2018 Award Recipients

Dr. Christy Sutherland serves as the Medical Director for the PHS Community Services Society, leading a team of physicians and nurses embedded in low-barrier, harm reduction projects.

A graduate of UBC’s family medicine residency program, she is now a clinical assistant professor at UBC, serving as a mentor to fellows, residents and students.

She is also a member of the St. Paul’s Hospital Addiction Medicine Consult Team, an addiction physician for WorkSafe BC and the Education Physician Lead for the BC Centre on Substance Use.

Dr. Sutherland was recently awarded the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award from the St. Paul’s Hospital GoldCorp Addiction Medicine Fellowship, where she is a preceptor for fellows. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, participating in research grants and initiatives that focus on improving the lives of vulnerable populations.

Dr. Leona Harries graduated from the University of Calgary Medical School in 1988 and completed a Rotating Internship at St Thomas Hospital and Medical Center in Akron, Ohio.

Since 1990, she and her husband, Dr. Jeff Harries, have shared a family medicine practice in Penticton. Third partner and friend, Dr. Colwyn Wren, joined them in 1997. Dr. Harries combines her life as a family physician with raising a family and operating a small, three-acre vineyard at her home. She describes her life as a family physician as rich and highly rewarding and would like to thank her patients for “their trust in me, and the honour they pay me by allowing me to care for them.”

Dr. Bent Hougesen has been a family physician in Hazelton for the past 25 years, where his practice has included emergency care, obstetrics, anesthesia, inpatient and outpatient care, community medicine and medical education.

He established a successful family practice clinic in 2005 and has also developed the popular “Starting Smart” perinatal program. To make a difference and be helpful to others has always been most rewarding and gratifying for him. Currently a UBC clinical professor, Dr. Hougesen was previously the Family Medicine Residency Program Director at the University of Calgary (Foothills Hospital). Internationally he has actively promoted Family Medicine in the People’s Republic of China and the Philippines.

Dr. Kelsey Kozoriz has a diverse practice that spans newborn care to geriatrics at Forward Care Medical in East Vancouver.

She has been in practice for seven years and has more recently become involved in residency teaching through UBC, where she completed both her medical degree and residency training. Dr. Kozoriz has a special interest in obesity medicine and the use of evidence-based, therapeutic nutrition in treating chronic diseases such as diabetes. She is passionate about using group medical visits and supporting her patients in achieving their best health through exercise, nutrition, and mental wellness. Dr. Kozoriz is a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

Dr. Kevin Martin has been a family physician in Nanaimo for the past 10 years.

He is also involved in community work, seeing patients at the John Barsby Wellness Centre as well as in his office practice. In his clinical work, he appreciates the opportunity to diagnose medical conditions and coordinate care while understanding each patient’s history and life story. He also appreciates the ability to change lives for the better and help people to realize the opportunity within their own lives. Dr. Martin is currently a Doctors of BC Representative Assembly delegate and previously served as chair of the Oceanside Division of Family Practice.

Dr. Nick Petropolis works in New Westminster, splitting time between his office and residential care practice. The son of a family physician, Dr. Petropolis grew up in Halifax, and witnessed the positive impact on his community from a passionate, caring full-service family practice.

This influenced his practice style greatly, as Dr. Petropolis strives to care for patients “the right way, not the easy way: with patience, empathy and as a partner in their health journey.” Outside of practice he is a proud partner and father, dragging his kids to the playground and the occasional house call, just like his own father did.

Dr. Terri Aldred is Carrier from the Tl’Azt’En Nation located north of Fort St. James.

She is the Site Director for the Indigenous Family Medicine Program, family physician for Carrier Sekani Family Services, the Medical Director for the Prince George Foundry Clinic, and the Indigenous Lead for the Rural Coordination Centre of BC. She is passionate about Indigenous health, physician well-being, and medical education.

The Innovations in Primary Care award recognizes five family physicians from the Pacific Northwest Division of Family Practice ((Houston, Smithers, Terrace and Haida Gwaii) who are leads in CHANGE BC: Drs. Jocelyn Black, Brenda Huff, Greg Linton, Matthew Menard, Wouter Morkel and Onuora Odoh.

CHANGE (Canadian Health Advanced by Nutrition and Graded Exercise) BC, is a team-based approach of integrating nutrition and exercise interventions into primary care networks. By adding dietitians and kinesiologists into primary care settings to work collaboratively alongside family doctors, patients can be supported through an effective yet personalized program. CHANGE BC is lead by an experienced group of researchers, health professionals, and health administrators collaborating to implement an innovative approach to treating patients with metabolic syndrome.