Board

Emmanuel is an international medical doctor with a master’s degree in bioethics. He is currently pursuing his PhD in public health with a concentration on epidemiology. For the past five years, his work to improve the quality of care to vulnerable populations has included the development of clinical campaigns providing assistance to under-serviced areas around Latin America. Emmanuel has a vested interest in medical equality for all, and has dedicated his professional career to this pursuit. He is honoured to be a part of the Pain BC board.

Nicole recently completed her master's degree in experimental medicine at UBC and continues to pursue research focusing on the relationship between stress and pain and Indigenous experiences of pain in Canada. She has volunteered with Pain BC for over two years, first with Pain Support and Wellness Groups and currently with Coaching for Health. Nicole’s worldview has been shaped by severe chronic pain since a young age, providing her with intimate insight into the physical, mental, and social repercussions of living with pain. She is honoured to join Pain BC’s board and for the opportunity to be a voice for younger people experiencing chronic pain.

Dr. Chawla is a physiatrist and pain medicine specialist. He is the co-founder of Canadian Pain & Regenerative Institute and holds cross appointments in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Department of Anesthesia for the Pain Clinic at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre, Surrey Memorial Hospital, and the Transitional Pain Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital. He teaches as faculty at the University of British Columbia at the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor and is a member of the Pain Medicine Subspecialty Committee at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He joined the Board of Directors at Pain BC to advocate for people living with chronic pain and facilitate systems level change for pain services.

Anna-Maria is a Chief Human Resources Officer for SureWerx, a global tool, safety and equipment company. She has dedicated years to creating passionate caring cultures, promoting professional and career development, creating equitable programs and solutions and driving safety cultures and discipline around safety. She serves as an executive member of the Executive Health and Safety Council of BC and on the Railtown board. She is also a wife and a proud mother of two daughters living with life-threatening allergies and dyslexia. Anna-Maria herself has been living with a herniated disk since her early 40s and lives with daily chronic pain. She is honored to be a member of the Pain BC board, in addition to being an advocate for people living with chronic pain. This year, Anna-Maria and her daughters are training for a 5K and 10K run.

Gary is an Associate Portfolio Manager at Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel. He works closely with a diverse group of pension plans, government entities, universities, not-for-profits, corporations and professional organizations on their investment strategies, as well as day-to-day client servicing. Prior to Leith Wheeler, he was an Investment Management Associate at a boutique hedge fund that specializes in derivative strategies designed to mitigate market volatility and generate additional portfolio yield. Gary attained a BCom with Honours from the University of British Columbia and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) designation. He currently serves as a Board Member for MOSAIC BC and previously co-chaired the CFA Society Vancouver Mentorship program.

Bio coming soon.