Christina Oleynikov
Co Director of Education
Linda Shorting
Co Director of Education
Christina Oleynikov is from Ontario. She is a graduate student enrolled in the Master of Science in Nursing (MScN) program at Western University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Kinesiology in 2025. She works as a registered nurse at Southlake Health, on the inpatient oncology and palliative care units, and is a BPSO Champion Trainer at her organization, with a focus on pain management and pressure injury prevention. Christina has participated in numerous research ventures surrounding older adults, palliative care, long-term care, oncology, undergraduate education, and structural marginalization. Her current thesis focuses on the impact of language discordance on minority long-term care residents. She has multiple co-authored publications and has presented findings at various conferences, including the Hospice Palliative Care Ontario Annual Conference. Her academic efforts have been recognized through the Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario (RNFOO) Palliative Care Nurses Interest Group (PCNIG) Undergraduate Scholarship and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Christina is also the equity, diversity, and inclusion group lead for the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) Student Leadership Incubator, which creates EDI-related resources and educational materials for undergraduate nursing students across Ontario. Finally, Christina serves as the student executive network officer for the RNAO's Palliative Care Nurses' Interest Group, offering a student perspective and advocating for accessible, equitable palliative care.
Linda Shorting RN, BScN, MA is a generalist registered nurse and educator providing primary, urgent, palliative and end of life care for young and older adults living with complex disabilities, neurocognitive disorders, mental illness, and substance use challenges. With more than 25 years of nursing, teaching, and leadership experience. She has built a career grounded in compassionate, person-centred care.
Linda’s expertise includes caregiver support, chronic illness management, dementia care, palliative and end of life care and health professional education. Her professional background spans clinical practice, academic teaching, and curriculum development. She has taught undergraduate registered nursing students and lead the development of multiple in-person, blended, and online nursing education courses, modules and programs. She founded and lead a volunteer NCLEX study group program for over 500 internationally educated nurses in British Columbia and Alberta.
Her philosophy of care emphasizes dignity, physical and psychological comfort, and meaningful connection during serious illness and end-of-life transitions. Colleagues recognize her as a strong advocate for residents and families, for improving care processes, fostering collaboration, and supporting quality outcomes. She role models a strong commitment to continuous learning and is an advocate for frontline team based educational initiatives sharing palliative care best practices.
Linda holds a Diploma of Registered Nursing (Selkirk College), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Toronto Metropolitan University) and a Master of Arts in Integrated Studies (Athabasca University).