Andrea Oltsher

Andrea Oltsher, a new RN employee on the Points North Family Health Team, exemplifies the key traits of an outstanding mentor.  Experiences share by Andrea’s nominators note that Andrea is always approachable and responsive. She strikes a balance between professionalism and genuine care, creating a learning environment that is non-judgmental and collaborative. Her ability to check in meaningfully — whether through shared reflection, encouragement, or thoughtful listening — has made a significant difference in the comfort and growth of many a new primary care RN.

Andrea helps her mentees think critically and reach their own conclusions, often using reflective questions. She promotes growth in others with genuine encouragement and a strong belief in their potential. She identifies her colleagues’ strengths and acknowledges them openly.

In her personal reflection on mentorship, Andrea says

Mentorship is a relational act of reciprocity grounded in trust, shared purpose, and collective growth. As an Indigenous woman and primary care nurse, I carry forward teachings rooted in community, matriarchy, and story. I don’t see mentorship as a top-down role; it’s a circle where we all have something to offer and something to learn.
In both clinical and academic spaces, I’ve witnessed how colonial systems often isolate nurses, especially those who carry intersecting identities. Mentorship, then, becomes a way of pushing back against that isolation —a gentle yet powerful act of resistance. It means making space for different ways of knowing, validating lived experiences, and walking alongside others as they reclaim confidence in their voice, their vision, and their capacity to lead.
I believe feminist and Indigenous worldviews offer a blueprint for transformative mentorship: centring care, relational accountability, and the power of listening deeply. Whether it’s through a late-night message, a quiet moment after clinic, or a shared reflection in a classroom, mentorship is how we help each other return to who we are.

The Legacy Awards are offered through the RNFOO Nurses in Practice program. For more details on the nomination process, visit our Nurses in Practice page.

Beth Linseman

Beth Linseman, a Clinical Educator in Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre’s Critical Care Unit, demonstrates the dedication, skill, and compassion that define exceptional mentorship. Experiences shared by Beth’s nominators highlight her exceptional communication skills, accessibility, and unwavering commitment to supporting nurses beyond formal education sessions. Known for “meeting people where they are,” she fosters autonomy, independence, and growth, producing nurses who are not only clinically competent, but confident in their ability to assess, decide, and act with clarity.

Beth’s thoughtful, timely feedback has helped create a culture of continuous learning in which nurses feel valued and motivated to advance their skills. She often believes in her mentees before they believe in themselves, helping them recognize their potential and guiding them toward meaningful, fulfilling careers. Whether encouraging a nurse to explore research, education, or leadership, Beth provides the mentorship, encouragement, and practical tools to turn aspirations into reality.

Beyond clinical skills, Beth models professionalism, compassion, and resilience in every interaction. Her respectful communication and ethical decision-making set a powerful example for others to follow. Her legacy as a mentor lies not only in the skills she teaches, but in the doors she opens for those she supports.

In her personal reflection on mentorship, Beth says:
I am deeply honoured to accept the 2025 RNFOO Legacy Award for mentoring ICU nurses in the Critical Care Unit at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, an extraordinary group of professionals who show unwavering dedication in the most challenging of situations. The privilege of guiding these nurses as they grow, both personally and professionally, has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my career. Their resilience, compassion, and commitment to patient care inspire me daily, and I feel incredibly fortunate to play a part in their development.

I consider mentorship to be a two-way street.  While I have had the opportunity to share knowledge and experience, I have also learned invaluable lessons from these nurses about strength, teamwork, and the importance of empathy in high-stakes situations. It’s these qualities that truly make them exceptional caregivers, and I am proud to support them.

This award is a reflection of the collective effort we put into fostering growth, collaboration, and excellence in the Critical Care Unit at Sunnybrook. I am honoured to receive this recognition from the nurses I have the privilege of working with and who I see make a difference every day for patients and their families when it matters most.

Kateryna Metersky

Kateryna Metersky is an assistant professor and associate director of the Collaborative Nursing Degree Program at the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University, and maintains her nursing practice in general internal medicine at Toronto Western Hospital. Her strong commitment to mentorship is rooted in appreciation for her experience of being mentored by two very patient and committed mentors and nursing professors, beginning in the second year of her undergraduate nursing program who became her life-long career mentors. 

Described as “a transformative mentor” who knows how to encourage consideration of broader questions and implications, Kateryna is credited with fostering confidence, critical thinking, and problem solving. Her exceptional availability, along with her compassion and insight, are just a few of the attributes that nominators cited as their motivation for recommending that Kateryna receive an RNFOO Legacy Award this year.  

In conversation, Kateryna articulated that her another part of her motivation to engage in mentorship is based in her recognition of the need to advance the nursing profession: “I make sure that mentorship makes up a very significant component of my job as a professor so that we can continue to advance the art and science of nursing and our nursing profession through research.” The current crisis in nursing requires that nurses recognize the need to nurture and encourage colleagues, helping them to recognize and develop their strengths, and to gain the confidence that will move them toward leadership and research positions.