Staff

Ethel joined PHA Canada in 2015 to provide administrative and accounting support, including processing donations and orders for materials. Before joining PHA Canada’s team, Ethel occupied the position of Membership Clerk at BC Girl Guides for seven years. Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Ethel was an Administrative Assistant in the Marketing Department of a computer company in Florida for six years.

Ethel lives in East Vancouver with her husband, Anthony, and their three daughters, Katelyn, Kathryn, and Azelia. She enjoys reading and watching movies with her family.

Contact Ethel for:

• Inquiries about your donation, Connections subscription, or store order
• Requests for merchandise or awareness materials
• General inquiries

Jamie joined PHA Canada as the organization’s first Executive Director in January of 2016. She is responsible for overseeing all our operations, including providing support and guidance to the staff in delivering our programs and services. She also works closely with the Board of Directors on governance, strategic planning, public and government relations, and fund development.

Jamie began her career in health promotion, community development, and patient advocacy in 1998, working for organizations such as the YouthCO AIDS Society, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the BC Healthy Living Alliance. A passionate volunteer, she served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian AIDS Society from 2006-2012 and acted as Board Chair for AIDS Vancouver from 1998-2007. In 2014, Jamie began working in rare diseases as Executive Director of the Canadian MPS Society, a grassroots patient group serving families impacted by ultra-rare genetic conditions primarily affecting children.

Jamie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Simon Fraser University and attended law school at the University of Victoria from 2011-2013. During her time in law school, she worked as a legal researcher for the Health Sciences Association of BC and as a policy intern in New Delhi, India, where she conducted a case study on the Role of Civil Society in Influencing the Effective Implementation of Public Policy. Jamie is grateful for the opportunity to work closely with Canada’s PH community to create changes that improve the lives of all those affected by pulmonary hypertension.  

Contact Jamie for:

• Information about PHA Canada’s programs and services
• Funding & sponsorship opportunities
• Access to treatment issues

jmyrah@phacanada.ca

1-877-774-2226 x101

Laurence, or Lau (pronounced “Low”), joined PHA Canada as the Marketing and Communications Specialist in November of 2019. She speaks both French and English and is responsible for PHA Canada’s brand management and marketing activities. This includes collaborating with the organization’s team to develop and implement strategies for promoting PHA Canada amongst community members, supporters, and the general public across Canada. 
 
Before joining the team, Laurence was involved with children affected by cancer and their families with Leucan and Camp Trillium between 2012 and 2017.  While completing her bachelor’s degree in Communications and Marketing from 2014 to 2017 in a co-op program, she worked in public relations agencies and in a sportswear company as a full-time intern. Laurence holds a master’s degree in Communications and Marketing from Université de Sherbrooke, in Québec. While in graduate school, she had the opportunity to work as a copywriter and a strategist for diverse clients. She also contributed to the creation of advertising campaigns in local, national, and international markets, working to optimize digital ecosystems, create content, and develop a communications audit. 
 
After completing her master’s, Laurence became a research assistant before traveling to Burkina Faso, in Africa, to do volunteer work for a non-profit. When she came back to Québec, she worked as a coordinator in an ad agency until August 2019. Finally, Laurence decided to move to the beautiful west coast to find PHA Canada and serve the cause. 
 
Contact Laurence for:

• Media/social media inquiries
• Website updates
• Newsletter submissions
• Awareness activities 
• Assistance in French

lrichard@phacanada.ca

1-877-774-2226 x102

Sally joined PHA Canada as the Education Programs Coordinator in June of 2020. Speaking both English and Mandarin, Sally is originally from China and has been living in Vancouver since the age of 16. At PHA Canada, she is responsible for leading initiatives to help the PH community manage and cope with living with PH. This includes working with stakeholders like community members, volunteers, and community partners to plan, establish, and implement educational resources, events, and activities.
 
While completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Food, Nutrition, and Health at the University of British Columbia (UBC) from 2015 to 2018, Sally collaborated with Vancouver Coastal Health, the City of Vancouver, and the Vancouver School Board on multiple community projects. One of her projects was to work on creating an ongoing food asset map used to combat food and nutrition insecurity in Metro Vancouver. Volunteering as a food demonstrator at the Richmond Foodbank for two years, she played a role in educating the public on topics that were beneficial to their daily health, along with training new volunteers.
 
Having completed her master’s degree in Food Science from UBC in 2018-2019, Sally’s concern for public health motivated her to pursue a practicum with the BC Centre for Disease Control. During her practicum, as a research associate and program coordinator, she liaised with different stakeholders including universities, regional health authorities, and the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. She also identified problems and offered solutions regarding public knowledge translation for consumers and manufacturers. She is now excited to bring her skills into play to PHA Canada and to work proudly to create a better living environment for those affected by PH.

Contact Sally for:

• Event requests
• Volunteer opportunities

sxchen@phacanada.ca

1-877-774-2226 x104