HENRIETTA SOUTHAM

Henrietta Southam is a multidisciplinary creative who was born into an art and performance passionate environment. Educated in Europe, Canada and the US, her work has been extensively featured in numerous publications. A champion of Canadian design and art, Henrietta strives to use her platform to shine a spotlight on her birth country’s excellence.

Founder and Principal at Henrietta Southam Design.

Henrietta has also had an influential hand in political image consulting. Currently Director on CCAR (Consul for Canadian and American Relations), Henrietta’s background in the Military and Arts Philanthropy is storied and multigenerational.

Dr. Jeanne Talbot recently ended her tenure as Program Director of the Psychiatry Residency Program at the University of Ottawa. Prior to that she was the Psychotherapy Director and the head of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training Program. Jeanne cofounded the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Jeanne’s doctoral studies in neuroscience at the Montreal Neurological Institute led to a seminal study using neuroimaging techniques which examined pain processing in the brain. Her more recent research focuses on the use of ketamine to treat chronic depression; particularly the addition of behavior therapy approaches to augment the effect of ketamine. She is also committed to furthering her research on the use of psilocybin in chronic depression. 

Dr. Talbot completed her psychiatry training at University of Toronto and McGill University. She is a member of the Psychiatry Specialty Subcommittee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She has lectured in Canada and around the world about the importance of achieving mental wellness through behavioral change. She has long modeled her teaching by staying physically, mentally and spiritually healthy by enjoying a wide range of outdoor activities – cycling, skiing, hiking, paddling - with like-minded friends.

Sam grew up in Chilliwack, BC with adventurous parents and his two siblings who spent as much time as possible playing in the local mountains before embarking on a multi-year trip across the world on their 33 foot sailboat. His childhood kickstarted Sam’s unquenchable desire for adventure which now continuously takes him to the wilderness for Paragliding, Ultra marathon Running, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Scuba Diving, Spear Fishing, Surfing, Sailing, Paddle Boarding, Whitewater Kayaking / Packrafting, Backcountry Skiing and Mountain Biking. His 20’s were spent in Northern BC and Alberta tree planting in the summer, followed by extended trips around the world taking him to over 50 countries on 6 continents. In university Sam studied international development, conflict studies, business, and leadership and is currently enrolled in a Masters of Leadership Program at Royal Roads University.

In 2012 Sam opened his outdoor retail store and guiding company, Mt. Waddington’s Outdoors in Chilliwack. His business’ mission was to connect the community of Chilliwack to the mountains and build in its clients a passion for the world that surrounds them. In 2014 Sam successfully ran for Chilliwack City Council where he served a 4 year term in office, both at the City and the Fraser Valley Regional District. He was also elected to the Board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities where he represented BC in that capacity for 2 terms. Recently he co-founded the Fraser Valley Trails Alliance, The Fraser Valley Climbing Society, and a new guiding venture, Ascent Fraser Valley Guides and Mountain School.

Supervisor, Community Outreach and Education: The Nature School

Toronto Region Conservation Authority

Robert Wallis has a PhD. in Genetics from Oxford University, and a B.Ed. from OISE, Toronto. After completing his Doctorate and two post-doctoral fellowships in Genetics he changed careers to focus on education. After spending 13 years instructing and advocating for access to outdoor education as Principal of Outward Bound Canada, Robert now heads up 4 ‘Nature Schools’ across the Greater Toronto Area as Supervisor, Community Outreach and Education at the Toronto Region Conservation Authority.

As a passionate advocate for getting students out into nature to experience first hand wonders of the natural, his goal is ‘to democratize outdoor education so that it is accessible to all school-aged youth in Canada.

Nature schools provide a platform to improve a young person’s mental and physical health, connect them with nature, and help them develop a respect for the natural world that inspires them to protect it. Being involved with the Canadian Health and Fitness Institute creates a valuable avenue to further this work, connecting with like-minded, passionate individuals targeting the same ultimate vision to enhance the physical, mental and spiritual health of all Canadians. I bring to the Institute not only experience in education, program evaluation and impact assessment, but also academic medical research from earlier in my career studying diabetes and metabolic diseases, and a growing network of research professionals focused on the benefits of time spent outdoors.

