At Effica, our clinicians remain at the heart of everything we do — the steady guides who help women navigate midlife with clarity, compassion, and confidence. As our community grows, so does our team of dedicated practitioners who bring fresh expertise, deep listening, and evidence-based care to every woman they meet.
This next group of clinicians represents the continued expansion of our mission: to provide accessible, informed, and truly supportive midlife health care across Canada. In this issue of Threaded, we’re honoured to introduce three more exceptional clinicians whose skill, insight, and commitment are strengthening the foundation of Effica’s model of care and shaping how women experience midlife in the future.
Kayla McKinley, RN, BScN, BSc.
Collaborative Care Practitioner | Alberta
With a professional background rooted in reproductive medicine, fertility care, and women’s health across the lifespan, Kayla McKinley brings both deep clinical expertise and a naturally empowering approach to her role as a Collaborative Care Practitioner at Effica. Her career has spanned labour and delivery, IVF nursing, clinical education, and reproductive endocrinology, allowing her to support women through some of the most meaningful and vulnerable transitions of their lives.
Kayla’s academic foundation in reproductive physiology and psychology, combined with her years in fertility and obstetrics, gives her unique insight into the hormonal, emotional, and physical shifts women experience in midlife. She was drawn to this work because midlife health often falls through the cracks — and she’s committed to helping women feel informed, supported, and confident as they navigate this chapter.
Q&A with Kayla
What’s a common menopause or midlife myth you wish you could bust?
I wish more people knew that menopause isn’t “just” about hot flashes. It can affect sleep, mood, energy, and long-term health—but it’s often brushed aside or misunderstood.
How would you describe your approach to care in one word — and why?
Empowering—because I believe women deserve to feel informed, supported, and confident in their health decisions, especially during midlife when care is often lacking.
What’s something that brings you joy outside of work?
Baking with my family brings me so much joy—it’s a chance to slow down, make a mess, laugh together, and share something sweet.
Nicole Horinek-Castro, RN, BScN
Collaborative Care Practitioner | Alberta
With over a decade of nursing experience across primary care, women’s health, pediatrics, chronic disease management, and preventative medicine, Nicole Horinek-Castro brings a deeply informed and compassionate approach to her work as a Collaborative Care Practitioner at Effica. Her career has spanned family medicine clinics, multidisciplinary primary care networks, and acute care units — giving her a complete understanding of the gaps women face navigating midlife health, hormones, and chronic symptoms.
Nicole has seen firsthand the barriers women encounter in primary care, especially when they don’t feel empowered to advocate for themselves, and it’s this experience that fuels her commitment to midlife care. At Effica, her approach is based on kindness, collaboration, and a dedication to meeting every woman exactly where she is.
Q&A with Nicole
What inspired you to work in women’s midlife health?
Witnessing the barriers and limitations within primary care for women who need support, but don’t feel empowered to advocate for themselves during this time in their lives.
What’s a common menopause or midlife myth you wish you could bust?
You don’t have to lose yourself or feel less than while you enter this chapter of life.
How would you describe your approach to care in one word?
Kind.
What’s something that brings you joy outside of work?
Traveling and experiencing new cultures.
Kate Bolohan, RN(EC), NP
Collaborative Care Practitioner | Ontario
Kate Bolohan is a Nurse Practitioner from Windsor, Ontario, with more than a decade of experience providing comprehensive primary care within Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics. A proud University of Windsor graduate and recipient of the 2017 Nurse Practitioner Association of Ontario (NPAO) Patient Choice Award, she is known for her patient-centered approach and commitment to clinical excellence.
Her clinical interests include women’s health, obesity care, and health promotion, among other areas of primary care. Kate’s passion for women’s midlife health grew from years of seeing how misunderstood this stage can be — and how deeply women benefit from evidence-based guidance, clarity, and support. Her work focuses on education, prevention, and therapeutic relationships that empower women to navigate midlife with confidence.
Outside of work, she enjoys interior design, reading, and music, and takes great pride in her role as a wife and mother of two adult daughters.
Q&A with Kate
What’s a common menopause or midlife myth you wish you could bust?
Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) is dangerous for everyone. MHT can be a safe and effective option for managing perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, supporting overall quality of life. As with any therapy, the balance of benefits and risks depends on individual health factors, making personalized assessment essential.
How would you describe your approach to care in one word — and why?
Patient-centered. Because care should always begin with understanding what matters most to the person, and supporting the choices that improve their quality of life.
What’s something that brings you joy outside of work?
I love spending time with my family and friends, travelling, listening to music, and going to concerts.