Tamara Adrian-Hamazaki
Do you have a significant other? Do you have kids or pets? Yes, I have a partner and 1 doggo, Luke (full name Luke Skywalker). My cousins also have a dog and they are best friends!
What is the last book you read or TV show you binged watched? A Court of Thorns and Roses. I made my way through all 5 books over about 6 months (worth every page)!
What is the best place you ever traveled to? Polignano a Mare in Italy! Such a beautiful, quaint coastal town with unreal views and charm. I cant wait to go back one day!
Who is your favourite artist? I have a lot, but Billie Eilish is definitely at the top of the list, I’ve been listening to her since 2017.
Where in Canada would you love to nurse (if you were a nurse)? Yukon! It’s been on my bucket list forever, especially to experience the Northern Lights in person.
What is your favorite recent memory? Hosting a big “Friendmas” this past Christmas! I had 15 of my closest friends over and we all ate yummy food and had lots of laughs. I’m so fortunate to have them in my life!
What do you like most about your job? Talking to healthcare professionals all day! I love getting to know them and hearing the incredible stories from their travel contracts.
Michel Akinkeyin
Do you have a significant other? Yes, I have spouse and 3 kids, one puppy, and my mother also lives with us.
Where did you grow up? I was born in Edmonton, and moved to BC in 1996 and just recently moved back to Alberta, just north of Calgary.
What is the last book you read or TV show you binged watched? Fool Me Once on Netflix, amazing series.
What is your favorite artist? Burna Boy, I saw them in concert in Vancouver a few years ago.
What is the best place you ever traveled to? Jamaica and Mexico
Do you wish you could travel as much as our travel nurses? YES! I’d love to nurse in the Maritimes if I was a nurse.
What is one question you wish people would ask you more? Would you like me to buy you a all inclusive roundtrip paid vacation to anywhere you want in the world and which account should I deposit your million dollars in? lol
What is your favorite recent memory? Christmas 2023 in my new home with all my family
What is one story you love to tell, but rarely get the chance? The story of how my parents met in Canada and the sacrifices they went through to get to where they are today, and because of this, I am where I am today.
Do you have a significant other? Do you have kids or pets? Where did you grow up? Yes, my boyfriend, Alex and I have been together for 4 years. I am a pet mama to Mirage and my angel cat, Smokeshow, and I have now acquired 5 plants which have been growing beautifully.
What is the last book you read or TV show you binged watched? The two books I finished recently were “Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and “After Anna”. My coworker recommended Seven Husbands and she was right.. the ending was a tearjerker. Other than that, I really enjoy suspense books and have managed to complete 10 books this year! Next on my list is “Copy Cat”.
What is your favourite artist? Currently I listen to a lot of dancehall, R&B, neo-soul and whatever else makes me happy. Drake used to be No.1 on my Spotify list and I have been fortunate enough to see him 4 times in concert. I am going to Reggae Sumfest this year and will get to see Vybz Kartel perform for the first time. I am so excited. Definitely a bucketlist moment.
What is the best place you ever traveled to? The best place I have travelled to was Trelawney and Mobay, Jamaica! It was my first time going to my family’s home country and 10/10 I am obsessed! Next on my list is Nigeria, Thailand and Vietnam.
Do you wish you could travel as much as our travel nurses? OF COURSE! If I could travel nurse anywhere in Canada the first couple places that come to mind are: Whitehorse, Bridgewater, Kitkala, Digby, Alert Bay and Port Alberni – in no particular order!
If you weren’t a recruiter at Select Medical what would you probably be doing? I love being a Recruiter and getting the chance to work with all the amazing nurses/healthcare professionals. I love learning and there is never a day that I don’t leave the office without learning something new. Even though I have been Recruiting for 7 years, I still get excited when I get to tell someone they have been booked for a contract. If I wasn’t a Recruiter, I would be in school for Psychology with a focus on increasing resources for the BIPOC community.
Do you have a significant other? Do you have kids or pets? Where did you grow up?
Yes – a partner of 10 years (we recently got engaged!) one fur baby named Tater Tot and a real baby, or rather toddler, named Wyatt. I grew up between Vancouver and Courtenay, on Vancouver Island so truly had the best of both country and city living.
What is the last book you read, or TV show you binged watched? Horse by Gerladine Brooks, which was a great read.
What is your favorite artist? I have a favourite artist from almost every genre (and decade) of music, but one of my all-time greats is a band called Murder by Death, and I’ve seen them live 15 times – soon to be 16/17 for their last ever tour.
What is the best place you ever traveled to? Tough question, maybe a tie between Vietnam and Cambodia; the former for the food, the latter for the people.
What is one question you wish people would ask you more? What can I cook you for dinner? 😝
What is your favourite recent memory? Spending the day with my partner, son, and dog on the island hiking, where my partner proposed to me by a childhood swim spot.
If you weren’t a recruiter at Select Medical what would you be doing? I spent many years riding and training horses, working with a therapeutic riding stable so that is what I’ll be doing when I retire!
Elijah Hertel
Do you have a significant other? Do you have kids or pets? I have one little guy scout who is 17 years old now and he has been my best friend since I was 10. He is my favorite little senior!
What is the best place you ever traveled to? Where in Canada would you love to nurse (If you were a nurse) I loved New Brunswick, The location is absolutely beautiful and full life, the locals are so friendly and made me feel like I was welcomed there instantly. I cant wait to go back out again and spend even more time there.
