Douglas Bungay, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar
Doug brings nearly four decades of experience in nursing and regulation, alongside a deep-rooted commitment to public safety. His career spans front-line nursing, practice leadership in administration, and nursing regulation, giving him a keen understanding of Nova Scotia’s health system.
Throughout his career, Doug has practised as a licensed practical nurse (New Waterford Consolidated School of Nursing Assistants, ‘86) and registered nurse (Aberdeen Hospital Schol of Nursing ’89: STFX ’02 and Dalhousie University ’09) bringing a valuable perspective to both scopes of practice. His regulatory leadership journey began at the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia as the Director of Professional Practice and Policy. Upon the creation of NSCN, Doug was appointed as the Director of Standards, Guidance, and Customer Service. He later became the Senior Director of Legislated Services and Deputy Registrar in 2019.
In this role, Doug played a critical role in shaping and achieving NSCN’s vision and goals as the principal leader of legislative operations and as a key member of the NSCN executive leadership team. He led major initiatives including modernizing registration practices and streamlining the process for those seeking nursing licensure in Nova Scotia. His work continues to support the evolving needs of Nova Scotians and the broader Canadian health care system.
As a respected senior leader in nursing regulation provincially and nationally, Doug collaborates closely with peers, governments and national and international regulatory councils. His credibility with key provincial and national partners continues to be instrumental in guiding NSCN forward. In August 2025, Doug was recognized with the first-ever Catalyst Award by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) for his significant contributions to nursing regulation.
Email: ExecutiveOffice@nscn.ca
Heather Totton, Senior Director, Governance and General Counsel
Heather Totton, MSHA/LLB, RN has been a nurse for 25 years and graduated with her law degree from Dalhousie University in 2002. She has worked in a variety of positions gaining 15 years experience in the field of self-regulation, both at a provincial and national level. Heather was a member of the team that supported the creation of one nursing regulator in Nova Scotia, and used her strategic thinking to develop the basis for a new regulator that could continue to grow and evolve to best serve the public interest. A champion of accountability in self-regulation, Heather strives to seek new and improved ways to transparently demonstrate NSCN’s commitment to working collaboratively with other health care partners to ensure that nurses are able to deliver safe, competent and ethical nursing care to Nova Scotians.
Areas of responsibility:
- Governance
- Legal
- Privacy
Email: generalcounsel@nscn.ca