Board of Directors

Alex Dar Santos joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in 2013 and was elected vice-president for the 2016/17 term. He is the associate-owner of Shoppers Drug Mart #2237 in Richmond.

Alex graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1996 and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 2002.

He has more than 13 years of experience as a pharmacist and in pharmacy management, as well as 18 years of retail pharmacy experience.

Alex is active in various charitable causes including the Shoppers Drug Mart Tree of Life, which is held in partnership with the Richmond Hospital Foundation, and the Ride Don't Hide Event in support of the BC division of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Alex has been a Structured Practice Education Program (SPEP) preceptor for the past ten years, and greatly values the connection with UBC and its students. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his two children.

Chris Waller joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2015. He is the pharmacist/owner of Lakeside Medicine Centre Pharmacy in Kelowna.

Chris was born and raised in Kelowna and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1998.

He was brought up in the pharmacy industry and his father Ron Waller opened Lakeside Clinical Pharmacy (now called Lakeside Medicine Centre) in 1973. When he turned 16, Chris started working for his father doing deliveries, filling prescriptions and working in the home health-care department.

He enjoyed this work as it allowed him to interact with people and help solve their problems. Therefore, after some uncertainty during college, it seemed natural to return to the pharmacy industry. While Chris was a student he worked as an assistant at Lakeside Clinical Pharmacy and then later became a co-owner of the pharmacy with his father.

He is a member of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia and the Professional Compounding Centers of America. Chris is particularly interested in the many aspects of compounding, HIV treatments and the new developments in Hepatitis C treatments.

A self-confessed fitness nut, he spends a lot of his spare time training for triathlons or marathons. As well as running and cycling, Chris also enjoys golf, downhill and cross country skiing and working in his garden.

Randy Konrad joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in 2013 and was elected president for the 2016/17 term.

Randy graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. He began his pharmacy career at an independent community pharmacy in North Vancouver, and also spent time working in hospital pharmacy.

Randy completed two two-year terms on the College of Pharmacists of BC Board of Directors, as well as a three-year term as Chair of the Board, in addition to serving on various College committees. He has also served in various positions on the CDABC executive.

Randy lives in North Vancouver and enjoys the outdoors with his family.

Mark Dickson joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2014 and serves as the Canadian Pharmacists Association Board representative for BCPhA.

He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of British Columbia in 1991, and a Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University in 2005.

Mark started his pharmacy career as a hospital pharmacist at Dawson Creek and District Hospital. He spent the next 10 years in community pharmacy, primarily on Vancouver Island, before joining the Shoppers Drug Mart Regional office in 2004.

After completing the MBA program, Mark joined Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd and led the pharmacy team until 2013. As a board member and then chair of the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores from 2009 to 2011, he engaged in and led discussions and negotiations with government and industry leaders across the country that continue to shape the pharmacy industry in Canada today.

Currently, Mark leads MD Hygieia Advisory, a small consultancy focused on drug distribution, medication utilization, and sustainable health-care service provision. Outside of the pharmacy world, Mark enjoys an active lifestyle with his wife, Terra, at home in Vancouver as well as at the “cabin” they are building on Mabel Lake.

Julie Ford is a pharmacist at Glover’s Medicine Centre Pharmacy in Kamloops. She joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2012.

Julie was raised in Williams Lake, BC, and graduated in 1994 from the University of British Columbia with her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. She went on to complete her Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at the Ivey School of Business, graduating in 2000.

Julie began her career as a pharmacist at an independent pharmacy in Williams Lake before working for Shoppers Drug Mart in Vancouver. She has also held a number of positions outside of pharmacy practice, most notably as the business affairs leader, pathology and lab medicine, at the BC Cancer Agency.

After having a family, Julie worked on various contracts for the Provincial Health Services Authority. She now resides in Kamloops, working part time at Glover’s Medicine Centre and contributing to business development of her family’s business, Highlands Irrigation, an agricultural service firm with offices in Williams Lake and Kamloops.