What is your favorite recent memory? Spending three days camping on the summit of Bootski Lake! Up in Northern BC near Tumbler Ridge its an incredible hike up to the lake at the top of the mountain. Its surrounded by grizzly bears and mountain goats so you definitely hustle up the mountain.
If you weren’t a recruiter at Select Medical what would you probably be doing? I would love to be a paid guide for Hiking / Kayaking or longer expeditions. Spending time outdoors is very important to me and I take any chance I can to get out and explore!
Do you have a significant other? Do you have kids or pets? Yes, I have a partner of 12 years, Steve – we recently got engaged! And we have a big fat cat named Figgy. He is the best part of our day and we love him so very much! When I’m not working I'm most likely curled up and cuddling with Fig
Where did you grow up? I grew up in a town just outside St. John’s Newfoundland, called “The Goulds” - it was a small farming community and I have a million stories about growing up around animals, going into the endless woods, being close to the ocean etc. I wouldn’t change a thing!
What is the last book you read or TV show you binged watched? I recently binged “Pluribus” with my partner. I loved the concept of the show, the acting was great and I watched the whole season in 1 weekend!
Who is your favourite artist? I find that hard to narrow down, but recently I've been listening to a lot of Gregory Alan Isakov, Caamp, Cannons.. I like all sorts of music and artists but as long as its groovy or chill I'll like it!
What is the best place you ever traveled to? I’ve been to 15 different countries so far, and each location has its own place in my heart. To shoutout one that really stood out however, would have to be Prague, Czech Republic – there is such a rich culture there, beautiful castles and landscapes, and they limit “visual smog” which limits large-scale, obtrusive advertising in its public areas and thus creates a beautiful atmosphere.
If you weren’t a recruiter at Select Medical what would you probably be doing? If I weren’t a Recruiter, I would still be working with people, as that’s what drove me to this career path. I would most likely be a Teacher, Therapist, or Social Worker.
What do you like most about your job? What I love most about my job is the people. As a recruiter, I get to connect with amazing individuals every day. I learn about their goals, help them take the next step in their careers, and celebrate their wins along the way. There’s something really fulfilling about matching the right person to the right opportunity. Plus, I get to build real relationships, share a few laughs, and be part of someone’s success story. It definitely fills my cup!
Thea Junio
Do you have a significant other? Kids or pets? I have a 2 year old Cane Corso named Vito and we live in Burnaby, BC, where I was born and raised. I also spend my days in White Rock, BC, with my boyfriend Cameron and his dog Bobby, who is a 2.5 year old Pitbull/Cane Corso/Sharpei mix.
What is the last book you read or TV show you binged watched? I have an ever-growing TBR (to be read) pile of books that I'm always trying to get through. Currently, I'm reading Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. The last TV show I truly binge-watched was Vanderpump Rules. I finished all 10 seasons in an alarmingly short amount of time but it was sooo worth it.
What is your favorite artist? Have you ever seen them in concert?
My favourite artist is SZA and she has been my #1 artist on my Spotify wrapped for 2 years in a row! I have never seen her in concert, but I hope to one day.
What is the best place you ever traveled to? I can't just choose one! I could write an entire essay about all my favorite places that I've been to. I loved island hopping in El Nido, Philippines, but I also enjoyed relaxing by the pool in Cabo, Mexico. If I'm in a sunny place by the beach or pool, I'm a very happy gal.
Where in Canada would you love to nurse (If you were a nurse) If I were a travel nurse, I would absolutely love to travel more, just like our nurses do! I think I would choose a contract out east in Nova Scotia, and then plan a road trip across the country since I haven't seen much of Canada outside of BC.
If you weren’t a recruiter at Select Medical what would you probably be doing? Hard Question. I love what I do and I cant imagine doing anything else!
Andrew Rosse
Do you have a significant other? Yes, I am happily married, and I grew up in the beautiful city of North Vancouver, BC!
What is the last TV show you binged watched? The last TV show I binged was Ted Lasso on Apple TV!
What is the best place you ever traveled to? The best place I travelled to would probably be Santorini, Greece and along the Amalfi Coast in Italy!
Where in Canada would you love to nurse (If you were a nurse) I think I would want to be a travel nurse in the Maritimes if I had to pick. I have heard so many stories from nurses who have done a contract there who say that the people are so kind and generous!
What is your favorite recent memory? I went to Palm Springs in October! It is a pretty laid back and cool place that I really liked (hot weather, great restaurants, great people)
If you weren’t a recruiter at Select Medical what would you probably be doing? I would probably be working in Social Work, which is what I did before this!
Amritpal Singh
What is the last book you read? The Secret. It’s an inspiring book that focuses on self-growth, positive thinking, and the power of mindset. I found it very motivating and impactful.
Who is your favorite artist? The Weeknd. I really enjoy his music and the emotion and creativity he brings to every song.
Have you ever seen them in concert? Yes, I have, and it was an amazing experience. The energy, performance, and overall atmosphere made it unforgettable.
Do you wish you could travel as much as our travel nurses? Yes, definitely! I wish I had known about travel nursing earlier—if I had, I would have seriously considered it as a profession. The opportunity to explore new places while working is very appealing.
Where would you love to nurse in Canada (if you were a nurse)? Victoria. It’s a beautiful city with so much to do, from outdoor activities to vibrant local culture, making it an ideal place to live and work.
If you weren’t a recruiter, what would you probably be doing? If I weren’t a recruiter, I would have become a pilot. I’ve always been fascinated by aviation and the idea of traveling the world while flying has always excited me.
