UBC Department of Psychiatry Staffing Updates | July 2023

UBC Department of Psychiatry Staffing Updates | July 2023

Dear Department members,

I wish to share with you some staffing updates regarding our UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office.

Firstly, we are delighted to welcome to our team Dr. Nicole Sanford, who has accepted the role of Research Manager for the UBC Institute of Mental Health (IMH) as of July 1, 2023. Nicole was previously a Postdoctoral Fellow in the research group led by Dr. Sophia Frangou, and in her new role as IMH Research Manager, she will be responsible for the planning and coordination of all activities of the IMH, including supporting fundraising activities, coordinating the annual IMH Marshall Fellows adjudication process, and contributing to the development of grant proposals, scientific papers, and other research-related materials. She will work closely with investigators, health care providers and leaders, administrators, and community partner/organizations, and will serve as a liaison between these groups and the UBC Psychiatry Administration Office. She may be reached by email at nicole.sanford@ubc.ca.

As well, we are thrilled to share that Ms. Klara Labady has joined our team as the new Executive Coordinator for the Office of the Department Head and IMH Director as of Monday July 10.  Klara brings to this role her extensive experience in an academic office setting, having previously served as an Assistant to the Chair of Creative Arts at Red River College Polytechnic in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  We are confident that her strong administrative skills and many years in an executive support role will be a great asset to the Head’s Office and the UBC Psychiatry Administration team. Klara will be situated in the main Administration Office on the 2nd Floor at UBC Hospital, Detwiller Pavilion (UBC Campus), and may be reached by email at psychiatry.headasst@ubc.ca.

Please join me in warmly welcoming both Nicole and Klara to their respective new roles in the UBC Department of Psychiatry!

Sincerely,

Vicky Yau
Director, Administration
UBC Department of Psychiatry

The UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office respectfully acknowledges the land on which we live, work and play is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh).

Congratulations to Dr. Terrance Snutch, Recipient of the 2023 Margolese National Brain Disorders Prize

The Department warmly congratulates Professor Dr. Terrance Snutch, who has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Margolese National Brain Disorders Prize by the UBC Faculty of Medicine. This award recognizes Dr. Snutch’s outstanding translational research, which has contributed significantly to the development of new therapeutic targets relevant to multiple neurological diseases.

As a foremost expert and pioneer in molecular neurobiology, Dr. Snutch’s ground-breaking work has laid the foundation for important areas in the broad field of calcium channel research, and has led to key advancements in understanding fundamental mechanisms in neurobiology.  He achieved a number of important firsts in this area, including his novel findings demonstrating that the brain expresses a functionally diverse family of calcium channels, and also describing and elucidating the previously unknown R-type calcium channel. As a true innovator and visionary in the field, Dr. Snutch has contributed greatly to the design of first-in-class drugs aimed at treating brain disorders, the identification of numerous new molecular targets underlying brain diseases, screening methodologies and improved drug oral formulations, as reflected in over 100 U.S. and international issued patents.

Dr. Snutch has been a long-serving faculty member at UBC since 1989, holding joint appointments as a Professor with the Michael Smith Laboratories, the UBC Department of Psychiatry, the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, and the UBC Department of Zoology.  He was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2001, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2008, and in 2016, as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. In 2021, Dr. Snutch was the recipient of the Bill and Marilyn Webber Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his distinguished career at UBC.

Congratulations once again to Dr. Snutch on receiving this extraordinary honour by the UBC Faculty of Medicine!

Read the full announcement here.

Departure of Dr. Jennifer Russel, CAP Subspecialty Program Director

Dear colleagues,

It is with mixed feelings that we announce that Dr. Jennifer Russel will be leaving her position as the UBC Psychiatry Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Subspecialty Program Director effective August 31, 2023, as she has accepted the prestigious position of Psychiatrist in Chief at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto. We are thrilled that she has been offered this exciting and well-deserved advancement opportunity, which speaks to her exceptional qualifications and track record, and are delighted that her move will bring her family closer to loved ones in Ontario. That said, we will dearly miss Dr. Russel and the fantastic leadership she brought to the CAP Subspecialty Program.

