Karla Ghartey is originally from and currently resides in Sudbury, Ontario (or its traditional name, Wahnapitaeping), which is located on the traditional lands of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and the Wahnapitae First Nations. She is an Assistant Professor with the School of Nursing at Nipissing University and is also part of the inaugural cohort of the Doctor of Public Health Program at the University of Toronto. Her passion is her family and community, and she is a strong advocate for evidence-based drug policies and harm reduction. She strives to make space and acknowledge the expertise of people who have lived and living experience using unregulated substances and their vital contributions in battling the current drug toxicity crisis in Canada and her community. She is one of the founding members of the Sudbury Temporary Overdose Prevention Society (STOPS) and a member of the Harm Reduction Nurses Association. Always remember: harm reduction saves lives!

‍