Dr. Martin Taylor, Chair

Dr. Martin Taylor is the founding President and CEO of Ocean Networks Canada, a not-for-profit organization created by the University of Victoria to manage the VENUS and NEPTUNE Canada ocean observatories. Dr. Taylor was the University of Victoria’ Vice-President, Research from 1998 to 2007. From 1974 to 1998, Dr. Taylor was a professor in the department of geography at McMaster University. During that time, he served as Chair of Geography (1991-97), founding Director of the Institute of Environment and Health (1991-96), and as Acting Vice President, Research (1994-95). Dr. Taylor's research and teaching interests focus on environmental health and health promotion. Current and recent projects include the psychosocial effects of environmental contamination, community-based heart health promotion, and the impacts of economic restructuring on population health in coastal communities in BC. He has authored one book and over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Taylor is a co-investigator in the Coasts under Stress project, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The project focuses on the effects of socio-economic restructuring on population, community and personal health in BC coastal communities. In 2008 Dr. Taylor received LifeSciences British Columbia's Leadership Award.

Don Avison

Don Avison studied at Thompson Rivers University and Simon Fraser University (Bachelor of Arts) before obtaining a law degree from the University of British Columbia in 1980. After practicing law in the Yukon and in BC, he joined the Federal Department of Justice in 1982. Mr. Avison was subsequently recruited to the Office of the Assistant Deputy Attorney General of Canada in Ottawa. He was appointed to a General Counsel position in 1989 and was the Director General of the Federal Aboriginal Justice Initiative from 1992-94. In 1994, Mr. Avison was appointed Deputy Minister of Justice of the Government of the Northwest Territories, where he would also serve as a Deputy in the Office of the Premier. Mr. Avison returned to BC in 1997, when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Education, Skills and Training. He would later hold Deputy Minister positions in the Crown Corporations Secretariat and Ministry of Health before leaving government in 1999 to become the first President of the University Presidents’ Council of British Columbia. That organization evolved into what is now the Research Universities’ Council of BC (RUCBC). Mr. Avison left RUCBC in September 2009 to pursue other opportunities. In 2006, Thompson Rivers University recognized Mr. Avison with their Distinguished Alumni Award for his contributions to public service.

Bill Barrable

Bill Barrable is an entrepreneur-in-residence at Simon Fraser University and a co-founder and director of Natalus Life Science Capital (VCC) Ltd. He was the chief executive of British Columbia Transplant from 1994 to 2009, during which BC Transplant was awarded the Canada Award for Excellence from the National Quality Institute. In 2001, he became the founding Chair of the MSFHR Board of Directors. Mr. Barrable holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Queen’s University, and a Master of Health Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Toronto.

Dr. Stephen Brown

Dr. Stephen Brown was appointed Chief Administrative Officer, Ministry of Health Services, on July 22, 2008.  Stephen leads and is responsible for the Health System Planning Division, Primary Health Care, Labour Relations, Legislation and Professional Regulation and Corporate Policy, Research and Library Services branches. Prior to his appointment as Chief Administrative Officer, Stephen was the Assistant Deputy Minister, Medical Services Division (formerly Medical and Pharmaceutical Services Division), Ministry of Health Services, from April 15, 2002 to February 2, 2009.  In his role, Stephen lead British Columbia’s physician negotiations for the Ministry and was responsible for the strategic portfolios of the Medical Services Plan, Primary Health Care and Physician Human Resource Management. Effective September 2007, Stephen was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board for the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University. Stephen came to the Ministry from the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Children’s Services where he was the Executive Manager for that province’s Child Welfare Act Review.  Previous to this role, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Ma-mowe Capital Region, Child and Family Service Authority.  He has a PhD focusing on the management of strategic change in the public service and holds Masters Degrees in Business Administration and Organizational Psychology.

Dr. Nadine Caron

Dr. Nadine Caron is a general endocrine surgeon and an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, Northern Medical Program. As the first female First Nations student to graduate from the University of British Columbia's medical school, she won the Hamber Gold Medal as the top graduating student and was named one of Maclean's "One Hundred Canadians to Watch." During her surgical residency she completed her Master's degree in public health from Harvard University and was awarded UBC's Top Student Award. Passionate about Aboriginal health and Canadian health policy, she has served on numerous committees including the BC Medical Association's Committee on Aboriginal Health, the BC Advisory Committee to the Ministry of Health on provincial health goals, the Canadian Medical Association's Working Group on Aboriginal Health and r the Native Physician's Association in Canada (as board member). Through role modelling, speaking engagements and formal committees, Dr. Caron aims to share her passion and foster ongoing opportunities to eliminate health disparities in rural, remote, northern and Aboriginal communities.

