Division Leadership

To connect with any of the members of the Division of Palliative Care Leadership Team, please reach out to palliativecare.admin@ubc.ca to have your email forwarded to the appropriate contact. 

DIVISION OF PALLIATIVE CARE TEAM:

Fify Soeyonggo, Division Head

Dr. Fify Soeyonggo, MD, CCFP (PC), FRCPC (PM)

Division Head of Palliative Care
Clinical Assistant Professor

Fify grew up all over the world before settling in Canada. She completed all of her medical training including undergraduate medical education, Family Medicine Residency and Year of Added Competency in Palliative Care at the University of Ottawa. After enjoying many wonderful years in the capital of Canada, she began her career as a Palliative Care Physician in Mississauga, Ontario prior to moving to British Columbia. She is currently working with an amazing inter-professional team in the Tri-Cities, providing palliative care service in both hospital and community settings. Her interests include building capacity through palliative care education, improving collaboration amongst health care providers, promoting physician wellness and resiliency, and supporting the development of compassionate leaders in medicine. She is a firm believer in life-long learning and she feels very privileged to be surrounded by inspiring colleagues and mentors of various backgrounds.

Kelsey Jay, B.Sc.

Division Head Assistant

St John Hospice (Lower Entrance), 6389 Stadium Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

dopc.headassistant@ubc.ca | Fax: 604.806.9643

Kelsey completed her BSc in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology in 2014 at SFU and has experience in multiple healthcare settings including being a part of Vancouver Coastal Health since 2016. She has a passion for healthcare, project management, event planning and team building. Her hobbies include fitness, traveling with her husband (45 countries and counting!) and hiking with her dog.

Dr. Pippa Hawley, MD, FRCPC (IM and PM)

Associate Head of Research
Clinical Professor

Dr. Hawley is a general internist by background, and has been the Medical Director of BC Cancer’s Pain and Symptom Management/Palliative Care Program, since 1997. She is currently the PI and sponsor of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the effects of medical cannabis oil extracts on symptoms in cancer patients, and working with medical student and junior colleague on two studies on the use of methadone for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. She is keen to make participation in medical research more patient-centred and is a co-author of “Lap of Honour: a no fear guide to living well with dying”, for patients and their families living with serious illness. Pippa has carried out qualitative research on medical cannabis use in cancer patients and on implantable intrathecal infusion pumps for cancer pain.

Dr. Adam Fowler, MD, CCFP (PC), FRCPC (PM)

Associate Head of Education and CME Day Lead
Clinical Instructor

Adam is a palliative care specialist working on Vancouver’s North Shore, based out of Lions Gate Hospital. He is passionate about education and the ongoing improvement of palliative practice. To this end, he has engaged in education from beside resident teaching, to lectures, to (most recently) assuming the role of the Associate Head of Education at the University of British Columbia. Over his decade of practice, he has worked across Canada and in New Zealand. He stays sane admiring his collection of bowties and with his two perfect cats, Cupcake and Creme Brulee.

Dr. Joseph Westgeest, MD, CCFP (PC)

Associate Head of Wellness and Faculty Development

Joseph Westgeest is very excited to be joining the Division. He completed his Family Medicine residency at UBC in 2019 before working as a hospitalist and GP in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He returned to UBC and completed his palliative care training in 2022. Outside of work, Joseph enjoys spending time with his family, usually on a trail.

Dr. Matthieu Hubert, MD, CCFP (PC)

Educational Rounds Lead
Clinical Instructor

Matthieu Hubert completed his M.D. at the Université de Montréal and his family medicine residency at the University of Toronto. He subsequently completed his Year of Added Competency in palliative care at the University of British Columbia. He now practices palliative care in Providence Health and at Vancouver Hospice. He has a passion for medical education and is happy to lead the division’s educational rounds. His hobbies include learning Spanish and traveling.

RESIDENCY EDUCATION TEAM:

Dr. Julia Ridley, MD, CCFP(PC), M.Ed., FCFP, FRCPC (PM)

Program Director (Royal College Subspecialty): Palliative Medicine Subspecialty Residency Program, UBC
Clinical Assistant Professor

Julia is a Palliative Medicine physician, with experience working in BC and Ontario. She completed the Year of Added Competency in Palliative Care at UBC, after completing a Family Medicine Residency, and has worked in acute care, outpatient clinics and as a consultant in Palliative Care since 2008. She has a Master’s in Education from the University of Toronto, and as previous research lead for the division, has interests in research on education, communication and symptom management. She is currently working in the Pain and Symptom Management/Palliative Care Program at BC Cancer, as well as a Medical Advisor for the BC Centre for Palliative Care. She joined UBC as Program Director for the Royal College Subspecialty Palliative Medicine Program in 2019.

Dr. Shannon Bunn, MD, CCFP (PC), FRCPC (PM)

Program Director (Enhanced Skills): Palliative Medicine Residency Program
Clinical Instructor

Shannon is a Palliative Medicine physician currently practicing at Vancouver General Hospital. She completed medical school and residency in Family Medicine at the University of Toronto. Following this she completed the Year of Added Competency in Palliative Care at the University of British Columbia in 2015/16. In 2021 she completed the Physician Leadership Program with the UBC Sauder School Business. Shannon was a member of the Palliative Care Enhanced Skills Competency Committee for three years and will be taking on the role of Program Director for the UBC Palliative Care Enhanced Skills Program in 2023/24.

Dr. Cloé Solanki, MD, CCFP (PC)

Resident Wellness Co-Lead

Cloé is a palliative medicine physician and family physician working in Southern Vancouver Island. She completed her palliative care training at UBC in 2022. She is originally from Alberta and obtained her Medical Degree at the University of Calgary. Cloé looks forward to supporting resident wellness for the UBC Palliative Care Residency Programs.

Dr. Anoo Tamber, MD, CCFP (PC), FRCPC (PM)

Resident Wellness Co-Lead
Clinical Assistant Professor

Anoo is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Division of Palliative Care at the University of British Columbia.  She is presently working as a palliative care consultant at Surrey Memorial Hospital and in the Pain and Symptom/ Palliative Care Clinic at BC Cancer. She received her medical degree from the University of Alberta, completed a residency in Family Medicine with the University of British Columbia and Year of Added Competency in Palliative Care at the University of Toronto.  She developed an interest in medical education while in Toronto, where she completed the Education Scholars Program with the Centre for Faculty Development.  In 2009 she moved to the US.  Here she received her board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and worked as a palliative care consultant for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for a number of years. In Pittsburgh she served on several committees; including the Subspecialty Education Committee as well as the Palliative Fellowship Program Committee.  She has an interest in scholarship in medical education and most recently has been collaborating on a project with colleagues in Pittsburgh, using the VITALtalk framework, and a coaching intervention to prepare residents to have goals of care conversations. She was the Program Director, Enhanced Skills from 2019-2023.

Stephanie Milne, Program Assistant

Stephanie Milne, B.A.

Lead Academic Coordinator

St John Hospice (Lower Entrance), 6389 Stadium Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

palliativecare.admin@ubc.ca | Phone: 604.806.9686 ext: 64941 | Fax: 604.806.9643

Stephanie completed her undergrad in psychology and a certificate in public relations at SFU and recently joined the UBC community in 2021. She is passionate about healthcare, leadership and organization and looking forward to supporting faculty and learners in the division of palliative care.