Director of Communications

Hi everyone! I’m Ryan Criztoff Tandiama, a 3rd year BSN student at the University of the Fraser Valley. I like to employ a transformational leadership approach, focusing on empowering my fellow peers and making decisions together. I believe effective leadership in nursing is not about hierarchy, but about creating environments where individuals feel supported, heard, and capable of growth. My guiding principle is that no one should be left behind, and that progress is strongest when it is collective.

For the past three years, I have created & led a Youth Leadership Program with my local health care foundation across four hospitals, supporting students in achieving their individual goals by empowering them to develop and realize their own visions. Rather than directing outcomes, my focus has been on empowering students to take ownership of their initiatives, develop confidence in their abilities, and grow as leaders in their own right. This experience has strengthened my skills in mentorship, communication, and systems-level thinking, while reinforcing my belief that strong leadership is about enabling others to succeed.

Bringing this mindset to the CNSA, I strongly believe that these perspectives prepare me to succeed in the Director of Communications role because the CNSA needs to be a strong, unified voice. Together, we can be a powerful force and make an impact in our political climate. I am proud and excited to be running for the Director of Communications role, with a commitment to inclusive leadership and a year-long of advocacy on behalf of all nursing students across the nation.

My vision is for the CNSA is to be widely recognized not only as a student organization, but as an influential stakeholder in Canada’s health care landscape. CNSA should be the primary national voice that policymakers, media, and provincial nursing bodies look to when discussing the future nursing workforce, nursing education, and student wellbeing. With the CNSA having over 39,000 student members, we carry so much potential for a stronger and more powerful voice.

I strongly believe that this organization requires a deliberate shift from primarily internal communication to visible, outward-facing advocacy on issues that directly affect nursing students and the sustainability of the profession, including the nursing shortage, clinical placement quality, and student mental health. How? More involvement with our nursing licensing bodies and unions, connecting with political parties. We need to be a strong, unified public voice that represents all nursing students no matter where they are in Canada and advocate for our priorities.

To achieve this, let’s focus on forming more partnerships both nationally and internationally. Let’s collaborate with other professionals in medical, pharmacy and allied health student fields. More partnerships mean more reach with the CNSA. A lot of us aim to achieve the same goal = paid clinical placements.

For us to be a strong organization, we need to work together with the grass roots of the organization: our OD’s. Together we can brainstorm and find ways for our delegates to be more involved with the CNSA and represent nursing students locally. With the strength of our OD’s, together, we can create national advocacy campaigns to prioritize nursing students.

Hence, if we focus our efforts this year in amplifying our delegates’ voices, we can position ourselves as a key stakeholder in our health care landscape. We can be an essential partner and shape the future of our profession.

I believe that public representation is not reactive, but is a deliberate decision that must align with the organization’s mandate, credibility, and long-term influence. There are times when one should or should not speak, as sometimes a response can undermine the organization.

The CNSA’s role is to advocate for nursing students, so issues that directly affect nursing education, student rights, or the future of the profession warrant public advocacy, as these are moments where leadership and visibility can influence policy and demonstrate accountability. Internal governance matters, disputes and disagreements or sensitive organizational changes are best addressed through internal channels to preserve integrity and trust.

Before speaking publicly, we need to consider once again what are the CNSA’s positions and strategic priorities? How does this affect our membership? Does our position represent the student voice? Can it potentially harm our relationships with key stakeholders?

Finally, I strongly believe in maintaining a “one voice” principle. Internal conflicts or administrative concerns should never be litigated publicly, as this undermines organizational credibility and the professional image of nursing students. These matters must be addressed through formal governance structures to ensure accountability while protecting public trust.

Overall, my approach balances advocacy with professionalism. By being intentional about when, how, and why an organization speaks publicly, I aim to strengthen credibility, protect reputation, and ensure that public engagement consistently serves members and the profession.

My approach to representing an organization in public is grounded in professionalism, and accountability to the members I represent. I view public representation as an extension of governance: every statement, appearance, or position taken should align with the organization’s mandate, values, and long-term credibility.

In practice, this means being intentional about when and how an organization speaks. I prioritize clarity, consistency, and evidence-based messaging, ensuring that public communication reflects the collective interests of members rather than individual opinion. Before engaging publicly, I consider whether the issue falls within the organization’s scope, whether it has a meaningful impact on members, and whether the organization is the appropriate voice to lead that conversation. This helps protect the organization’s reputation while ensuring its voice remains relevant and respected.

Through my leadership experience in health care fundraising and student-focused organizations, I have represented programs and initiatives in professional settings by translating complex or sensitive issues into clear, accessible messages. I emphasize collaboration, often consulting with peers or leadership teams before speaking publicly, to ensure alignment.

What is the disagreement about? Are the concerns regarding alignment with CNSA’s mandate, or representation of members’ views. Is there any misinformation circulating that requires correction? How do we decide whether a public response is necessary? If the disagreement stems from misunderstanding or lack of context, a brief clarifying response may be appropriate.

If the post is accurate, aligned with CNSA’s mandate, and professionally worded, I would avoid reactive engagement and instead acknowledge that diverse perspectives exist. If legitimate concerns are raised about alignment, wording, or process, I would support pausing further amplification of the post and bringing the issue to the board for review.

Internally, I would ensure leadership discusses the feedback, documents lessons learned, and determines whether revisions or follow-up communication are needed. Externally, if a response is warranted, it would be measured and respectful, acknowledging feedback, reaffirming CNSA’s values, and outlining how member input will inform future decisions. I would avoid defensive language or engaging in comment-by-comment debate.

The priority throughout would be to maintain trust, uphold professionalism, and reinforce CNSA’s role as a thoughtful, student-centred national voice rather than reacting emotionally to online disagreement.