Providing patients’ perspectives and advice
The UBC Health Patient and Community Advisory Committee (PAC) advises the UBC Health Senior Leadership Team about issues of common concern in the community and acts as a resource to its subcommittees on matters related to patient and public engagement across the three core areas of UBC Health: collaborative health education, interdisciplinary health research, and health systems.
PAC’s membership is recommended by PCPE in consultation with Patients in Education (PIE) and/or other representatives of various health concerned patient populations in the community. Membership is approved by the UBC Health Senior Leadership Team.
PAC Member Biographies
Darren LauscherDarren Lauscher brings a long history of community activism, advocacy, and experience from the HIV realm. He brings to the table his experiences from past board participation at local, provincial, and national level. He continues his involvement in HIV research whether it be academic, or community based. At UBC he is a mentor, a Public Patient Voice at the UBC Health table, co-chair of the Patient Advisory Committee, Public Patient Voice at the UBC Health Systems table, guest classroom speaker, a researcher in patient engagement in academic curriculum to name just a few things he is involved with. |
Janice BarrJanice Barr has been instrumental in the evolution of community living in B.C. In January 2020, Janice became the Chief Executive Office for the Community Living Society. Janice brings over thirty 30 of experience and leadership in the Community Living field. She is a passionate advocate for person-centered and responsive supports for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Janice began her long career and involvement in the Community Living sector by providing direct support to people with an intellectual disability and their families. This experience continues to form the basis of her decisions. Janice has held two previous positions as a CEO or Executive Director of a Community Living organizations as well as many sector wide leadership positions, including Advisory Board member of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship at University of British Columbia, Director and past Chair of the Community Social Services Employers Association, Director for the BCCEO Network and, founding member of the BC Employment Network. |
Larry DaweLarry Dawe is the past president of the Myalgic Encephalomelitis & Fibromyalgia (MEFM) Society of BC and has prior experience as a board member for a number of organizations including the Alzheimers Society of Canada. He has experience as a caregiver for his wife (a long term breast cancer patient) and his daughter (myalgic encephalomyelitis). |
Jay LambertJay Lambert (ICF ACC, MSc Health Information Science) is a Métis/Cree and French Canadian resilience and transformation coach deeply committed to empowering community leaders and teams through culturally informed, trauma-informed coaching. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare transformation and leadership development, Jay has personally navigated significant health challenges both individually and within his family. This lived experience—including managing anxiety, depression, and burnout—deeply informs his compassionate approach to resilience building. Drawing upon his Métis heritage and extensive experience supporting Indigenous health systems transformation, Jay brings a unique and invaluable perspective to the UBC Health Patient and Community Advisory Committee (PAC). His commitment to amplifying patient voices is enriched by his firsthand understanding of navigating complex healthcare systems and overcoming adversity. Jay is dedicated to fostering meaningful patient and community engagement across collaborative health education, interdisciplinary health research, and systemic improvements. |
Anja LanzAnja Lanz brings her many years of lived experience to topics such as patient-centred care and navigating the healthcare system and is a strong advocate for better healthcare in BC and beyond. Her knowledge, perspectives, and insights are helping to shape the healthcare ecosystem, and she aims to empower healthcare professionals and others to be strong advocates for change. Her work since 2012 with the UBC Health Mentors program earned her the 2021 R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award. |
Kent Cadogan LoftsgardEarly childhood treatment for congenital cerebral palsy and pediatric asthma taught Kent more by demonstration than by declaration about the positive principles of patient-centered practice that then inspired him to put healthcare at the center of much of his professional life. Trained in paramedicine as a teenager, and later in health specialty broadcast/print journalism, communications production, and publishing, Kent has supported UBC Health’s continuing clinical team-based care education efforts in multiple capacities ever since the inception of the Health Mentors Program in the Fall of 2011. |
Daryl Luster
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Sue Macdonald
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Patience Magagula
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Savanah Norman
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Samantha (Sammy) Pranteau
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Bruce Raber
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Sharon Tomlinson
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Past Members