The Physician Health Program is governed by a six-member committee composed of Ministry of Health and Doctors of BC representatives with two co-chairs.
The members are:
Dr. Mandy Manak – Doctors of BC Co-Chair
Specializing in Addiction Medicine, Dr. Mandy Manak is based in Kamloops, where she provides consultative services for patients with substance use disorders at Royal Inland Hospital and Phoenix Detox Centre. She is the founding principle and Medical Director of the Interior Chemical Dependency Office and Interior Medical Monitoring. As a certified MRO, she provides Occupational Addiction Independent Medical Evaluations for safety-sensitive individuals. She is a partner in and Chief Medical Officer for A New Tomorrow, an inpatient addiction treatment center.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Manak has previously been a member of the Opiate Agonist Therapy Panel and the Prescription Review Committee at the CPSBC, a Board member with CSAM, and the founding Chairperson of the Western Canada Addiction Forum.
Tanya Lorenz – Ministry of Health Representative
Tanya Lorenz is the Senior Manager of Negotiation Policy and Implementation within Physician Services Branch at the Ministry of Health. With over 15 years experience in the healthcare sector, Tanya has made contributions within both health authorities and the Ministry of Health.
Tanya’s career began as a registered nurse, where she developed in-depth experience in public health andhealth promotion. Her firsthand understanding of the critical importance of clinician and workplace health and wellness has been instrumental in her subsequent roles. Transitioning into leadership, Tanya has led the planning and implementation of various polices and programs aimed at supporting the physician workforce. Her initiatives have included quality improvement, education, recruitment and retention strategies, and the implementation of various agreements.
Outside of her professional life, Tanya enjoys spending quality time with her family on Vancouver Island, embracing the natural beauty and outdoor activities of the region.
Dr. Deema Jassi – Doctors of BC Representative
As a Hospitalist physician, Dr. Jassi is based in Kelowna, where she provides care for complex adult medical patients and co-manages adult surgical patients. She is the president of the Medical Staff Association and the lead physician on the KGH Wellness Committee. She works closely on Continuous Medical Education Grand Rounds at KGH. She is also a member of the Canadian Women in Medicine Partner Engagement Committee and works closely on gender equity as it pertains to medical staff. She prioritizes physician wellness and has helped create a strategic plan for KGH medical staff wellness. When not working, Dr. Jassi can be found spending time with her family, playing tennis or hiking with friends.
Dr. Marie-Claude Grégoire – Doctors of BC Representative
Dr. Grégoire is a pediatrician and medical journalist living in Victoria. After completing her medical training in Quebec, her fellowship and early career in pediatric pain and palliative medicine in Nova Scotia, she is now enjoying the West Coast lifestyle with her family. She has a personal passion for physician health. When not working, Marie-Claude can be found running, cycling, officiating at a triathlon or playing with dinosaurs.
Leah Fernando – Ministry of Health Co-Chair
Leah Fernando is the Director of Health Sector Health and Safety at the Ministry of Health, where she leads the development and implementation of strategies to support workplace health, safety, and wellness in support of BC’s health human resources plan. Her team is responsible for provincial initiatives on workplace violence prevention, psychological health and safety, and medical staff occupational health and safety. Leah previously co-chaired the Provincial Physician Health and Safety Working Group with Doctors of BC and contributed to the establishment of provincial governance for medical staff occupational health and safety. She has a passion for health and wellbeing at work and advancing psychological health and safety in healthcare. Leah lives in Victoria BC with her partner and two kids and enjoys an active lifestyle and spending time outdoors with her family.
Dr. Dorothy (Sam) Williams – Ministry of Health Representative
Specializing in geriatric medicine at West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni, Dr. Williams has served as Chair of the Health Authority Medical Advisory Committee 2009-2019. She has also held several medical leadership positions including Vice-Chief and Head of the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Chief of Staff and Chair of the South Island Medical Advisory Committee. She is Chief of Staff and Chair of the Local Medical Advisory Committee at West Coast General Hospital and Division Head of Internal Medicine for geo 2 and 3 and Dept Head of Medicine at Island Health.
In addition to her health authority medical leadership roles, Dr. Williams is also the past president of the South Island Medical Staff Association, a clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia and Island Medical Program and a member of Provincial Committees including the Steering Committee of the Physician Health Program of BC and Steering Committee of BCMQI.
To share your feedback on the Physician Health Program, contact the committee directly by sending an email.