John Forster-Coull joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2015. John is a true Vancouver Island local, as he was born and raised on the island and is the owner/manager of the oldest pharmacy in Victoria, Victoria Compounding Pharmacy.

He completed both his undergraduate pharmacy degree (1988) and Doctor of Pharmacy degree (1995) at the University of British Columbia. He also completed a hospital residency at St. Paul’s Hospital.

John began his career as a clinical pharmacist at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, before heading back to UBC to complete his PharmD. After graduating, he returned to Victoria and worked in the intensive care units at both Royal Jubilee and Victoria General Hospital. In 2001 he joined Victoria Compounding Pharmacy as the pharmacy manager and in 2007 became the owner/manager.

He also serves on the board of directors at uniPharm Wholesale Drugs Ltd. Outside of work hours, John can be found on the golf course or travelling somewhere fun with his wife, Jayne, and their two daughters.

Annette Robinson joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2017. Annette is a Pharmacy Specialist with Pharmasave's Pacific Regional office. Additionally, she serves on the College of Pharmacists of BC Discipline Committee.

Annette grew up in Powell River and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1984. She worked as relief pharmacist/pharmacy manager for Boots Drug Stores until 1989. She has also worked as a staff pharmacist for a small independent pharmacy in Chilliwack, Locks Pharmacy, for 10 years then took a position with another independent, Nelmes Pharmacy, for 15 years. After Nelmes was sold to Rexall Pharmacy, Annette worked as a pharmacy manager for another 5 years before joining Pharmasave Drugs (Pacific) in 2014.

Annette is a Canadian Diabetes Educator (C.D.E.) certified pharmacist as well as an Insulin Pump and Device trainer. Annette served on the organizing committee for the CDA Professional Conference and Annual Meetings in Vancouver in 2002 and 2007.

Shawn Sangha graduated with his B.Sc. (Pharm) from the University of British Columbia in 1995. He currently is a member and active participant of the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada and the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Distribution Management. He previously served on the BCPhA Board of Directors between 1998 and 2000.

Keith Shaw has been a leader in the pharmacy industry for the past decade, starting as an Associate with Shoppers Drug Mart to his current position as Regional Pharmacy Manager with Sobeys, where he oversees 20 Safeway and Thrifty Foods pharmacies across the province. He holds both a doctorate of pharmacy from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, as well as an executive MBA from Simon Fraser University.

John Tse returned to the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2013, having previously served on the Board from 2006 to 2012. He was previously vice-president, pharmacy and cosmetics at London Drugs.

John graduated from the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1988 and began working in community pharmacy with London Drugs. He continued to work there full-time while returning to school to complete his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Commerce in 1994.

After beginning his career as a pharmacy technician more than 29 years ago, John has practiced as a staff pharmacist in a retail setting, in a chain pharmacy, in an independent community drugstore, and in institutional settings serving long-term care homes. He has also served as a pharmacy manager, pharmacy operations manager and pharmacy buyer.

John has also been involved with preceptorship for upcoming pharmacy and commerce graduates and has been a UBC guest lecturer. He has previously held roles with the College of Pharmacists of BC committees, Chain Drug Association of BC, Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores, and Cedar Cottage Association.

Jamie Wigston joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2016. He is a pharmacist at West End Medicine Centre in New Westminster.

Jamie first completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology before completing a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 2013. After graduation, he moved to Vernon in the Okanagan to work for Shoppers Drug Mart. Given that he had already worked as a pharmacy technician with Shoppers for several years, this was a natural next step.

While he always appreciated this position as his first job as a pharmacist, Jamie really thrived once he started working at his current smaller, independent pharmacy in New Westminster.

He enjoys the small town feel of the area (while still being in the city), as well as getting to know his patients by name and learning about their lives.

Jamie is looking forward to playing a larger role in helping shape the pharmacy landscape in BC, as well as continuing to advocate for his profession.