2026 CapU Alumni Awards: Alison Taylor

From a young age, Alison Taylor was immersed in the daily workings of her parents’ physiotherapy clinics. She spent her childhood filing charts, managing front desks, and learning the day-to-day realities of running a small healthcare business.

“Healthcare and small business were just part of my everyday life,” she says. “I learned so much by watching my parents and by being hands-on in their clinics.”

Finding solutions in practice

While studying at university, Alison stepped in as an office manager at a local clinic and began modernizing manual processes using technology. That early experience planted the seeds for what would eventually become Jane App, a platform now used by thousands of healthcare practitioners worldwide.

“Jane App started as a practical solution to a problem we were facing in our own clinic,” she says. “We couldn’t find online booking or electronic charting tools that fit a multidisciplinary practice, so we built them ourselves.”

From that small beginning, Jane App grew organically, guided by practitioners’ needs. Alison credits her co-founder, Trevor, for helping transform the initial idea into a platform that now streamlines operations for clinics across the globe.

Balancing growth with core values

Even as Jane App expanded internationally, Alison remained committed to the principles that shaped her early career: service, quality and impact.

“We always return to our customers, the people who are caring for their communities,” she says. “Their work is what drives Jane App. If we can make their day-to-day better, we’ve succeeded.”

Education that shaped a leader

Reflecting on her time at CapU, where she earned an Associate of Arts before transferring to UBC, Alison highlights how her studies in English literature and psychology shaped her leadership style.

“Communication and understanding human behaviour are at the core of everything I do, from building software to raising teenagers,” she says. “CapU gave me the foundation to think critically and lead thoughtfully.”

Lessons in resilience and empathy

Alison’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. Two and a half years ago, she faced a deeply personal loss that reshaped how she approaches leadership and life.

“That experience taught me the power of empathy and openness,” she says. “It reminded me that leadership isn’t just about strategy or growth. It’s about people, their stories and supporting them through challenges.”

On March 4, 2026, Capilano University will honour Taylor with the Enterprising Award at the Alumni Awards of Excellence, recognizing her outstanding impact on healthcare for practitioners and patients around the world.