About

Varun Banthia

Chair

Varun is a public servant and auditor with experience at the local, federal and international levels.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialization in accounting from UBC, and a Master of Public Administration from New York University. He was also designated a Certified Internal Auditor in 2019. Varun has worked as an auditor with Vancouver Coastal Health and the United Nations, as a risk consultant with Deloitte, and in anti-corruption policy with the OECD. He is currently employed as a Senior Auditor with the City of Vancouver’s Office of the Auditor General, supporting its whistleblower function.

Varun is passionate about issues affecting vulnerable populations in Vancouver. He served as a member of the municipal government’s Disability Advisory Committee, on the board of the Dugout Drop-In Centre, and as a first responder at the Overdose Prevention Society. For his efforts in the DTES, Varun was awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers by the Governor General of Canada.

Donna Baines

Vice chair

Donna Baines is the Director of the School of Social Work at University of British Columbia. She brings a strong background in anti-oppressive practice and a desire to deepen the connection between social-justice-engaged social work education and the DTES.

A globally recognized scholar, Donna has collaborated extensively with research projects in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Scotland. Her research focuses on paid and unpaid work, anti-oppressive/critical social work theory and practice, and social policy and austerity. She founded and co-edits the online journal Social Work & Policy Studies: Social Justice, Practice and Theory.

Baines is author of the popular book Doing Anti-Oppressive Practice, Social Justice Social Work. The fourth edition is currently in publication.

Christine Singh

Secretary

Dr. Christine Singh is a family physician who has worked in Vancouver since 2006, including 10 years working at Three Bridges Clinic as well as other clinical settings with a harm reduction ethos including Vancouver Native Health, Youth Detox, and Outreach. Early in her career she worked for a short time in several remote Indigenous communities. Christine is committed to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and UNDRIP.

Currently, Christine practices at Lu’Ma Medical Centre, Langara Student Health, and continues to take shifts at DTES Connections Clinic providing low-barrier opioid agonist treatment. She cares deeply about social justice issues and is committed to cultural safety and humility practices. Christine has served on the Board of the BC College of Family Physicians for seven years. She is a clinical faculty member with the UBC Indigenous Family Practice Program. Over the years, Dr. Singh has worked with some of the amazing PHS physicians who staff the innovative clinics PHS operates.

Christine hopes to contribute to improving housing and social conditions for the many people living with the complexity of trauma, mental and physical illness and who face ongoing systemic barriers to health. She is a mother to a wonderful 13-year-old human, a dog and two cats, and is grateful to live on the unceded Coast Salish Territories. 

Jeff Brooks

Treasurer

Jeff brings extensive experience as former Director of Social Planning for the City of Vancouver.

During his 11-year tenure he oversaw Vancouver’s comprehensive program of social development, providing the City with information, advice and policy recommendations about social issues. Jeff oversaw the provision of financial support to community organizations including neighbourhood initiatives, childcare programs and those covering children, youth, family issues, substance abuse and mental health matters. He was also involved with grants programs, including community services, childcare support and capital grants considerations.

He has 20 years’ prior experience of public service initiatives in the Vancouver and provincial environment. In addition to an extensive working knowledge of pressing Downtown Eastside issues, Jeff brings considerable public service involvement in provincial and neighbourhood associations throughout Greater Vancouver, serving on a large number of advisory committees.

Adam Munnings

Past chair

Adam is Anishnaabe from Curve Lake First Nation, an Aboriginal Lawyer and founder of Munnings Law.

He has acted as general counsel for Aboriginal communities on economic development, specific claims, reserve land management, employment, governance, accommodation of Aboriginal rights, and negotiations and agreements with government and industry. In June 2015, Adam completed his MBA in Aboriginal Business and Leadership at Simon Fraser University, to better support his client’s business needs. This paved the way for founding Munnings Law in 2016, a boutique Aboriginal and Business Law firm.

In addition to the PHS Board, Adam serves as Chair of the Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society, as a member of Canadian Bar Association British Columbia (CBABC) Provincial Council, and as a member of the Curve Lake First Nation Finance Committee. He previously served as Chair of the CBABC Aboriginal Lawyers Forum, Chair of North Shore Restorative Justice and as President of the Aboriginal Housing Management Association. Adam has written articles, and presented at professional education courses and as a guest lecturer at University of British Columbia and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology

He has recently started fly fishing, hunting and powerlifting, and enjoys the outdoors, camping and finding time for travel with his wife and dogs.

Jan Christilaw

Dr. Christilaw has spent her career advancing women’s health in British Columbia. Since starting medical school in 1978, and throughout her career, Dr. Christilaw continues to assure that all women have access to the tools they need for the best possible health.

From 2008-2017, Dr. Jan Christilaw served as President of BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, and Vice President, Provincial Women’s & Newborn Health, Provincial Health Services Authority. Since stepping down, she continued her clinical work until 2022 and continues as a Clinical Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC, also serving as Director of Women’s Health Programming with the Canadian Network for International Surgery.

Her 25+ years of accomplishments include: President, Society of Obstetrics-Gynecologists Canada; Expert Advisor, Canadian Institute for Health Information for Maternity; UBC Clinical Professor, Editorial Board of JOGC and Chair, BC Consensus Panel on Cesarean Birth. In recent years, she has been awarded the YWCA Women of Distinction Award in the Health and Wellness category, the British Columbia Community Service Award, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal, Waterloo University Distinguished Alumni Award, the National Leadership Award of the Federation of Medical Women, the Canadian International Surgery Volunteer of the Year award, the Honorary Alumnus UBC Faculty of Medicine Award, Distinguished Alumni Award for McMaster University 2018.

On January 1, 2017, Dr. Christilaw was appointed to the Order of Canada for her work in obstetrics nationally and internationally. In July 2024, she was awarded The Global Citizenship Award by University of British Columbia.

