Who We Are
Brenda Fowler
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
People for a Healthy Community (PHC) has been serving Gabriola for 30 years and supports those who are experiencing a vulnerable time in their lives as a result of food insecurity, age, disability, economic status, sexuality or life circumstances. Brenda has been the Executive Director of PHC since 2012. She has brought the organization into financial stability by responding to the needs of the community, focusing program supports and developing community partnerships. In 2019, in collaboration with the Vancouver Island University and Island Health Authority, Brenda led an innovative skills training program enabling 24 Gabriolans to become registered Community Health Workers. As Gabriola's only social service agency, PHC continued to operate the Food Programs, and the Seniors Outreach programs in a modified format, ensuring vulnerable residents were supported with no stoppage in weekly service and during Covid. Protocols for operations were quickly put into place and no staff or volunteers caught Covid during the pandemic. Under Brenda’s guidance, PHC has grown over the past 12 years, with a Board redesign, a new committee structure and an improved oversight system. Working in collaboration with other community health related organizations, PHC is a founding member of the Gabriola Island Health and Wellbeing Collaborative, focusing on sharing resources and building local capacity to improve access to health care. As a result PHC now operates a Home Hospice, an Adult Day Program, and the new MediGo transportation service. The Food Grocery program now operates a grocery store food recovery program, diverting over 60,000 lbs of food from landfill. Prior to working for PHC, Brenda worked for over 20 years at Ontario Hydro/ Hydro One Networks in the Environmental Public Consultation Division, and in the Environmental Contract Management Section and leading the Employee Communications under a large Change Management Initiative. Brenda also spent three years in India as a part of an integrated community development project. Brenda has held positions on the Board of Directors of the Meridian Credit Union, the BC Property Assessment Board and the BC Disability Tribunal. Developing local solutions that embrace inclusion and participant led solutions is Brenda’s passion: those which at the same time change the systems in which we all navigate.
Staff Directory
Administrative
Food Programs
John Bloomstrand,
Morgan Klassen,
Tami Craig
FOOD PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Seniors' Programs
2024 Directors
Mary Lee Burns
BOARD CHAIR
Mary Lee was led by a summer job to Northern Canada where she spent 8 years doing a variety of non-traditional jobs, built two log cabins, and lived off the grid for four years. Returning to Vancouver, she first worked for Indigenous Affairs as a local government advisor helping First Nations with setting up a style of government that would mesh with Federal objectives, followed by a 35 year career in Interior Design, the last 25 years operating her own business. Burns has her private pilot’s license and as a member of The Ninety-Nines, an international organization of women pilots, served in all positions of the local chapter’s executive and spent two terms as the Governor of Western Canada.
Bev Park
TREASURER
Bev is a retired corporate director and executive. In addition to her corporate board experience, Bev has served on a number of not-for-profit boards. Bev currently serves on the Arts Club of Vancouver board of directors and chairs the Audit and Finance Committee. Over the past 35 years Bev has also served on a range of not-for-profit organizations including the UBC Board of Governors, the Simon Fraser University Community Corporation board, the Simon Fraser Beedie School of Business Dean’s Advisory board, the International Women’s Forum (Vancouver Chapter) board, the Vancouver Opera Association board (Chair), the Vancouver Opera Foundation board, Science World’s Advisory board, the BC Business Council Board and Executive Committee, the United Way of the Lower Mainland board, the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation board, and the YWCA Metro Vancouver board (Chair). Prior management roles include a range of executive roles with TimberWest Forest Corp, and various finance and accounting roles at BC Hydro and KPMG. Bev is an FCPA (FCA), has an MBA and a BComm.
Diane Cornish
DIRECTOR
Diane is a retired lawyer and has lived on Gabriola since 2010. During this time she has served on the Board of the Gabriola Historical and Museum Society and the Village Vision Committee. She was also on the Board of Kuterra LP, a 'Namgis First Nation company that built a closed containment salmon farm in Port McNeil. She is currently treasurer of the Gabriola Recreation Society.
Audra Davies
DIRECTOR
Audra Davies is a long-term seasonal resident of Gabriola who has now retired to the island after years of experience as a nutrition industry executive. She has spent much of her career focused on leading strategic planning, product formulation and performance substantiation for wellness products based on natural plant materials. In addition, she has served on both industry and non-profit boards. As part of her experiences, she has led the development of a micronutrient powder aligned to WHO recommendations and distributed through a network of 25+ humanitarian and government organizations around the world to benefit malnourished children under the age of 5 in 14 countries. She has also served as a Board Member for a California non-profit, Giving Children Hope, where she focused on food sufficiency programs. Audra is passionate about making a difference in the health of people around the world through nutrition and is excited to make a difference here on beautiful Gabriola Island. Beyond nutrition, Audra is passionate about healthy living, healthy aging and promoting healthy communities.
Margaret Jones
DIRECTOR
Margaret has worked in industry as an Operational Research Analyst both in the UK and Quebec. After spending time raising 3 boys, she turned to education teaching mathematics in college and high school. She spent most of her energy in making mathematics more approachable to the reluctant learner. One of her outside interests was to act as treasurer for a non-profit organization. Since moving to Gabriola in 2015 she has been a volunteer at PHC and hopes to continue supporting the aims of PHC in an additional position.
Roger Christie
DIRECTOR
Roger has coordinated large arts organizations and activities in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and served as Executive Director of a Community Controlled Health Centre, including the development of a facilities plan for apartments and services for low-income seniors. Christie acted as the Executive Director of the Home Support Association of Nanaimo for many years, including the development and funding of two buildings. More recently he operated a café on Gabriola for over ten years and has specialized in the performing arts at the café and other island venues such as the Roxy Theatre.
Judy Moshinski
DIRECTOR
Judy is a retired education teacher. She taught R.A.D. ballet for ten years. She then went to University and received a B.Ed. in literature. Later earned a degree in Ed. Phys. And worked with handicapped children. Then retired and moved to Guadalahara, Mexico. She tutored 3 children from New York, for 3 years. She was then asked by family to come to Gabriola to care for her mother and uncle. She had to build a new house to live in. But as her mother and uncle passed away. She has remained on Gabriola hoping to help out PHC.
Dawn Fulton
DIRECTOR
You may know of Dawn from her days as Manager of the Museum. Or from her cakes/baking, catering and cooking classes. She has taught English in Korea and China, as well as for VIU and the Vancouver Island Multicultural Society. She enjoys Gabriola not least because she can be close to her parents and grandchildren.