Dr. Bruce Clayman, Past Chair

Dr. Bruce P. Clayman is a member of Simon Fraser University's Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology. He served as President of the Great Northern Way Campus from September 2004 to December 2006. Dr. Clayman was a founding member of the federal Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics and served as its chair from 2005-2007. He served as Vice President, Research at SFU for 11 years (ending in 2004) and Dean of Graduate Studies (from 1985 to 2000). A physics professor at SFU, his research interests have evolved to include technology transfer and the commercialization productivity of universities. Dr. Clayman is a member of the board of the non-profit Discovery Parks Trust that operates Discovery Parks Inc., a for-profit company that develops and manages research and development real estate projects. His interest in economic development has led to his membership on the Vancouver Economic Development Commission.

Natalie Dakers

Natalie Dakers is Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Drug Research and Development. Previously she was President & CEO of Neuromed Technologies Inc., a private biopharmaceutical company developing drugs for chronic pain, anxiety, epilepsy and cardiovascular diseases. As co-founder, she built the company from inception and raised three rounds of venture financing totaling approximately $70 million. Under her leadership, the company filed its first Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a novel chronic pain drug and commenced Phase 1 clinical trials. Prior to co-founding Neuromed, Ms. Dakers was a senior manager for life sciences technology transfer at the University Industry Liaison Office (UILO) at the University of British Columbia. In this capacity, she was involved in the creation and spin-off of more than a dozen start-up high-tech and biotech companies. Ms. Dakers served as Chair of BC Biotech, the association representing and promoting the province's biotech firms. From 1999 to 2001, she served as a board member of AceTech Academy of Technology CEOs. Ms. Dakers has also served as Vice-President of the Association of University Technology Managers and as Director of the Premier's Advisory Council of Science and Technology.

Dr. David Dolphin

Dr. David Dolphin is Vice-President, Technology Development at QLT Inc., and a professor of chemistry and the QLT/NSERC Industrial Research Professor in Photodynamic Technologies at the University of British Columbia. Also at UBC, Dr. Dolphin was Acting Vice President Research (1999-2000) and Acting Dean of Science (1988-1989). Dr. Dolphin is an internationally recognized expert in porphyrin chemistry and biochemistry and has been instrumental in the development of drugs for photodynamic therapy. He is the author and editor of 18 books on spectroscopy, chemistry and biochemistry, has published over 400 research papers, and holds numerous patents. Dr. Dolphin is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Society of Canada and Royal Society (London). In 2002, he received the Prix Galien Award and Friesen Rygiel Prize. In 2003 he received the CSPS Award of Leadership in Canadian Pharmaceutical Sciences, was nominated the CUFA/BC Academic of the Year and was nominated as a University Killam Professor. In 2004 he was designated a Hero of Chemistry by the American Chemical Society and received an Award of Excellence from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Alistair Duncan

Alistair Duncan is President and CEO of Vancouver-based biotechnology company viDA Therapeutics Inc. From 1998 to 2008 Mr. Duncan was President and CEO of Chromos Molecular Systems Inc., where he was also a founder and director. Prior to that, he was a principal with the Ernst & Young Corporate Finance and International Life Sciences Group, where he provided high technology and life sciences companies with corporate advisory services in strategic planning, valuations, financing, divestitures, and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Duncan holds a CA designation and a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia.

Karimah Es Sabar

Karimah Es Sabar is currently President of LifeSciences BC. Effective April 2010, she will join the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) as the Senior Vice President, Business and Strategic Affairs. In 2005, she took on the role of leading BC Biotech, re-engineered and rebranded the organization to LifeSciences BC, and as President she has led the organization to its greatest levels of success as a strong business development organization for the life science industry and the scientific research community. As one of the primary spokespeople for the life sciences industry in British Columbia, Ms. Es Sabar regularly represents the industry and the community in key public policy discussions, and parlays her global business development expertise into strong international marketing, partnering and investment attraction on behalf of the life sciences industry. Ms. Es Sabar has had a dynamic career in the life sciences industry globally since 1982, having worked on five continents with business associations in over 60 countries. She has held senior management positions with international multinational companies, most notably as Director International Division and Director Marketing & Business Development at Connaught Laboratories Limited [now Sanofi Pasteur] based in Toronto. Ms. Es Sabar holds a BSc. Joint Honours degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry from the University of Salford, England, and a MSc. degree in Neurochemistry from the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, England. She is affiliated to several organizations and institutions, and sits on a number of boards and advisory committees.