Appointed as the CAP Subspecialty Program Director in 2021, Dr. Russel has provided outstanding direction and support to the Program over the last 2.5 years. Notably, she oversaw the successful implementation of Competence by Design (CBD) within CAP Subspecialty education as of July 1, 2021, and has since ensured the Program has continued to fully meet RCPSC standards of accreditation. As well, she led the implementation of Junior Attending call for PGY 6, in keeping with the transition to CBD.  Since her appointment, the CAP Subspecialty Program increased from 6 to 10 positions, and over the duration of her term, Dr. Russel has focused on the development of CAP education to distributed sites, especially in the North, where we now have our first Lead Resident from NIHA. Dr. Russel has been an incredible leader in many other regards, building a wonderful rapport with residents and going above and beyond to provide guidance, mentorship, and support in their learning, career preparation, and personal wellness.

Dr. Russel joined the UBC Department of Psychiatry in 2011, and was promoted first to Clinical Assistant Professor in 2015 and then to Clinical Associate Professor in 2022.  She previously served as Clinical Director for the Compass Program at BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) as well as Medical Director for the BCCH Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatient Unit, and since 2021 has served as Associate Head of Psychiatry at BCCH. In 2020, Dr. Russel was named a Physician Changemaker by the Canadian Medical Association.

On behalf of the entire UBC Department of Psychiatry, we sincerely thank Dr. Russel for her many significant contributions to the Program and the Department. As she prepares to step down from this role, the Department will be initiating a formal search and selection process in the coming days to fill this vacancy.

Please join us in wishing Dr. Russel all the best as she moves into her new leadership role in Toronto!

Sincerely,

Dr. Lakshmi N. Yatham, Professor and Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Jordan Cohen, Associate Head, PGE & CPD, UBC Department of Psychiatry

The UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office respectfully acknowledges the land on which we live, work and play is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh).

Congratulations to 2023 FoM Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients, Dr. Evelyn Stewart and Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez!

The Department congratulates Dr. Evelyn Stewart and Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, both of whom are recipients of a 2023 Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Achievement Award!

Professor Dr. Evelyn Stewart is the recipient of the Award for Service to the University and Community, in recognition of her significant contributions to local, national, and international communities aimed at improved health outcomes of the population.

Dr. Stewart is an internationally-recognized expert on pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (OCRDs). As a leader in the field, she has provided valuable mentorship to young researchers and junior colleagues, has participated actively in departmental committees, and has served on numerous bodies for professional and scientific organizations in order to drive research and inform care in OCRDs. As well, her dedicated public outreach activities have been impactful in raising awareness and educating patients, their families and the broader community about OCRDs.

Assistant Professor Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez is the recipient of the Award for Overall Excellence – Early Career, in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the areas of research, education, and service.

Since his appointment in 2016, Dr. Vila-Rodriguez has been a highly engaged and productive early-career academic in the UBC Department of Psychiatry. He currently leads the NINET Laboratory, which investigates clinical applications of non-invasive neurostimulation therapies for depression and other psychiatric disorders. In addition to his cutting-edge research, he contributes substantially to teaching on an annual basis, has supervised numerous graduate students and trainees over the years, and partakes in extensive service activities within the Department and the broader community.

Congratulations again to our deserving awardees on this wonderful recognition by the Faculty of Medicine!

The Online 2022/2023 Clinical Faculty Annual Report Form is Now Available!

*** Sent on behalf of the UBC Psychiatry HR Team ***

Dear Department Clinical Faculty Members,

The Online Clinical Faculty Annual Report Form for the period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 has been released, so please set a reminder to complete and submit this before December 31, 2023:
https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0CWsbdt9euzYrpY

If you were appointed to the Department after July 1, 2022, you are not required to submit an Annual Report until Fall 2024. For all other clinical faculty, please note that yearly submission of the Annual Report is a condition of appointment for Clinical Faculty in the UBC Department of Psychiatry. The report is required to maintain your appointment, and will also factor heavily into decisions on reappointment and promotion. If you have any questions or require guidance on completing the Annual Report, please contact Leah Ranada, Assistant HR Manager, at leah.ranada@ubc.ca.