Dr. Darren Warburton is a Professor and the co-Director of the Physical Activity Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Unit (UBC). He is the inaugural Scholar within the Indigenous Studies in Kinesiology program, and the founder of the Cardiovascular Physiology and Rehabilitation Laboratory and the Indigenous Physical Activity and Health program at UBC. He was also the director of the Sport Cardiology and Musculoskeletal Assessment Research Team (SMART 2010) for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

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An expert in conducting surveys on health and fitness matters, his research spans the spectrum of Indigenous health and wellness, elite athletic performance, childhood health, and the treatment of patients with chronic disease and/or disability.

Jake is a political science student athlete in Third Year at the University of BritishColumbia, Vancouver. As an endurance athlete competing at the varsity-collegiate level, he understands the importance of the maintenance of good physical and mental health. Jake is fluent in both English and French, as well as proficient in Mandarin Chinese. He has studied Mandarin in Taichung, Taiwan and Changchun. In addition to maintaining a full course load and training and competing at the varsity level, Jake manages to find time to ski, swim, and kayak.

Jordan (Meimei) Weston, from Vancouver, Canada, is a Harvard College graduate in History of Science and Government, ’23. She works on Parliament Hill in Communications for the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs, MP Michael Chong.

In the past, Jordan served a Harvard Alex G. Booth research fellowship in Bergen, Norway, learning how Canada can model its energy and sustainability systems and policies after Norway. Passionate about educating, inspiring and empowering youth, she has experience working in Senegal on a women empowerment project, in rural Vietnam teaching in an area with low education and graduation rates, and mentoring underprivileged children in rural Boston

through the Harvard Education Portal.

Jordan is a founding advisor of the Canadian Health and Fitness Institute, rowed on Harvard’s Women’s Varsity Lightweight team, and enjoys training for marathons in her free time. As physical activity has had such a positive impact in her life, she hopes to encourage Canadians to get active through her potential careers in foreigh service, public service, and politics.

Health and fitness have always been overarching themes throughout Shane’s life. He is a Third Year economics student at Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario who has studied and worked in Ottawa, Vancouver, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. He speaks English and French fluently and has Mandarin conversational ability. For five years, on a part-time or seasonal basis, he has worked to serve marginalized men at Ottawa’s Mission and has observed firsthand the importance of physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

He is excited to be part of something that will have a positive impact on Canadians’ lives. 

Jeffrey Wilson has worked at the interface of economic, environmental and wellbeing research and policy for over 17 years. Jeff specializes in economic and sustainability research, natural capital accounting, wellbeing research, indicator development, ecosystem goods and services valuation, and strategy and policy development for sustainability transitions. Jeff is an assistant professor in the School of Environment, Enterprise & Development, University of Waterloo, Canada and director of Terrametrics Research Lab, a thinktank that brings together academics and practitioners to advance low carbon pathways. He has numerous publications in peer reviewed journals, grey literature, and several book chapters.

With leadership experience in consulting firms including his own established in 2003 and a keen understanding of success in both the public and private sectors, Ed Arundell brings to his clients his 40 years of experience.  

Ed is motivated to work at the borders of the public, private, and community sectors. He applies his expertise in communications, management, and government to help organizations increase their mutual understanding, improve their organizational effectiveness, and achieve better outcomes.

In the private sector Ed has directed integrated communications and public affairs campaigns domestically and globally. He Was Executive Vice President of Hill and Knowlton Canada and managed the Toronto office of this multi-million-dollar communications and government relations firm. He has held senior executive positions in some of Canada’s largest multinational firms (Noranda Mines, Abitibi Price and Massey Ferguson) and had many more leading international corporations as clients. Ed also established the Canadian office of Technology Assessment Group, a US-based, health-outcomes research firm and contributed to several health outcomes studies. 

Ed also has senior experience in the public sector, at both the federal and provincial levels. He was Chief of Staff to Hon. Benoit Bouchard, Canada’s Minister of Health and Welfare and Industry Science and Technology (1990-1993); Director of Communications for  Ontario Premier Mike Harris (1996) and Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Minister of Health, Tony Clement (2002-2003). In the latter position, he helped steer Ontario’s response to the SARS epidemic (2002-2003) and push forward health technology assessment within the Ministry. One study that emerged was a meta-analysis of factors that promote healthy ageing; physical activity far outweighed all other lifestyle and medical factors in promoting long term health. 

