VIONC CHAIRS

Randy Marback, MD, CCFP

Clinical Instructor, UBC Faculty of Medicine
Division of Family Practice
GP in Oncology, Nanaimo Cancer Clinic
Nanaimo, BC

Dr. Randy Marback is a full time GP in Medical Oncology at the Nanaimo Cancer Clinic. Dr. Marback oversees outpatient chemotherapy for all tumor sites. Dr. Randy Marback completed his medical degree at UBC and went on to complete his internship at Dalhousie University. He was Co-Chair of GPOs of BC from 2004 to 2013 and President of ABCGPO from 2016 to 2022.

Wendy Lam, B Sc. (Pharm), MD, FRCPC

Hematologist and Medical Oncologist
Burnaby Hospital Regional Cancer Centre
Director, BC Community Oncology Trialists
Burnaby, BC

Dr. Wendy Lam is a hematologist and medical oncologist at the Burnaby Hospital Regional Cancer Centre.

She received her B.Sc (Pharmacy) at Dalhousie University and her MD from University of British Columbia. She then completed her Internal Medicine residency at UBC and Hematology fellowship at McMaster University.

She is the Founding Director of the British Columbia Community Oncology Trialists (BC Cot), which is a collaborative group of oncologists and hematologists involved in clinical research.

Her other interests include education of patients through meeting with patient groups. She has also been instrumental in organizing meetings for continued medical education.

She is Director of the Society of Hematology and Oncology of BC at British Columbia Medical Association

Abraham Alexander, BSc MD FRCPC

Radiation Oncologist,
BC Cancer Victoria
Victoria, BC

Dr Alexander is radiation oncologist at BC Cancer-Victoria with expertise in the management of CNS and genitourinary malignancies. He has worked in Victoria since 2006. In addition to patient care he also participates in clinical research and teaching.

Tara Baetz, MD, FRCPC

Medical Oncologist,
BC Cancer Victoria
Victoria, BC

Dr Tara Baetz is a medical oncologist who started her medical oncology training at BC Cancer agency Vancouver and then went to Kingston to do a fellowship in New Drug Development with the Canadian Cancer Trials Group. She was actively involved in clinical trials and research as well as administration roles while at Queen’s University. She recently joined BC Cancer Victoria and is actively involved in treatment at patients with skin cancer and lymphoma/CLL.

Arnaud Blanchet Saint-Pierre, MD, FRCPC, Bsc

Hematologist-Oncologist
BC Cancer Victoria
Victoria, BC

Dr. Blanchet Saint-Pierre has been practicing as a hematologist-oncologist at BC Cancer Victoria since September 2024. He completed his medical degree at Sherbrooke University in Quebec and his fellowship in hematology and oncology at Université Laval in Quebec. Previously, he worked as a staff hematologist-oncologist at the Rimouski Regional Hospital since 2019 and covered over 10 satellite chemotherapy centers spanning the lower Saint-Lawrence and Gaspesia. His pioneering work facilitated access to genetic screening tests in these regions. Notably, he established a genetic counseling clinic and a database for personalized monitoring of families carrying genetic mutations. This innovation earned him the 2022 Practice Evolution Award from the Quebec Cancer Control Program. Dr. Blanchet Saint-Pierre is firmly committed to bringing cutting-edge healthcare as well as facilitated access to specialty care for people of Vancouver Island.

Leathia Fiorino

Medical Oncologist, BC Cancer Victoria
Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Oncology
University of British Columbia,
Victoria, BC

Dr. Leathia Fiorino is a Medical Oncologist at the Vancouver Island Cancer Centre. Specializes in breast cancer , gynaecological malignancies, and lung cancer. Currently is the breast cancer site lead in Victoria and involved in clinical trials as well as Clinical Associate Professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Fiorino completed her Internal Medicine degree at the University of Manitoba. She then went on to complete her Medical Oncology fellowship in Vancouver, BC.

Adam Fundytus, MD, FRCPC, MPH

Medical Oncologist,
Victoria, BC

I am a Medical Oncologist from Victoria BC with an interest in GU and Breast Cancers. My background is in health policy with a specific focus on resource allocation and more specifically drug pricing relative to the benefits of currently available drugs.

Omar F. Khan, MD, MBA, FRCPC

Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Oncology
Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Calgary, AB

Dr. Omar Khan is a clinical assistant professor at the Cumming School of Medicine and medical oncologist at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. He completed his Medical Doctorate at the University of Calgary in 2013, followed by Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology residency training at the University of Calgary from 2013 – 2018. He completed a fellowship in Breast Cancer and Health Administration from 2018 – 2019. He also completed an executive MBA degree at the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario, graduating in 2020. His current clinical practice includes the breast cancer and sarcoma tumour groups. His research interests are in the application of artificial intelligence to clinical cancer care, including projects focusing on imaging biomarkers to predict prognosis in several tumour types (including lung, prostate, breast, colorectal and hepatocellular carcinomas).

Steve Kulla, BA, BSc, MD, CCFP

General Practitioner in Oncology, Nanaimo Cancer Clinic
Clinical Instructor, UBC Faculty of Medicine
Nanaimo, BC

Dr. Kulla is a GP in Oncology at the Nanaimo Cancer Clinic, overseeing outpatient treatments for all tumor sites. He completed Medical School at UBC, Family Medicine residency in Victoria, and had a Family Practice in Nanaimo before transitioning to full time work with BC Cancer in 2015.

