2011: Aimee Dawson

The Junior League of Halifax

Rising Star Aimee Dawson of the Junior League of Halifax has leveraged her many years of study in both dentistry and public health into a role as a one-woman healthcare advocacy effort specializing in the medical issues that confront women and children of the province of Nova Scotia.

Aimee’s quest for knowledge and drive to master the issues closest to her heart are matched by her consistent desire to take the lead on the issues of health and wellness in the greater community. Already in possession of a Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and behavior, a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, and a Masters in Public Health—and on her way to obtaining a second Masters in Gerontology—Aimee, an immigrant to Canada, identified an unmet need in Halifax and came up with a solution: assisting new immigrants with vital dental care and nutritional information by way of a triage program she runs out of her dentistry practice.

She has served as the Junior League of Halifax's representative on the Nova Scotia Council for the Family. As a member of the Halifax Community Health Board, she has advised the local health authority on important health-related policy issues that affect the 400,000 residents of the province, including social isolation, health inequalities, and opportunities for physical activity.

In addition, this unflaggingly compassionate activist finds time to serve on the Population Health Committee, where she worked on an evaluation plan to monitor progress in implementing a multi-year health plan. She epitomizes what it means to think globally and act locally.