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About

IDEA Diabetes aims to influence health and quality-of-life outcomes for people with diabetes through facilitation of the empowerment model, which supports the whole person to acquire knowledge to make informed decisions about diabetes self-management.

Our Story

Barbara and Rebecca began working together in 2009, at the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada. We were involved in overseeing delivery of the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (ADI) in Saskatchewan. We instantly felt like kindred spirits, sharing similar values regarding respect for and belief in all people and a desire to make a true difference in the world of diabetes. Although Rebecca moved to British Columbia in 2011 and began working for the First Nations Health Authority, Barbara and Rebecca stayed connected and began dreaming about all the possibilities related to influencing the way society understands and treats diabetes. In 2015, we formed a partnership called IDEA and began offering seminars and courses to people with diabetes as well as healthcare providers. Since that time, we are so honoured to have had reach and offer services from coast to coast to coast in Canada. We continue to grow that reach, especially now in a virtual world, to hopefully have even greater influence to shift the way in which people think, talk and do diabetes.  We are also honoured to be working alongside Jessica, the newest member of our IDEA team. Rebecca and Jessica met while working together at the First Nations Health Authority, and have built a lasting friendship and professional relationship with a shared passion for making the world a better place for people with diabetes. 

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Our Vision

We aim to foster hope and make diabetes better for everyone.

Our Mission

Keep the blood flowing now, and several generations from now, for people with diabetes and those who support them, including health care providers, by shifting thoughts, words and actions to achieve the best possible outcomes.

 

Our Team

At IDEA, we strongly believe in equity, and that the person with diabetes is the expert. In our sessions, we prefer to have everyone leave their credentials “at the door” to form a sharing circle of equity. This is an important part of our work and philosophy. We may ask you to refrain from sharing your credentials and those of all the participants, so we can create this atmosphere during the seminar. We do know, however, that to determine if we are a good fit for your organization, that you may need to know about our backgrounds and experiences, so here it is!

 

Barbara MacDonald

head shot bjmBarbara MacDonald is a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator with extensive experience with people with diabetes to influence their outcomes. Barbara believes in the possibility of people with diabetes living long, healthy lives through empowerment, self-advocacy and evidence-informed approaches. When people with diabetes are hopeful and make informed choices about their own health, well-being, and quality-life, the possibilities are endless. Barbara humbly acknowledges that she lives and works as an uninvited guest on Treaty 4 Territory, including the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ , Blackfoot / Niitsítapi nations and the homeland of the Métis. She is settler with Scottish ancestry. Barbara is passionate about broadly influencing the environment and people within it, to make these hopes a reality for all people with diabetes. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of British Columbia (1991) and a Master of Science, Diabetes Education and Management degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY (2017).

 

Rebecca Sovdi

Rebecca SovdiRebecca Sovdi is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with many years of experience in diabetes care and management, health promotion, nutrition education and Indigenous health. She believes that all people living with diabetes deserve high quality care and respect, and an opportunity to live a happy and fulfulled life. Rebecca humbly acknowledges that she lives and works as an uninvited guest on the traditional territories of the Quw'utsun, Halalt and Penelakut Nations, who have stewarded and cared for the lands for thousands of years.  She is a settler with French, Dutch and German ancestry. Rebecca’s skills include strategic planning, project management, public speaking, and systems thinking. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan (2006) and Masters in Public Health from the University of Waterloo (2013).

 

Jessica Guss t'łisala

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Jessica Guss (t’łisala) is of mixed ancestry, including the Haida, Xaxli’p, Xwisten, and Squamish Nations, as well as mixed European descent. Her traditional name, t’łisala (Kwakʼwala for “brings light to others”), reflects her commitment to uplifting others through her work.

Jessica brings over 20 years of experience in business administration and management, including more than a decade focused on Indigenous health and wellness. She is currently the Lead, Strategic Initiatives, Indigenous Health at Health Quality BC, where she leads the internal implementation of the BC HSO Cultural Safety and Humility Standard and supports transformational systems change grounded in Indigenous values and rights.

Jessica is also a member of BC’s first Anti-Racism Data Committee, helping to guide the responsible and culturally safe use of data to address systemic inequities in BC’s Public Service sectors. She supports Indigenous communities across Canada by facilitating conversations about type 2 diabetes, creating space for culturally grounded dialogue and shared learning.

Her areas of expertise include policy development and analysis, project leadership, cultural humility education, quality improvement, engagement and facilitation, survey design, and data collection.

Jessica’s work is guided by frameworks such as the BC HSO Cultural Safety & Humility Standard, In Plain Sight Report, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

At the heart of Jessica’s approach is a commitment to “moving at the speed of trust,” ensuring relationships, collaboration, and systems transformation are grounded in respect, reciprocity, and accountability. Known for her relational leadership and strategic insight, Jessica t’łisala contributes to embedding cultural safety and humility into health systems at the provincial, national, and international levels.

Our Publications

 

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