Maria Panzera Rugg, RN, BScN, MN, ACNP(C), CHPCN(C), CHE

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Maria Panzera Rugg is a nurse leader whose career reflects more than three decades of commitment to hospice and palliative care. Her work bridges clinical practice, education, research, and volunteer service, always centring dignity, compassion, and family‑focused care.

Currently, Maria serves as Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse Educator with Life and Death Matters in Victoria, British Columbia, and as Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Coordinator with VON Hospice Durham in Ontario. In these roles she provides mentorship, consultation, and curriculum development for interprofessional teams, advancing equitable access to palliative supports across care settings.

Maria’s practice and leadership span the lifespan of care — from perinatal, pediatric to older adult palliative care, end‑of‑life care, grief and bereavement. She has directed regional pain and symptom management programs, coordinated interprofessional education initiatives, and guided quality improvement projects in both community and acute care. She has consistently championed accessible, evidence‑informed resources for health professionals, caregivers and individuals, including curricula for personal support workers and training modules that integrate psychosocial assessment and serious illness conversations.

Her research contributions have explored pain and symptom management, psychosocial supports, and the integration of palliative approaches across health systems. She has authored and co‑authored educational resources that emphasize clarity, inclusivity, and family‑centred practice.

Volunteerism has been central to Maria’s career. She has offered her expertise to community organizations, professional networks, and family support initiatives, fostering resilience and connection during times of loss and transition. Her dedication to mentorship and collaboration has shaped the growth of palliative nursing across Canada.

Maria’s career reflects a deep commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and compassionate care and interprofessional collaboration. Through her clinical practice, educational leadership, research, and volunteer service, she continues to inspire and strengthen the field of palliative care across the lifespan, provincially, nationally and internationally.