Get in Touch with
the Northern Maternal
Child Network

our team

Meet the dedicated team behind NMCN. Our passionate professionals bring diverse expertise in maternal and child health, working collaboratively to drive impactful change across Northern Ontario. Together, we’re committed to improving healthcare access, education, and outcomes for families and communities.

Samantha Bottigoni

Regional Pediatric Lead

Samantha brings a strong passion for pediatric care and several years of experience as a Registered Nurse to her role. She spent approximately five years working on a pediatric inpatient unit, where she cared for children and families with a wide range of needs, and also brings valuable experience from Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU). Her clinical background has shaped a compassionate, family-centered approach to care and a deep commitment to safe, high-quality pediatric services. In addition to her acute care experience, Samantha has worked in community-based and outpatient settings, including her time at the North Bay Indigenous Hub, where she specialized in maternal and child health. Her practice has included providing gender-affirming care and sexual health counselling, reinforcing her commitment to inclusive, trauma-informed, and culturally safe care for children, youth, and families. In her role as Regional Pediatric Lead with the Northern Maternal Child Network, Samantha is excited to collaborate with partners across the North, support education and system strengthening, and advocate for equitable pediatric care throughout the region.

Crystal Lawrence

Regional Manager

Crystal, a former certified Radiation Therapist at the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, spent over a decade in direct patient care before moving into leadership at Health Sciences North. There, she earned her Certified Health Executive (CHE) designation, became a certified Change Management Practitioner, and completed a Master’s in Health Management at McMaster University. With expertise in instructional design, training facilitation, knowledge translation, and data analytics, Crystal champions collaborative initiatives to improve maternal-newborn and youth care. Her commitment to system-wide thinking and partner engagement drives meaningful improvements in healthcare access and outcomes for the North.

Cassandra Watters

Administrative Secretary

Before joining the Network in September of 2024, Cassandra worked in healthcare philanthropy and communications for a local hospital in Northern Ontario, helping to raise funds to advance patient care in the North. Cassandra holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Trent University, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business degree at Laurentian University. She is eager to support the work of the NMCN to enhance care for patients across Northern Ontario.

Erin Lee Heise

Regional Perinatal Lead

Erin brings to her role over five years of experience as a Registered Nurse specializing in obstetrics and newborn care, with a strong background in quality improvement and patient-centered initiatives. Erin is passionate about enhancing maternal and newborn health outcomes through evidence-based practices and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Laurentian University, graduating with honors. Erin is dedicated to advancing perinatal care in Northern Ontario by fostering innovation and ensuring culturally sensitive, empathetic care for all patients.

CONTACT US

The NMCN is committed to disseminating questions and seeking solutions regarding care policies, procedures, best practices, educational opportunities, and collaborative efforts occurring both regionally and provincially. Our priority in responding to general inquiries will be to ensure a timely response to partner organizations or to redirect other inquiries as appropriate.

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