WHO WE ARE
WHO WE ARE
WHO WE ARE
The BC Emergency Health Services Foundation is a provincial fundraising organization created in 2013 to support BC Emergency Health Services, part of the Provincial Health Services Authority.
Every day, BC Emergency Health Services works to provide high-quality emergency pre-hospital care for patients across British Columbians who need urgent care. One of the largest ambulance services in North America, our emergency dispatch teams and paramedics deal with over 600,000 calls annually and provide excellent emergency health care and community health support for 5.2 million British Columbians over an area of almost one million square kilometres.
The BC Emergency Health Services Foundation helps to make this important work possible. The foundation raises funds and awareness in support of initiatives, services and research initiatives to help support our front line staff and ensure people have access to the emergency care they need.
To learn more about the work done by BC Emergency Health Services, visit bcehs.ca.
BCEHS Foundation Board Members
Teri Nicholas
Teri Nicholas retired after 10 years of serving as the president and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, one of British Columbia’s largest charities. The foundation supports the work of BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, and the Child & Family Research Institute. Joining the foundation in January 2011, Teri successfully completed a $200-million capital campaign in support of the construction of a new BC Children’s Hospital. Under her leadership and with the support of thousands of individuals and organizations, the foundation raised more than $665 million for BC’s kids.
Prior to that, Teri was the CEO of Family Services of Greater Vancouver. She has over 35 years of senior leadership experience in the not-for-profit social-service sector, working closely with advocacy groups, community agencies, major donors, and with provincial and municipal governments. Throughout her career, Teri has contributed to many not-for-profit organizations provincially and nationally and has developed and implemented a range of services for marginalized populations in British Columbia.
Teri has a Bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of British Columbia.
Barb Fitzsimmons
Barbara Fitzsimmons retired in 2020 as Chief Operating Officer for B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS). Prior to that, she spent more than 30 years at B.C. Children’s Hospital, first as a registered nurse in pediatric oncology, then in administrative roles with increasing responsibilities culminating in her appointment as the hospitals Senior Vice President in 2012.
In 2015, she transitioned to BCEHS, and she took on the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2017.
Barb has also served on a variety of boards and as an adjunct faculty member at the University of British Columbia’s School of Nursing.
Since retirement she has taken on volunteer roles with Meals on Wheels, Evergreen Campus of Care, dog rescue organizations, and Elderdog Canada. She has both a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Nursing degrees from the University of British Columbia.
Lynn Klein
Lynn began his career with the Emergency Health Service Commission (EHSC) in 1974. During his career with the provincial ambulance service, Klein served in the capacities of paramedic, paramedic instructor, Superintendent of Media and Public Relations, and finished his time with the service in the Vancouver Island Communications Centre as Communications Officer (EMD).
The author of a history of the first 40 years of the BC provincial ambulance service, Lynn has presented at local, national and international EMS conferences and written numerous articles on many EMS topics for both Canadian and US EMS publications. He retired in 2012 but remained involved with the organization as the historian, responsible for its extensive archives.
Lynn is a recipient of the National Emergency Medical Service Exemplary Service Medal among other awards and continues to be a strong advocate for the paramedic profession locally, nationally and internationally. Lynn lives in Lake Cowichan, BC with his wife and has a family of six grown children, eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Dr. Stephen Wheeler
Steve Wheeler is an emergency room physician living in Victoria who has held multiple leadership positions with Island Health. Steve was instrumental in developing the Vancouver Island trauma system and helped develop the Autolaunch helicopter response program on Vancouver Island, which was expanded province-wide in 2006.
Steve was also part of the team that developed the Provincial Air Transport Advisors in 1997. In 2022 Steve retired from his role at BCEHS as medical director for Critical Care and Air Transport. Steve’s passion was and continues to be improving patient care through improving paramedic skills and job satisfaction.
In 2008 Steve took the lead in raising money for the Victoria General Hospital emergency department where he was instrumental in raising two million dollars for the project. Steve has also volunteered with the Boy Scouts of Canada.
Steve is an avid cyclist who also enjoys hiking and climbing in BC’s great outdoors.
Leanne Heppell
Dr. Leanne Heppell joined PHSA in July 2021 from her position with Providence Health Care as chief operating officer acute care & chief of professional practice & nursing in April 2015. Prior to this role, Leanne was the vice president, patient safety and innovation; and chief of professional practice and nursing.
