Regional Clinical Specialist, Convatec Canada

Lori Zozzolotto followed her passion for nursing later in life and is making the very most of her career today.

As the regional clinical specialist at Convatec Canada, a global medical company, she specializes in wound, ostomy and continence care. She works on a provincial scale with clinicians and patients to provide education regarding innovative products and services that support people with deeply personal and challenging medical conditions.

Her previous positions include supervisor of home and personal support services with Acclaim Health, a community nurse with the Victorian Order of Nurses, and an emergency nurse at the Oakville Trafalgar Hospital.

In 2023, Lori received an award of merit from the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) for her outstanding contributions to the nursing profession in Ontario.

After working as a correctional officer and a doula, she graduated from the McMaster Mohawk Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program at the age of 49. In addition to her nursing credentials, Lori earned a registered practical nurse (RPN) diploma from Sheridan College, a leadership and management certificate from McMaster University, and she studied journalism at the Toronto Metropolitan University.

Lori’s volunteering began while she was a teen and today she is the chair of Black Nurses Leading Change, an initiative of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario’s Black Nurses Task Force.

She is also a development officer with the Ontario Black Nurses Network (OBNN), which has a mission is to grow the community of Black nurses in Ontario, recognize the practice excellence and contributions of its members and to provide leadership, mentorship and career development opportunities.

Lori is also a member/presenter of the OBNN’s Black Leadership Institute (BNLI), which is a community-led, evidence-supported, learning environment that offers programs to promote racial equity, boost success, and develop minority leaders in healthcare.

As a member of the standards committee of Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada, she helped to research and write new national standards of practice. Lori’s work with NSWOC’s Diversity Task Force has inspired the group to create a diversity, equity and inclusion portal on its website.

Finally, along with an ostomy patient, Lori co-founded and now co-chairs the Chatham Ostomy Support Group, which provides a safe harbour of help, advice and social events for those living with a life-altering ostomy.

In her personal life, she has started a monthly theatrical writers' group and has a fledging film production company that has completed its third short film.