Board of Directors

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 registrant of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia and a member of 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.

Keith Shaw has been a leader in the pharmacy profession for more than a decade, starting as an Associate with Shoppers Drug Mart to his current position as Pharmacy District Manager with Sobeys, where he oversees many 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.

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.

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.

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.

Mike Huitema graduated from the University of Alberta with a BSc in Pharmacy in 2007. Growing up with both parents owning various small businesses, Mike has been involved in small community business his whole life. Since graduating from university, he has lived and practiced in Kamloops, where he has been the associate-owner of Shoppers Drug Mart #277 for the past 10 years.

Mike is an active Certified Diabetic Educator and regularly teaches students about diabetes as part of the foot care nurse certification. Mike is particularly passionate about antibiotics and preventing antibiotic resistance. He enjoys giving lectures to student nurses at Thompson Rivers University about antibiotic medications and how to use them responsibly in the health-care setting. For the past 10 years he has been a preceptor in the Structured Practice Education Program (SPEP) with UBC.

He has been involved in the Kamloops community by helping coordinate pharmacists’ response to help those displaced by the 2017 wildfires and raising money for the local YWCA women’s shelter for the past 8 years. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.

Lori completed her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at Dalhousie University in 2007. After graduation, she worked as a pharmacist at Sobeys in Ontario, then moved to BC in 2010 to work as a pharmacy manager at Thrifty Foods Pharmacy. She has been working as a pharmacy manager for Save On Foods since 2014.

She is currently a preceptor to a third year UBC PharmD student and has been a PEBC Assessor for pharmacy student exams in the past. She started a run group for interested pharmacy patients in 2017 to encourage healthy lifestyles and helped several to complete a goal run of 10km. She looks forward to helping the community in even greater ways both personally and professionally in the future.

She is excited about clinical opportunities for the advancement of pharmacy practice and hopes to advance the role of the pharmacist by actively supporting new initiatives and programs as they become available. Lori specializes in travel health and vaccinations.

In her spare time, she loves to get outside and be active in beautiful BC by biking, running, swimming, hiking, snowboarding, and doing yoga to unwind. She loves to spend time with family and friends in Vancouver and across Canada, from Victoria all the way back to her hometown of Nova Scotia.

Annette Robinson joined the BCPhA Board of Directors in September 2017. Annette is Regional Pharmacy Manager 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.

Karen was born in Fort St. John and grew up across western Canada.  She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and Master of Health Services Administration from the University of Alberta and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Duquesne University. 

She started her career as a community pharmacist with London Drugs and has practiced for several years in community, government and industrial pharmacy.  Karen has led innovative pharmacy and physician program development projects, managed an independent pharmacy, and worked in professional relations, educational program development and market access in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Karen has previously served on multiple pharmacy association committees at national, provincial and local levels. She presently holds roles on the Economics Advisory Committee of Pharmacists Manitoba, the Pharmacy Owner’s Council with the Pharmacists Association of Saskatchewan, the Community Pharmacy Owner’s Forum with the Alberta Pharmacists Association and is the Co-Chair of both the British Columbia and Alberta Caucuses with the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association.

Currently, Karen is Senior Director, Pharmacy Professional Affairs for Loblaw Companies Limited, with responsibilities regulatory affairs, professional relations and advocacy for Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw pharmacies in the four western provinces and the Territories.

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.