He received a B.A. (Honours) in political science from Trent University in 1974 and was chosen as one of ten Parliamentary Interns in Ottawa upon graduation.  As a Commonwealth Scholar (1975-1980), he pursued graduate studies and worked as a lecturer in political science at the University of Western Australia and in 1994 as a Sloan Fellow at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business he completed a master’s degree in business.

Ed has been active as a political volunteer, involved in all aspects of campaign management at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. 

He has volunteered for a number of community agencies and Boards including the Ontario Advisory Council on Women’s Issues, The Earlscourt Child and Family Centre, The Developing Countries Farm Radio Network, The Canadian Council on Smoking and Health, and The Fort York Foundation.  He was the founding president of the Public Affairs Association of Canada and currently is Vice-Chair of the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation and the volunteer Director of Strategic Communication for the Canadian Health and Fitness Institute.  

Ed is married with two sons and two grandchildren, enjoys fly fishing, wine collecting and tennis.  A younger passion for rugby union has turned from an active pursuit to a more passive reverence.

Melody is an Emergency Medicine physician based in Toronto. In her line of work, she is reminded on a daily basis of how valuable health is and what happens when it is taken away. She feels honoured to be in a profession where she is able to help others in their critical moments. 

She has a parallel interest in Integrative Medicine and Health Optimization, where she believes in adopting a proactive and holistic approach to one’s health. Whether it be through regular exercise, nutritional optimization, or other supportive treatment modalities, she is passionate about helping patients achieve optimal health. 

Melody's goals are naturally aligned with those of CHFI. She has always led an active lifestyle herself, and is dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle not just within her own patients, but on a broader scale amongst Canadians.  

In her spare time, she loves spending time with her young children and encouraging them to be active! 

Katie joined BC Recreation and Parks Association as CEO in 2022 after a long tenure in public health focusing on quality systems and improvement at the BC Centre for Disease Control. Her passion is system-level engagement and partnership in health promotion and disease prevention. 

Katie grew up in recreation and parks, having been a fitness and dance instructor, lifeguard, camp leader/manager, support worker, and festival visual arts coordinator, and participant in the Olympic Academy of Canada. Her connection to recreation continues as a parent and coach, with two active school-aged children busy with soccer, hockey, swimming, dance, music, mountain biking, and many other outdoor pursuits.  Her latest challenge is navigating an e-bike commute with some regularity.

Katie holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from UBC, and dual undergraduate degrees from Queen's University in Physical and Health Education (BPHE) and Film (BA).  She is grateful to make her home on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish people including the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh in North Vancouver.

Black Maple was founded by Aaron and his brother. Aaron grew up on a large maple syrup and beef farm in Watson's Corners, Ontario and moved to Mission B.C. in his late teens. Derived from his upbringing, Aaron is well versed in trail construction and navigating the forest in all seasons. Constructing trails and cabins is something he not only does for work but also pleasure. Promoting a healthy lifestyle while getting to explore and enjoy Canada's vast wilderness is a value that Black Maple Construction works to instill within their company culture and community. 

Peter is a seasoned professional in developing innovative health and social business solutions, drawing on a comprehensive background of over 25 years in emergency medicine. His entrepreneurial endeavors include founding three impactful ventures: a successful social enterprise with over 20 employees and a decade of sustained success, a digital health start-up focused on scalable lifestyle prevention outcomes, and a digital platform connecting individuals worldwide through exercise, reminiscent of the early concept of "Meetup" before widespread adoption.

Known for his visionary approach, Peter excels in identifying practical solutions to complex health challenges. His commitment to problem-solving is marked by a determined and analytical approach. Recently appointed as the first physician embedded within a large city school district of 60,000 students, Peter has two key mandates: addressing sedentary lifestyles among students and rectifying healthcare access inequities for those in immediate need within the school system.

With a problem-based mindset cultivated through diverse roles such as an emergency physician, STARS flight physician, and rural medical director, Peter confronts challenges with unwavering determination. His resilience is demonstrated through international competition as a Canadian badminton team member, dedicated service as the U of A Medical Class of ’94 class president, leadership in demanding medical situations, and active involvement in numerous committees driving initiatives towards success.