Clinical Faculty Promotions

For the upcoming Fall 2023 review cycle, the deadline for submitting your promotion application will be September 15, 2023. If you are interested in applying for promotion (effective July 1, 2024), please reach out to Leah Ranada at leah.ranada@ubc.ca for additional information and instructions.

Sincerely,

Your HR Team
Department of Psychiatry
University of British Columbia

The UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office at the UBC Vancouver Campus respectfully acknowledges the land on which we live, work and play is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh).

Announcement of Division Head Appointments

Dear Colleagues,

As the search and selection process has concluded for the three Division Head positions for each of the restructured Divisions in the UBC Department of Psychiatry, we are delighted to announce the following appointments:

  • Dr. Christian G. Schütz, Division Head for Substance Use & Concurrent Disorders: Dr. Schütz is a Professor (Partner) in the UBC Department of Psychiatry, as well as a researcher at UBC CHÉOS, BCMHSUS, VCHRI, and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. He leads the UBC B.R.A.I.N Lab, where his research team investigates the psycho-neurobiological mechanisms underlying substance use and concurrent mental disorders, as well as the development of novel clinical interventions. Dr. Schütz also serves as the Research Lead and Medical Manager at Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, and has contributed to various teams and working groups in the development of practice guidelines to address the public health crisis arising from substance misuse in BC and across Canada.
  • Dr. Randall F. White, Division Head for Adult Psychiatry & Mental Health Services: Dr. White is a Clinical Professor in the UBC Department of Psychiatry, and also serves as Medical Director for Vancouver Community Mental Health and Substance Use Services, and Clinical Director for the BC Psychosis Program at UBC Hospital. He has co-led implementation of an evidence-based pathway for treatment optimization of psychosis in Vancouver mental health programs.  In addition to his medical leadership roles, he contributes significantly to resident and medical student supervision each year, has developed CME for UBC CPD and Medscape.com, and serves as co-chair for the Annual Pacific Psychopharmacology Conference. Dr. White has received a VCH medical staff award for his work with advocacy organizations for people affected by severe mental illness.
  • Dr. Timothy Murphy, Division Head for Neuroscience & Translational Psychiatry: Dr. Murphy is a Professor in the UBC Department of Psychiatry and a foundational scientist whose research team is investigating cortical circuit-level changes in mouse models of mood disorders and also how mouse cortex adapts after stroke and the resultant remapping of brain function from damaged to surviving areas. He also leads collaborative efforts within UBC’s Dynamic Brain Circuits in Health and Disease Cluster, which involves a network of more than 40 investigators using complementary methods to address questions concerning brain circuit structure and function in health and disease. Dr. Murphy continues to supervise numerous graduate students, and is engaged in networking activities, such as co-leading Databinge, across the Department, DMCBH, and the broader neuroscience community.

In their new leadership roles, Dr. Schütz, Dr. White and Dr. Murphy will each be responsible for providing direction and oversight to their respective Divisions, and working collaboratively with their members to develop goals and implement long-range plans in order to support the strategic objectives of the Division, the Department and the UBC Faculty of Medicine.

Their specific responsibilities will include supporting their Divisions’ education goals to ensure standards and objectives are being met in UGE and PGE education, as well as working with the UBC Psychiatry CPD Director to support Division members in Continuing Professional Education opportunities.  With regard to research, the new Division Heads will each develop a divisional research plan and facilitate efforts to promote research activities and opportunities for Division members.  As well, they will participate on several departmental committees, support Division members in reappointment and promotion processes, galvanize and foster collaboration amongst members, and serve as a liaison between the Division and affiliated hospitals and research centres. Additionally, as the Department continues its divisional and program restructure process, the new Division Heads will be instrumental in developing refreshed criteria for all programs to be organized and administered under each Division. 