Kari O’Hara, RN BSN CON (C)

Clinical Nurse Leader
NRGH Cancer Clinic
Nanaimo, BC

Registered nurse for 28 years, with the last 13 years being in oncology. Kari worked providing direct patient care in an Ambulatory Systemic Therapy Unit and currently works as the Clinical Nurse Leader at the NRGH Cancer Clinic.

Tanya Leduc, Bsc Pharm

Clinical Pharmacist,
BC Cancer Victoria
Victoria, BC

Tanya Leduc is a Clinical Pharmacist at BC Cancer Victoria. Her current clinical practice focuses on the care of breast cancer patients. She received her BSc Pharmacy at the University of Alberta.

Robin Love

Clinical Professor University of British Columbia (UBC)
Consultant in Palliative Care and co-leader of the Nepal Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration (TWCC) program.
Nanaimo, BC

Robin completed his MD at UBC in 1986 followed by 2 years at McGill University (Family Medicine). He moved to Nanaimo after residency and joined a full service family practice. Early in his career he developed an interest in Palliative Medicine.

He is a Clinical Professor at UBC and was actively involved in the UBC Faculty of Medicine program at the Nanaimo BC site on Vancouver Island.

He was the Medical Director of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Palliative care program since its inception in 1993. The program has a 12 bed inpatient acute unit, outpatient symptom management clinic and home visit service. He has retired from work as a Family Physician. He now works very part-time as a Palliative physician.
He has been involved in international program development and teaching since 2001 and has helped in Nepal consistently since 2005. He continues International volunteer work with (TWCC).

Dr. Love was the Continuing medical education chairman for the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians for 8 years.

He has received awards for teaching and contributions to the practice of medicine including:
British Columbia and Canadian College of Family Physicians “Community Family Physician of the Year” 2009
Professional Association of Residents of BC 2010 Award for Excellence in Teaching
College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC “Award of Excellence”
Canadian Society of Palliative Medicine Physicians “Lifetime Achievement Award” 2024

In his spare time, he does woodworking, woodturning, gardening and fishing. His wife Deirdre has supported him through all these adventures
since grade 11 .

Anne Morrison, MD, FCFP, GP oncology

Physician
Campbell River, BC

Anne was born and raised in Vancouver and completed her medical training in family practice at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. She moved to Campbell River in 2009 and trained in GP Oncology in 2013. She did additional training in palliative care in 2015 and now splits her time working in the cancer clinic and as a part of the palliative consult team. When she’s not working, she enjoys travelling and spending time with her husband and 3 kids.

Mark Sherman

Family Physician
Clinical instructor, UBC
Co-Chair, South Island Division of Family Practice
Meditation Teacher
Saanichton, BC

Mark Sherman is a proud father and husband who lives in Saanichton, BC on the traditional, unceded territory of the Tsartlip First Nation. He is a Family Physician, clinical instructor at UBC, co-chair of the South Island Division of Family Practice, and a meditation teacher. He is the former Executive Director, and founder, of the BC Association for Living Mindfully (BCALM), and the current Executive Director of Living This Moment.

Mark has been facilitating Mindfulness Based Stress Management workshops, courses and retreats for patients, physicians, health care professionals, educators, and community groups for over 15 years throughout Canada, and is currently working on his first book on Mindfulness in Medicine. Mark believes that mindfulness and meditation offer powerful tools in healing our minds and bodies, and are necessary human skills in fully living our potential and in engaging in healthy relationship with ourselves, each other and with the land upon which we depend.

Kevin Song MD FRCPC

Medical Director, Leukemia / Bone Marrow Transplant Program of British Columbia
Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC

Dr. Kevin Song is currently the Medical Director of the Leukemia / Bone Marrow Transplant Program of British Columbia and Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine in the University of British Columbia. He graduated from McGill University Medical School in 1995. He completed his hematology sub-specialization at the University of British Columbia followed by fellowships with the Leukemia Bone Marrow Transplant Program of British Columbia and the University of Toronto Autologous Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Princess Margaret Hospital. He has been with the Program since 2002. His areas of interest are in the study of therapies for myeloma and lymphomas. He was previously Vice-Chair of the Board of the Canada Myeloma Research Group. He is also actively involved in CAR T-cell therapies acting as the local PI for studies as well as being involved in committees for the implementation of CAR T-cells as standard therapies.

Eric Sonke, MDCM MSc FRCPC

Medical Oncologist, BC Cancer Victoria, Victoria, BC
Clinical Instructor, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, UBC
Victoria, BC

Dr. Eric Sonke is a medical oncologist at BC Cancer Victoria where he treats breast and genitourinary malignancies. He is a clinical instructor in the Division of Medical Oncology at UBC. He completed his BMSc and MSc at Western University in London, ON before completing his MDCM at McGill University in Montreal, QC. He then completed his internal medicine and medical oncology residencies through UBC in Victoria and Vancouver, respectively. His current research interests include the Provincial GU biobank and the role of the microbiome in immuno-oncology.

Katie Zimmerman

Director Cancer Care Strategy
Victoria, BC

My name is Katie Zimmerman. I am a Registered Emergency Nurse and I have been with Island Health since 2008. Prior to working in Cancer care, my leadership experience with Island Health includes Manager of Pandemic Planning, manager for Neurosciences at Victoria General Hospital and manager of Ambulatory Care south island. I have my Masters in Health Leadership from Royal Roads University.

I am a mother of two young boys and spend my free time playing sports with them and teaching them to fish.