Peter's primary focus is on addressing the prevalence of Lifestyle Modifiable Diseases in North American societies, impacting healthcare resources and costs. He advocates for scalable solutions leveraging the digital space to minimize workflow disruptions while maximizing positive outcomes in communities. From Peter's perspective, a solution exists, and he is dedicated to its realization.

Jai Bawa is an experienced architectural designer and project manager with a demonstrated history of working in the architecture, project management & planning industry. He is skilled in AutoCAD, Building Energy Modeling, Laser Scanning, 3D Visualization, 3D Printing, Autodesk Revit, and Construction. He has a strong arts and design background with a Professional Degree in Architecture - B.Arch (1st Division) and two Post Grad Certificates focused in Green Architecture and Project Management.

Pamela Martin is a trail-blazing and award-winning news anchor and journalist who brought critical issues into the homes of British Columbians for over 30 years.    For more than three decades at BCTV and CTV, Pamela was an integral member of a team that created and produced the highest-rated and most-watched local newscast in Canada, anchoring, reporting, and producing.  Encouraging Canadians to advocate for their own health has always been a priority and she produced a nightly Health Segment on the News Hour for over a decade.

She subsequently volunteered to help elect the first woman Premier of British Columbia.  

As Director of Outreach in the Office of Premier Christy Clark, Pamela engaged with stakeholders around the province and helped to advance issues in the BC economy for families. 

Pamela has volunteered for numerous organizations, including as honourary chair of the Canadian Cancer Society campaigns and as co-chair of the United Way campaign. She currently serves on several boards, including the Coast Mental Health Foundation, the Pacific Autism Family Network Foundation, and the Plunge for the Cure Foundation to crush ovarian cancer. 

Fitness has always been a priority for Pamela. Most of her hobbies are sports: snow and water skiing, skating, and competitive swimming in her earlier years, and later golfing, biking, hiking, kayaking, paddling and pickleball! 

Chike Okwara is a dedicated advocate for sustainability and community wellbeing, with a strong focus on education, health, and environmental stewardship. As a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company, Chike has led initiatives that align with his commitment to sustainable growth and social equity. His academic background includes a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a focus on sustainability from the University of British Columbia, and a First Class Honours Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos.
Beyond his professional role, Chike founded The SEED Initiative, an NGO that provides sustainability services to rural communities. Through this platform, he has successfully led numerous projects that have significantly improved the quality of life in underserved areas. Chike’s approach to wellbeing integrates his expertise in sustainability with a holistic view of social and environmental factors, driving meaningful and lasting change in the communities he serves.

Jules is a mom, wife, daughter & friend above all. She discovered fitness when she walked into her local YMCA as a young adult, where she went on to teach group fitness classes and nutrition courses. After years of lifting in the weight room and being a spin class aficionado, a miracle pregnancy led her out of the gym and into the outdoors where she started running for the first time in her life.

It was during a very intense battle with postpartum depression that Jules found triathlon (on the advice of her doctor)! Within a few years, she would go on to race in the front of the pack, landing over 30 podiums and finishing well within the top 10 in her category at the World Championship. All while building a thriving career!

Through her work in regulatory affairs, global compliance, and government relations Jules helps small business owners make sense of ever-evolving policies and legislation.

Whether she was racing triathlon, gravel cycling, cyclocross or now in trail running, she injects love into the sports community by volunteering, speaking at events, being an ambassador to various races and brands in effort to encourage an active lifestyle. She has never shied away from sharing her message of hope for those who suffer from depression. Jules is now a masters athlete who still has a lot of racing in her, though her true passion is to enjoy a good run with good people as she is convinced that together, we will change the world!

Pete joined Outward Bound Canada in 2016 and has worked in the outdoor sector for more than 25 years. He brings his sense of humour and passion for Canada’s wild places to everything he does at OBC. Working closely with the regional program teams at OBC's Canmore, Vancouver and Vancouver Island locations, Pete provides opportunities for young people across Canada to experience OBC's meaningful and impactful expeditions that are a true catalyst for change.

In his spare time, you’ll find Pete enjoying the mountains, rivers and ocean around Vancouver Island, where he calls home.

Rose Kamyab, Resident Doctor in Internal Medicine. She enjoys practicing mindfulness, hiking, indoor cycling, and promoting dignified care for the elderly.