Please join us in congratulating and extending a warm welcome to our new Division Heads, each of whom has been appointed for a three-year term effective June 1, 2023. We look forward to working closely with Dr. Schütz, Dr. White and Dr. Murphy as they join our Departmental and Divisional leadership teams, and supporting them as they move into their respective new roles.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lakshmi N. Yatham, Professor and Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry 

Dr. Raymond W. Lam, Professor and Associate Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry 

The UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office respectfully acknowledges the land on which we live, work and play is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh).

UBC Department of Psychiatry Staffing Update | June 2023

Dear Department members,

I wish to share with you some important staffing updates and announcements regarding our UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office.

Firstly, I am thrilled to share the news that Ms. Leah Ranada has been promoted to the position of Assistant HR Manager. As you are all aware, Leah has been in the role of HR Assistant since July 2022, and during this time, demonstrated her resourcefulness, adaptability and competence in handling both varied and demanding tasks. I am confident that Leah will make a smooth transition as she assumes a higher level of responsibility in overseeing HR processes for all Department members, and will thrive in her new role as Assistant HR Manager!

As well, we wish to warmly welcome our new HR Assistant Ms. Dora Li who, as of June 12, has taken over Leah’s previous HR portfolio handling Workday processes for term faculty appointments. Dora brings several years of administrative and HR experience, having previously served as a recruitment specialist for an educational centre, as well as a human resources generalist for an educational consulting office. She will be situated in the main Administration Office on the 2nd Floor at UBC Hospital, Detwiller Pavilion (UBC Campus), and may be reached by email at dora.li@ubc.ca.

Additionally, as Ms. Amy Jeffrey recently left her position as the Fraser PGE Senior Program Assistant to pursue another opportunity, we are delighted to welcome Ms. Raquel Portillo, who has accepted this position in the Psychiatry Education team. Prior to joining Psychiatry, Raquel served as an administrative coordinator in the FoM Office of the Vice Dean, Education. As our new Fraser PGE Senior Program Assistant, she will be coordinating the master rotation schedule for the Fraser PGY2-5 Residents, coordinating evaluations, maintaining Resident attendance records, and providing administrative support to the Fraser Psychiatry Associate Program Director. As the point of contact for our Fraser Program, Raquel may be reached by email at raquel.portillo@ubc.ca.

Finally, on Friday June 16 we bid a fond farewell to our Project Manager Ms. Amit Natt, who has accepted a new position within Fraser Health. Amit has been a great help over the last few months, not only in coordinating the 2023 Vancouver Summer Program for Psychiatry, but also providing coverage for the position of Executive Coordinator for the Department Head, as our recruitment efforts continue for this vacancy. Upon Amit’s departure, we have brought onto the team Ms. Ally Wang from UBC Hiring Solutions, who will be providing temporary support as we recruit to fill these positions on a permanent basis. Ally may be reached by email at psychiatry.projects@ubc.ca for any matters related to the Vancouver Summer Program. For administrative matters related to the Head’s Office, please continue to use the psychiatry.asst@ubc.ca email, which is being monitored by Ally and the UBC Administration team.

Should you have any questions or would like further clarification regarding our new team members and their respective portfolios, please feel free to reach out to me at vicky.yau@ubc.ca.

Sincerely,

Vicky Yau
Director, Administration
UBC Department of Psychiatry

The UBC Department of Psychiatry Administration Office respectfully acknowledges the land on which we live, work and play is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh).

Stimulus Grants NOW OPEN for New Applications | Zoom Information Sessions at Noon on July 7 & August 17

**Shared on behalf of Dr. Sophia Frangou, Associate Head, Research, UBC Department of Psychiatry**

Dear Colleagues,

The Stimulus Grants are now open for new applications. Please see our website for details: https://psychiatry.ubc.ca/research/stimulus-grants-initiative/.

