About us

Who we are

NP Circle is Canada’s first and largest community for Nurse Practitioners (NPs) made with love by NPs, for NPs.

It started with a simple but powerful idea: to create what so many NPs in Canada have gone without. A place to feel supported. A place to belong. A space where education is practical, mentorship is real, and community actually means something.

Our mission is to support and empower NPs with the resources, education, and connection they need to thrive in practice. Our vision is a future where every NP feels connected, valued, and equipped to lead change—so that patients, communities, and health systems can thrive.

Since launching, NP Circle has grown into a digital hub for thousands of NPs. Here, you'll find high-quality, evidence-based continuing education, mentorship opportunities, peer support, and honest conversations about the realities of NP practice—conversations that help fuel meaningful change.

Through this work, we’re redefining how NPs are supported by centring community, real-world learning, and peer connection as essential to a thriving NP profession.

As NP Circle continues to grow across Canada and beyond, our focus remains the same: to expand opportunities, deepen support, and strengthen the NP community everywhere.

Meet the leadership team

Aliya Hajee is a Nurse Practitioner and the Founder & CEO of NP Circle, Canada’s largest and most trusted community for NPs. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing and a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate from McMaster University.
Her clinical background spans primary care, acute care, specialty care, research, academia, and digital health. She is currently pursuing her Certificate in Mental Health and Addictions, with and has a special interest in women’s health.
Drawing from firsthand experience, Aliya founded NP Circle to create the resources and community she wished existed earlier in her career. NP Circle now serves thousands of NPs across Canada, offering evidence-based education, peer mentorship, and a space for real conversations about the challenges and realities of NP practice.
At the core of her work is a clear belief: when NPs are supported, patients, communities, and health systems thrive.

Director of Community Engagement
Claudia Mariano is a seasoned healthcare leader with a Master of Science in Nursing and a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate from the University of Toronto. She has played a key role in advancing NP practice in Ontario, particularly in political advocacy.
Claudia has held prominent roles, including President and Manager of Practice and Policy for the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario, Board Member for the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario and the North Muskoka NPLC, and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto. She also authored the book “No One Left Behind: How Nurse Practitioners are Changing Canada’s Health Care System."
With 23 years as a Nurse Practitioner and 13 years as a Registered Nurse, Claudia focused on health promotion, women's health, and chronic disease management. Though retired from NP practice, she remains actively involved in the healthcare field, sharing her expertise and making a meaningful impact.