Text SizeBoard of Directors
Sue Paish, 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.
Don Avison, Vice-Chair
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.
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 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
Dr. Bruce P. Clayman is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Michael Smith Foundation and served as chair from 2007 to 2009. He received his PhD in condensed matter physics from Cornell. He has been professor emeritus of physics at Simon Fraser University since 2004, and his research interests have evolved to include technology transfer and the commercialization productivity of universities. Dr. Clayman is Vice-Chair of the Board of Discovery Parks that develops and manages real estate projects in support of research and development. He is Associate Director of SFU’s Centre for Policy Research on Science and Technology and served as President and CEO of the Great Northern Way Campus from September 2004 through December 2006. Dr. Clayman was a founding member of the federal Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics and served as its chair from 2005 to 2007. He was Vice-President, Research at SFU for 11 years (ending in 2004) and Dean of Graduate Studies (from 1985 to 2000).
Lynda Cranston
Mrs. Lynda Cranston is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), one of six health authorities established by the government of British Columbia in December 2001. PHSA is responsible for "one of a kind" highly specialized health services for the citizens of BC and operates BC Cancer Agency, BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Children's Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, BC Mental Health and Addiction Services, BC Provincial Renal Agency, BC Transplant, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Cardiac Services BC, and Perinatal Services BC. Mrs. Cranston was awarded the 2008 Board Chair Award of Excellence by the HealthCare Leaders' Association of BC. In 2007, she was inducted into Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100™ Hall of Fame and has since been thrice named one of Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100™. Mrs. Cranston is also a recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award, the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Commemorative Medal for community contributions, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for contribution to Canada and community.
Karimah Es Sabar
Karimah Es Sabar is the Senior Vice President, Business and Strategic Affairs for the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD). In 2005, she took on the role of leading BC Biotech, re-engineered and rebranded the organization to LifeSciences BC, and as President she 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 received his MD degree from the University of Manitoba, trained in Neurology at the University of Western Ontario, completed a research fellowship at the Institute of Neurology in London, UK, and trained in health services research at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California and UCLA. He founded Canada’s leading stroke program in Calgary, and the Calgary Neuromuscular and ALS Clinics. He built the Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Calgary into the leading department in Canada and founded iCARE, a health services research organization in Edmonton. His current research is in health services, specifically the quality and appropriateness of medical interventions. He has published over 100 scientific research papers as well as op-ed pieces in leading Canadian newspapers.
Dr. Michael Hayden
Dr. Michael Hayden is Professor, UBC Medicine/Medical Genetics and Director, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics. He has also served as Chief Scientific Officer for Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. since March 1999. Dr. Hayden’s research focuses primarily on genetic diseases that play a key role in the development of predictive testing for Huntington's disease. Dr. Hayden is currently conducting research into the genetic factors that determine differences in drug reactions between individual patients. He received his medical training (1975) and his PhD in genetics (1979) from the University of Cape Town. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship and further training in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Elaine McKnight
Elaine has held several executive positions within the BC government and has more than 20 years of experience providing leadership and setting the strategic direction for the development and implementation of a number of complex change initiatives. She currently serves as Associate Deputy Minister and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Ministry of Health. Appointed in February 2012, Elaine provides direction and leadership to the Ministry’s Finance and Corporate Services Division, Population and Public Health Division, and Planning and Innovation Division. She is also responsible for Intergovernmental Relations, Legislation and Professional Regulation, and Organizational Development and Engagement. Prior to her appointment as CAO, Elaine was Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the Ministry of Health’s Planning and Innovation Division. She has also served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Sector IM/IT which included oversight for the Provincial e-Health program. Elaine holds a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation.
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).
Dr. Martin Taylor, Past Chair
Dr. Martin Taylor is President and CEO of Ocean Networks Canada, the not for profit agency responsible for the management and development of the VENUS and NEPTUNE Canada ocean observatory programs, and the Ocean Networks Centre for Enterprise and Engagement, a federal centre of excellence for commercialization and research. Before assuming this position, he served for nine years (1998-2007) as the University of Victoria’s first Vice-President Research. Prior to that, he held academic and senior administrative positions at McMaster University (1974-98). In addition to serving on the board of MSFHR, Dr. Taylor has had extensive governance experience including as: a member of the federal Council of Science and Technology Advisors; a member of the SSHRC board; a board member and chair of the finance committee of TRIUMF; a director of Discovery Parks Trust; and Board Chair of UVic’s Innovation and Development Corporation. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Geography from Bristol University and UBC. He is the author of two books and over 100 peer-reviewed publications in the field of environmental and community health.
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.
Dr. Sally Thorne
Dr. Sally Thorne is an academic nursing leader with a program of research in the fields of psychosocial cancer care and health care communication at the University of British Columbia's School of Nursing, where she is a professor. Her research and writing have focused attention on the human experience of seeking and obtaining appropriate care in the Canadian context. She has also been active in developing and refining qualitative methods for application to the inquiries of applied health professions and to knowledge transfer within an evidence-based care context. In her academic role, she teaches graduate courses in the philosophy of science and is editor-in-chief of Nursing Inquiry. Former board member and Chair, BC Cancer Agency, she is currently a member of the board of directors for the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, a national initiative aimed at leading cancer control policy in Canada.
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. Bruce Verchere, Research Advisory Council Chair
Last updated July 5, 2011
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