Faculty of Medicine staff honoured with 2024 UBC President’s Awards

Hsiu-Ju Chang, Research Manager, UBC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

Hsiu-Ju (she/her) has been recognized for her work as a highly skilled research manager, leader, and mentor who creates a supportive and inclusive environment at the UBC Centre for Disease Control. 

She routinely goes above the requirements of her role to provide a high quality of service to students, faculty and staff. Her enthusiasm, masterful liaising, and research experience have contributed to increased research grant funding and professional development opportunities for her colleagues and mentees, including many early career researchers.

Michelle Wong, Senior Director, Research, Faculty of Medicine and Executive Director, Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH)

Michelle (she/her) has been recognized for her commitment to advancing strategic research priorities at UBC and her exceptional leadership and strategic planning which have elevated collaborative research endeavors at the Faculty, the university and the wider research community.

She consistently goes above and beyond in her leadership to the health research community at UBC and beyond. She played a key role in harmonizing research ethics, privacy, and contract processes for clinical trials within the province, in addition to leading important research initiatives like the COVID-19 Clinical Research Coordination Initiative and Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub.

Carmen de Hoog, Director of Strategic Planning and Operations, School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME)

Carmen (she/her) has been recognized for her leadership which exemplifies a blend of strategic vision, operational excellence and a commitment to fostering an inclusive and dynamic academic community.

With her people-first leadership style, Carmen creates an environment of inclusivity and respect across various operational areas. One hallmark of her leadership is her focus on mentorship and professional development, which enables her team to feel valued, supported, and empowered to achieve their full potential.

David Tsukada, Student Services Manager, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

David (he/him) has been recognized for excellence in managing the entire student lifecycle, from pre-admission through alumni support and delivering outstanding personalized service and support.

He is an advocate and resource for inclusive programs, policies, and practices in the Occupational Therapy Program. He is mindful of EDI principles and actively promotes workshops and events to enhance student engagement and belonging.

Shawna Narayan, Research Analyst, Department of Family Practice

Shawna (she/her) has been recognized for implementing equity and inclusion principles in diverse participant recruitment and accessibility, community engagement and collaboration, and learning cultural competencies.

In addition to her skillful coordination of research activities, she works tirelessly to promote respect and belonging for systematically underrepresented and marginalized communities. Her commitment to fostering inclusive environments extends to mentoring underrepresented students, providing both academic and practical research support. 

Joanne Wouterse, Undergraduate Program Coordinator; Jennifer Xenakis, Educational Services Manager; Jenny Tai, Research Assistant Tech and Juliana Li, Teaching Technician, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences (BMLSc) program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

The BMLSc Support Team has been recognized for their tireless dedication and exemplary teamwork which has contributed to building a supportive and effective learning environment for over a decade.

They work with faculty to ensure students are provided with a nurturing environment in which they observe, learn and practice respect, equity, inclusion and constructive collaboration. The team exemplifies a high standard of collaboration and genuine care for student success.