Glen Clark

Glen Clark is a senior advisor to Rogers Communications and Tiny Ltd. Prior to that he was the President and COO of The Jim Pattison Group. Mr. Clark is also a member of the Board of Directors of Canfor, a multinational lumber company, Westshore Terminals Investment Corporation, an export terminal company and Tersa Earth, a small biotechnology startup.

Prior to his corporate roles, Mr. Clark served as Premier of British Columbia, Minister of Finance and Corporate Relations, and Minister of Employment and Investment. Mr. Clark was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in 1986 to represent the constituency of Vancouver-East. In the 1991 and 1996 general elections, he was re-elected to represent the constituency of Vancouver-Kingsway.

Mr. Clark holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University, and a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia.

Penny Gurstein

Penny Gurstein is a Professor Emeritus and former Director of the School of Community and Regional Planning at UBC.

She is the founding Director of the Housing Research Collaborative, a community of housing researchers, providers and policymakers focused on the development of models to address housing unaffordability.  She previously sat on the Board of Commissioners of BC Housing, and is strongly committed to the strengthening of the non-profit housing sector.  Penny specializes in the socio-cultural aspects of community planning with particular emphasis on those who are the most marginalized in planning processes. She has considerable experience working with community groups in the greater Vancouver region.

Penny was the 2016 recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Education, Training and Development.

Bobbi Hoadley

Bobbi Hoadley is an experienced professional in counselling, therapy and rehabilitation services provision, and a longstanding advocate for people living with disability.

She is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and Clinical Counsellor who is fully qualified in neuropsychiatric behavioural therapy and rehabilitation. Since 2004 Bobbi has provided client-centred, solution-focused therapy and intervention for individuals living with mental health challenges. Her expertise in adolescent and adult mental health recovery integrates counselling, recovery and rehabilitation with the technology of Applied Behaviour Analysis. Bobbi is an In-Service Teacher who provides consulting and clinical supervision in hospitals and facilities throughout British Columbia. She served on Vancouver City Council’s Persons with Disability Advisory Board, and as a Board member of both the Stroke Recovery Association of British Columbia and Girl Guides of Canada.

Bobbi is the author of Babes in the Woods – The Women’s Guide to Eating Well, Sleeping Well, and Having Fun in the Backcountry.

Diamond Isinger

A public policy specialist and advocate, Diamond Isinger is interested in opportunities to build up communities and mobilize people.

Diamond is the director of policy for the Federation of Community Social Services of BC, a province-wide organization of member agencies that deliver local services for communities, people living with physical and mental challenges, vulnerable children, youth and seniors, new immigrants, people living with addiction or mental health issues, and those living in poverty. She has worked with advocacy organizations on political campaigns at all levels, and within the federal government. Prior to joining the PHS Board, Diamond completed an elected term as provincial commissioner (chair) of the Girl Guides of Canada in BC, leading a team of 18,000 youth and volunteers from 2019 – 2023, and recently served as a director and chair of the governance committee for Volunteer BC. She often participates as a subject matter expert and media/public commentator about non-profits, youth development, inclusion and volunteerism.

Diamond has been recognized with the BCBusiness Women of the Year Award, as a featured BC leader in the Leadership Series hosted by CKNW and Global News, and as an Honourary Life Member of the Girl Guides.

Perry Kendall

As B.C. Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Perry Kendall declared a public health emergency over the province’s significant rise in opioid-related overdose deaths.

The 2016 declaration of a public health emergency allowed collection and analysis of real-time information, and for proactive action to warn and protect people who use drugs. Always outspoken, Dr. Kendall detailed that the emergency powers would see health staff working in a coordinated way to bring help to those who need it most. He publicly supported the opening of Insite in 2003, consistently speaking in support of the facility and harm reduction in general in an era when the media was much more skeptical on the subject. He retired in 2018, handing over to his deputy Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Dr. Kendall has produced an extensive list of reports and publications, served on many health-related committees and was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 2005 and the Order of Canada in 2020 for his work in public health.

Lisa Lapointe

Lisa Lapointe recently retired after a 30-year career with the BC Public Service, where she served most recently as BC’s chief coroner from 2011 to early 2024.

She is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award for her expertise and dedication to public service, and led the Coroners Service to receive the inaugural Premier’s Award for Evidence-Based Design for its analysis and timely reporting of data on the province’s illicit drug overdose deaths. Under her leadership, the Coroners Service was the first provincial agency to sign a Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility with the First Nations Health Authority. Lisa also served as chair of the Forum of Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners of Canada, as well as the BCIT Forensic Sciences Program Advisory Committee. She is passionate about the importance of evidence and evaluation in the development of public policy and legislation, in particular in the province’s response to the Drug Toxicity Public Health Emergency.

She is a spouse, mother, and grandmother, an avid reader, and loves cycling, walking and hiking on the rural paths near her home.

Chelsey Legge

Chelsey is a researcher with specialized experience in human rights and responsible technology.

Chelsey has a degree in political studies from Queen’s University, as well as a Juris Doctor and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Toronto. After completing her articles with the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, she was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2020.  Chelsey has worked with leading research and advocacy organizations including the HIV Legal Network, Human Rights Watch, and the Citizen Lab. She is currently employed as a Senior Research Specialist with the Deloitte Future of Canada Centre, the firm’s thought leadership and public policy program. In this role, she has worked on a report series on digital equity in Canada, a report on supporting neurodiversity in the workplace, a research brief on the future of AI in Canada, and a report on Indigenous sovereignty.

Chelsey grew up in London, Ontario and moved to Victoria, British Columbia in 2021. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, baking, wandering around art galleries, and spending quality time with her dogs.