Who do you admire, and why?
My sister has been a role model to me, working throughout her career to become a leader in humanitarian aid. I admire her dedication to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) initiatives, and see the strength she needs to continually bring in order to advocate and ask hard questions. I continue to learn from her and from all my colleagues dedicated to JEDI work.
For you, what is special about the Faculty of Medicine?
The people — faculty, staff and learners — in our community, the connections and collaborations we build together, and the fact that there is a common drive to always do better.
What lessons have you learned from your mentors?
When I first started as an Assistant Dean at IMP, Dr. Bruce Wright, former Regional Associate Dean, connected me with Faculty of Medicine leader Dr. Joanna Bates, who graciously became a mentor.
Dr. Bates and I had many conversations about how to balance being a medical education leader, clinician and mother of young children. These tips have become pearls that I use to find balance to this day.
For example, while she was working busy days to build the Faculty’s distributed medical programs, Dr. Bates still wanted to be present for her family and would play cards with her kids to unwind in the evenings. I began doing the same with my children and to this day will still pull out a deck of cards or a game to relax and spend time together.
What was your first job?
I started babysitting at age 11 and since we lived across from a golf course, I also worked as a golf caddy. Then my first job as a teenager was at a Reitman’s clothing store — yes, I sold clothes in the ‘80’s.
What are your main goals or aspirations in your leadership role?
One of my goals is to build and strengthen relationships and connections — among learners, staff, faculty, partners and communities, including Indigenous communities, across our learning sites on the Island. My hope is that by working collaboratively, we can co-create solutions for delivering medical education on the Island along with the other health professions and our partners at UBC, UVic and Island Health.
I believe there are opportunities to strengthen our research strategy on the Island and build on existing areas of excellence. For example, the Innovation Support Unit (ISU) led by Dr. Morgan Price, an associate professor of family practice based in Victoria, is doing incredible work across the province and across Canada to enhance primary and team-based care. The ISU is a model that we can potentially build upon to connect researchers and clinicians on the Island. We already have strong partnerships with UVic, especially the Division of Medical Sciences, and continue to build relationships in research with Island Health.
With the Island Medical Program celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, what excites you most about the future of the program and its impact in the region?
I’m excited to see the growth of distributed programs, including welcoming UBC graduate programs in Speech-Language Pathology and Physical Therapy to the Island in 2024. I am also excited about the IMP’s expansion to include Comox as an Integrated Community Clerkship site beginning in 2025.
The postgraduate residency training expansions are equally important, especially with strong evidence that many residents stay to practice where they train. All of this growth will result in more physicians and health care professionals joining our community on Vancouver Island.
How do you like to spend your downtime?
I like to mountain bike and gravel ride with my friends and family. Summers are a highlight with lots of swimming, paddle boarding and reading books on the dock at the lake.
What is your favourite spot in B.C.?
I’ve lived all over B.C. and appreciate what a beautiful province this is. It’s hard to choose just one, but I really enjoy hiking and biking on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