Information Sessions:

On July 7th and August 17th, I will hold 45min Zoom meetings at 12:00pm noon, which are open to anyone interested in applying, aimed at answering any questions you may have about this initiative. The Zoom details for both meetings are: 

Dates: Friday July 7 @ 12pm & Thursday August 17 @12pm
Meeting ID: 485 566 3023; Passcode: 759801
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4855663023?pwd=a3Q4QkdtTWxMWHpPSXJnT0sxc2NXQT09

With best wishes,

Dr. Sophia Frangou, MD, Ph.D., FRCPsych, FRCPC

President’s Excellence Chair in Brain Health
Associate Head – Research
Professor of Psychiatry

I acknowledge, with gratitude, that I live and work on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations

For Response by June 30th | Volunteer Position for Region 1 Representative, Royal College Specialty Committee in Psychiatry

**Shared on behalf of Dr. Irfan Khanbhai, Program Director, UBC Psychiatry Postgraduate Education Program **

Good morning,

Please be advised that there will be a vacancy in the volunteer position of Region 1 (British Columbia, Alberta, and the Yukon) Representative on the Royal College Specialty Committee in Psychiatry as of July 1, 2023. We are seeking a new individual to fill this important national role. We invite those who would like to apply to forward a brief curriculum vitae (CV) in a reply to this email address by Friday, June 30th . Please feel free to forward this message to any colleagues you feel would be interested/suit the position. If we receive several nominees, the voting members of the specialty committee will review all applications and select an individual that will best balance and strengthen the current committee composition.

For your information, please view the job description for the regional representative role and the terms of reference for the specialty committees. All applicants must be Royal College Fellows in good standing and cannot be current program directors (past PDs welcome!).

The Royal College is committed to a workplace that encourages equity, diversity and inclusion.

We look forward to hearing from individuals interested in this very important role of standard setting for our discipline.

Sincerely,

Léon Tourian, MD, FRCPC
Chair (Incoming), Specialty Committee in Psychiatry
leon.tourian@mcgill.ca

Kim St. John, MD, FRCPC
Chair (Outgoing), Specialty Committee in Psychiatry
Kim.StJohn@easternhealth.ca

Many Thanks to All the Clinical Faculty Who Attended the Annual Dinner Yesterday Evening!

It was wonderful to welcome all of our clinical faculty members who attended the Annual Clinical Faculty Dinner last night! It was a very fun and relaxed evening, and a great opportunity to recognize and show appreciation for all our clinical faculty members and their many valuable contributions to the Department!

As well, the evening included an Awards Presentation to honour the following awardees of UBC Psychiatry Clinical Faculty Awards for excellence in teaching and research!

Translation Research into Clinical Excellence in Psychiatry Settings (TRICEPS) Award

  • Dr. Deidre Ryan
  • Dr. Robert Stowe

Undergraduate Psychiatry Clinical Teaching Award

  • Dr. Neil Hanon
  • Dr. Anna Wisniewska
  • Dr. Colleen Northcott
  • Dr. Constantine Lai
  • Dr. Kuljit Dhaliwal

UBC Psychiatry Residents Association Annual Award for Teaching Excellence

  • BCCH: Dr. Muffy Greenaway
  • VGH: Dr. Cameron Anderson
  • SPH: Dr. Julius Elefante
  • UBCH: Dr. Andrew Howard
  • RH: Dr. Michael Shabbits
  • RCH: Dr. Anyssa Shakeri
  • SMH: Dr. Lindsay Bishop
  • Victoria: Dr. Ashley Jewett
  • Prince George: Dr. Dmitri Zanozin
  • Community Psychiatry: Dr. Martina Smit

UBC Psychiatry Residents Association Annual Award for Teaching Excellence in Child and Adolescent Subspecialty Psychiatry

  • Dr. Fulroop Sidhu

UBC Psychiatry Residents Association Annual Award for Teaching Excellence in Geriatric Subspecialty Psychiatry

  • Dr. Michael Weitzner

UBC Psychiatry Residents Association Annual Award for Teaching Excellence in Forensic Subspecialty Psychiatry

  • Dr. Mandeep Saini

You can view all the 2023 Clinical Faculty photos HERE!  If you have additional photos of the event that you would like to add to the album, please send them to Margaret Koshi at margaret.koshi@ubc.ca.