Dr. Tom Feasby

Dr. Tom Feasby is Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Prior to this position, he was an associate dean in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Capital Health in Edmonton. These dual roles helped him to found iCARE, a new research centre that concentrates on improving health care delivery through research. Dr. Feasby received his Bachelor of Science and his medical degree at the University of Manitoba. He trained in neurology at the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Feasby has directed randomized clinical trials on the use of intravenous immunoglobulin and other treatments for several nerve diseases and recently developed a program of research in health outcomes and effectiveness. He is also studying the issue of excessive wait times for medical procedures, such as MRI scans. Dr. Feasby is active in national and international professional organizations and funding agencies. He was on the editorial board of Neurology and has participated in various Canadian Institutes of Health Research panels. He has also chaired the Outcomes Research Committee of the American Neurological Association.

Dr. Judith Hall

Dr. Judith Hall is a clinical geneticist and pediatrician who trained at Wellesley College, the University of Washington School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Hospital. She is Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia based at Children's & Women's Health Centre of British Columbia. She was Head of Pediatrics at UBC and BC's Children's Hospital from 1990 to 2000. Her research is focused on human congenital anomalies, including neural tube defects, the genetics of short stature and dwarfism. Among many honours and awards, Dr. Hall was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998 in recognition of her leadership in the advancement of child health through clinical, teaching and research excellence.

Dr. Nigel Murray

Dr. Nigel Murray is President and CEO of Fraser Health. Fraser Health, one of the largest and fastest-growing health networks in Canada, serves 1.5 million people from Burnaby to White Rock to Hope. Dr. Murray was previously the interim CEO of the Southland District Health Board and the Lead CEO for New Zealand Health Sector Industrial and Employee Relations. He has also worked in senior health administration roles including Acting General Manager, National Women's Hospital; General Manager, Planning and Development, Auckland District Health Board; and General Manager, Health Services Delivery Plan. In 1995, he was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to health in the New Zealand Defence Force. Dr. Murray has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dartmouth College; a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Otago Medical School; and a Masters of Occupational Medicine from Harvard University School of Public Health.

Dr. John O’Neil

Dr. John O'Neil is a professor and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Previously, he was Director of the Manitoba First Nations Centre for Aboriginal Health Research. He was also professor and Head of the Department of Community Health Sciences in the University of Manitoba's faculty of medicine. Dr. O'Neil served as research advisor to the health policy team for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in 1995/96. He is currently on the Science Advisory Board of Health Canada, the Advisory Board of the National Collaborating Centre on Aboriginal Health at the Public Health Agency of Canada, the First Nations, Inuit and Metis Advisory Committee of the Board of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the Advisory Board of the Canada Northwest Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Network. He was the founding chair of the Advisory Board for the CIHR Institute for Aboriginal People's Health (2000 to 2006). Dr. O'Neil holds a doctorate in medical anthropology from the University of California (San Francisco/Berkeley).

Sue Paish, Vice-Chair

Sue Paish was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Pharmasave Drugs (National) Limited in 2007. Prior to taking the CEO position, Ms. Paish served for six years as managing partner of Fasken Martineau Dumoulin, a Vancouver-based international law firm. She has more than 24 years of law experience. Ms. Paish has been a director for various corporate and community boards, including ICBC, Vancouver Board of Trade, BC Women's Hospital Foundation and the Pharmasave National Board. In 2005, the Women's Executive Network named her to the list of Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100. In 2004, she received a Business in Vancouver Influential Women in Business Award. In 2003, Ms. Paish was named one of Canada's Top 25 Women Lawyers. She lectures to and has written extensively for various business and legal organizations.

Dr. Paul Terry, Secretary-Treasurer

Dr. Paul Terry is a partner in Magellan Angel Partners, a high-tech angel fund. Dr. Terry was formerly the CTO of Cray Canada, and CTO, VP Engineering of Redback Canada. He was one of the co-founders of OctigaBay Systems (acquired by Cray) and Abatis Systems (acquired by Redback). Dr. Terry holds a Class I degree in Physics and Electronics, a PhD in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Liverpool in England, and an MBA from Cranfield University. Dr Terry's interests and activities include networking, nanotech and supercomputing.

Cathy Ulrich

Cathy Ulrich was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Northern Health in June 2007. Ms. Ulrich was Northern Health's Vice-President of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Officer from 2002 to 2007. Ms. Ulrich has spent the majority of her career in rural and northern locations, where she gained a solid understanding of the nature of local communities, their health needs and concerns, and the unique approaches required to meet these needs. She has also been actively engaged in health services research, teaching and graduate student support.

Ex-Officio Members

Dr. E. Paul Zehr, Research Advisory Council Chair

Read Dr. Zehr's bio

 

 

Dr. John Challis, President & CEO

Read Dr. Challis' bio

 

 

 

Last updated September 25, 2009