Michelle Heyer is the Director, Seniors Care in the Schlegel Centre for Advancing Seniors Care at Conestoga College. In Michelle’s role at Conestoga, she is dedicated to helping prepare healthcare providers to care for older adults with complex needs through gerontological research and education. Michelle has been the Treasurer for the Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association for over 3 years, and is seeking further opportunities to contribute to the gerontological community. Michelle started her health care career as a Nurses Aide in long-term care, sparking her interest in gerontology. Michelle graduated from the Practical Nursing program at Conestoga College in 2005. She then went on to complete her BScN from McMaster University in 2010, and finished her MSc from McMaster in 2017, under the supervision of Dr. Jenny Ploeg. The focus of her MSc thesis was on the quality-of-life of older adults in long-term care utilizing interRAI tools. Michelle has a vast array of clinical nursing experience including complex-continuing care, palliative care, mental health, acute care and gerontology.