Leanne brings to her role over 20 years of senior leadership experience, including with Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health and the BC Ambulance Service. She is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Victoria. Leanne also graduated from UBC as a clinical nurse specialist in the Masters in Nursing program, and completed a Masters in Leadership from Royal Roads University in 2003. She is also an academic supervisor of leadership studies at Royal Roads University. Leanne is a values based leader with a focus on putting patients and families first. Leanne completed a Doctor of Business Administration in 2016.
BCEHS Foundation Board Members
Teri Nicholas
Teri Nicholas retired after 10 years of serving as the president and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, one of British Columbia’s largest charities. The foundation supports the work of BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, and the Child & Family Research Institute. Joining the foundation in January 2011, Teri successfully completed a $200-million capital campaign in support of the construction of a new BC Children’s Hospital. Under her leadership and with the support of thousands of individuals and organizations, the foundation raised more than $665 million for BC’s kids.
Prior to that, Teri was the CEO of Family Services of Greater Vancouver. She has over 35 years of senior leadership experience in the not-for-profit social-service sector, working closely with advocacy groups, community agencies, major donors, and with provincial and municipal governments. Throughout her career, Teri has contributed to many not-for-profit organizations provincially and nationally and has developed and implemented a range of services for marginalized populations in British Columbia.
Teri has a Bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of British Columbia.
Barb Fitzsimmons
Barbara Fitzsimmons retired in 2020 as Chief Operating Officer for B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS). Prior to that, she spent more than 30 years at B.C. Children’s Hospital, first as a registered nurse in pediatric oncology, then in administrative roles with increasing responsibilities culminating in her appointment as the hospitals Senior Vice President in 2012.
In 2015, she transitioned to BCEHS, and she took on the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2017.
Barb has also served on a variety of boards and as an adjunct faculty member at the University of British Columbia’s School of Nursing.
Since retirement she has taken on volunteer roles with Meals on Wheels, Evergreen Campus of Care, dog rescue organizations, and Elderdog Canada. She has both a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Nursing degrees from the University of British Columbia.
Lynn Klein
Lynn began his career with the Emergency Health Service Commission (EHSC) in 1974. During his career with the provincial ambulance service, Klein served in the capacities of paramedic, paramedic instructor, Superintendent of Media and Public Relations, and finished his time with the service in the Vancouver Island Communications Centre as Communications Officer (EMD).
The author of a history of the first 40 years of the BC provincial ambulance service, Lynn has presented at local, national and international EMS conferences and written numerous articles on many EMS topics for both Canadian and US EMS publications. He retired in 2012 but remained involved with the organization as the historian, responsible for its extensive archives.
Lynn is a recipient of the National Emergency Medical Service Exemplary Service Medal among other awards and continues to be a strong advocate for the paramedic profession locally, nationally and internationally. Lynn lives in Lake Cowichan, BC with his wife and has a family of six grown children, eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Dr. Stephen Wheeler
Steve Wheeler is an emergency room physician living in Victoria who has held multiple leadership positions with Island Health. Steve was instrumental in developing the Vancouver Island trauma system and helped develop the Autolaunch helicopter response program on Vancouver Island, which was expanded province-wide in 2006.
Steve was also part of the team that developed the Provincial Air Transport Advisors in 1997. In 2022 Steve retired from his role at BCEHS as medical director for Critical Care and Air Transport. Steve’s passion was and continues to be improving patient care through improving paramedic skills and job satisfaction.
In 2008 Steve took the lead in raising money for the Victoria General Hospital emergency department where he was instrumental in raising two million dollars for the project. Steve has also volunteered with the Boy Scouts of Canada.
Steve is an avid cyclist who also enjoys hiking and climbing in BC’s great outdoors.
Leanne Heppell
Dr. Leanne Heppell joined PHSA in July 2021 from her position with Providence Health Care as chief operating officer acute care & chief of professional practice & nursing in April 2015. Prior to this role, Leanne was the vice president, patient safety and innovation; and chief of professional practice and nursing.
Leanne brings to her role over 20 years of senior leadership experience, including with Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health and the BC Ambulance Service. She is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Victoria. Leanne also graduated from UBC as a clinical nurse specialist in the Masters in Nursing program, and completed a Masters in Leadership from Royal Roads University in 2003. She is also an academic supervisor of leadership studies at Royal Roads University. Leanne is a values based leader with a focus on putting patients and families first. Leanne completed a Doctor of Business Administration in 2016.