomplishment starts with the decision to try. Although Natalie enjoys being active and including fitness in her daily life, she is not one to frequent a gym. Preferring home workouts, yoga classes, recreational sports teams and being active outdoors - swimming, kayaking, hiking, downhill skiing, snowshoeing are some of her favorites. Natalie has a passion for people (in fact she is rarely alone!) and takes a supportive, caring, engaging and friendly approach to health coaching. She truly enjoys guiding others in developing strategies that work for them, to assist them in leading a healthier lifestyle, achieve their goals and better their quality of life. “Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect!”
Deborah Younger-Lewis
Deborah Younger-Lewis is a Registered Nurse in the Prevention & Wellness Centre at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. She has worked there since 2008 in various departments, including Cardiac Surgery and Cardiac Rehabilitation. Deborah is a nurse educator who provides community outreach through health education presentations. She also facilitates the development, planning, and implementation of educational programs for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.
Becky Petronella
Becky Petronella has been at the Heart Institute since 2019 as a Facilitator in the Prevent & Wellness Centre. As a Facilitator, she provides patients with counseling on behaviour change in areas of nutrition, physical activity, stress management and smoking cessation to lower their risk of cardiovascular disease. She is passionate about helping others make lifestyle changes that have positive, lasting health benefits. Becky is a Registered Kinesiologist with a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education from Wilfred Laurier University as well as a post-graduate certificate in Exercise Science and Lifestyle Management from Humber College.