Elevating the Nurse Practitioner voice: Breanna Lloy and Melanie Dunlop named the Inaugural Charter Fellows of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada

As healthcare continues to evolve in Nova Scotia and across Canada, nurse practitioners (NPs) are stepping into leadership roles that shape how care is delivered, supported, and sustained. Two exceptional NP leaders, Breanna Lloy and Melanie Dunlop, are doing just that, and have recently been named among the inaugural Charter Fellows of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada (NPAC). This national recognition honours NPs who have made outstanding contributions to clinical excellence, education, research, leadership, and policy.

“Melanie and Breanna are remarkable leaders and Nurse Practitioners. Their ongoing collaboration with health system colleagues ensures that NPs are involved in shaping health services and systems here at Nova Scotia Health, and around the world. Heartfelt congratulations to both on this well-deserved honour,” said Dr. Annette Elliott Rose, Nova Scotia Health Chief Nurse Executive & Vice President, Clinical Performance & Professional Practice. 

Breanna Lloy serves as the Interim Director Nurse Practitioner in Primary Health Care and practices as a nurse practitioner in the emergency department. Her day-to-day work is rooted in collaboration, meeting with key partners across the Primary Health Care landscape in Nova Scotia to contribute to health system transformation. She brings a much-needed NP lens to high-level planning processes, focusing on optimizing the NP workforce through thoughtful recruitment and retention strategies. For Breanna, it’s essential to have NPs represented at leadership tables to ensure their unique role is considered in system planning. "I saw this role as an opportunity to provide a unified NP voice to advocate for the role at every level,” said Breanna.

Melanie Dunlop, Interim Director of Nurse Practitioner Enhancement Strategies in the Department of Interprofessional Practice and Learning, works at the intersection of clinical care and system improvement. Her role centres around building innovative and impactful professional development opportunities for NPs in Nova Scotia. Working alongside a dynamic team of educators, mentors, and professional practice leaders, she helps create and evaluate programs that strengthen NP competencies across the spectrum - from clinician to scholar, leader to advocate. She continues to maintain a clinical role in Acquired Brain Injury Services, which grounds her leadership in real-world practice and helps guide her vision for NP advancement.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of this role is building meaningful partnerships with colleagues from other institutions,” says Melanie. “Together, we’re designing innovative programs that not only support NPs but also contribute to sustainable healthcare transformation.”

Both Breanna and Melanie credit mentorship and collaboration as critical elements of their journeys into leadership. Breanna encourages NPs to take on informal leadership opportunities - at the clinic level or through professional associations - to build confidence and competence in leading. Melanie emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with people who uplift and challenge you to step outside your comfort zone, a lesson that has carried her through clinical and administrative roles alike.

For both women, being named among the first-ever Charter Fellows of NPAC is not just an honour, it’s a chance to influence the future of the profession on a national scale. Breanna feels privileged to receive this award relatively early in her career and looks forward to working with other inspiring fellows to elevate the NP voice in Canadian healthcare. Melanie sees the recognition as a reflection of the incredible mentors, colleagues, and partners who have shaped her path and a reminder of the collective responsibility to continue advocating for the critical role of NPs.

Their leadership is a testament to the growing influence of Nurse Practitioners in transforming healthcare through vision, collaboration, and a deep commitment to patient-centered care.

Photo of (L-R) Breanna Lloy and Melanie Dunlop.