We are excited to announce the expansion of our team at Life and Death Matters with the addition of two remarkable new members: Laura Bulmer and Dawn Elston. As we continue to grow and evolve to better serve caregivers and educators, the insights and experience that Laura and Dawn bring will be invaluable in helping us advance our mission.

Welcoming Laura Bulmer – Education and Innovation Strategist

Laura Bulmer joins Life and Death Matters as our new Education and Innovation Strategist, bringing over 35 years of healthcare experience. A Registered Nurse with a background in community and palliative care, Laura has dedicated her career to adult education. Her work has included designing and delivering impactful programs for Registered Nurses (RNs), Practical Nurses (PNs), and Personal Support Workers (PSWs).

In her roles as an educator, program coordinator, and curriculum developer, Laura has helped shape the future of healthcare education in Canada. She is also a strong advocate for PSWs, championing their essential role and elevating their visibility and support nationwide. We are thrilled to welcome Laura to our team – her passion for teaching and her deep experience will help us continue creating high-quality, meaningful learning experiences for caregivers.

Welcoming Dawn Elston – Research Lead

We’re also proud to welcome Dawn Elston as our new Research Lead. Dawn brings with her a distinguished 35-year research career at McMaster University, where she led initiatives to improve quality of life and care for patients through system-level healthcare improvements. Over the past decade, her focus has been on developing innovative decision aids and conversation guides designed to support meaningful communication between patients, families, and healthcare teams.

Dawn’s research has always centered on what truly matters to individuals living with serious illness. She is a passionate advocate for early, open, and ongoing end-of-life conversations – a commitment grounded in both professional expertise and personal experience. After retiring in 2023 and moving to Victoria in 2024, a serendipitous introduction led her to join our team. We are delighted to welcome her and look forward to the contributions she will make in strengthening our research and evaluation work.

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Please join us in warmly welcoming Laura and Dawn to the Life and Death Matters family! Their combined knowledge, passion, and dedication will strengthen our team and help us continue to serve caregivers and educators with excellence.