About US

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IENAA, Internationally Educated Nurses' Association of Alberta, was an idea that started in 2016 by five former members of the Board of Directors of FNAA. Josette Salgado, Letty Tria, Cecille Ira, Donna Perez-Aguirre, and Adam Mella, after the passing of the late Tessie Oliva and the dissolution of the Filipino Nurses Association of Alberta (FNAA), which she founded.

In partnership with Capital Health in 2007,  FNAA was involved in the billeting and accommodation, settlement and integration in the community of over 450 Filipino IENs in Alberta. As stakeholder of CARNA and CLPNA, FNAA participated in the research projects of IENs’ personal experiences on barriers and challenges encountered to becoming healthcare professionals in Alberta.  

In March 2023, they discussed the possibility of reviving FNAA but due to the restrictive Bylaws provision on membership, they dismissed the idea. 

To better understand the barriers and facilitate IENs’ transition to nursing practice and opportunities in Alberta; to act as a catalyst in supporting IENAA members and facilitate their integration into the Canadian healthcare system through consultation and information exchange with professional associations and appropriate agencies and organizations, and opportunities for positive nursing practice by mentoring, coaching, and networking; to provide referrals, links, or resources to IENs about relevant nursing organizations or Associations; and to develop fundraising strategies in order to stabilize the finances of the Association