Giovanna Boniface, BSc’92, BSc(Occ Ther)’97, MRSc’ 19
Giovanna Boniface is the 2024–25 UBC Alumni Builder Award – UBC Faculty of Medicine recipient. Giovanna has been a devoted contributor to the UBC Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and has become a leader in provincial, national, and international communities. As a guest instructor, preceptor, and capstone research partner, she bridged academic theory with practical experience — she thereby enriched the curriculum and prepared students for real-world challenges.
Dr. Lisa Weger, BSc’05, MHA’10, MD’15
Witnessing the enthusiasm of the medical students Dr. Weger educates and mentors serves as a reminder of the privilege of teaching and the importance of preserving the same eagerness they bring to mastering clinical skills.
Dr. Alissa Zhang, MD’24
Originally drawn to UBC for its strong sense of community and beautiful landscapes, Dr. Zhang’s experiences in the program deepened her commitment to providing culturally sensitive and equitable care, particularly in underserved communities. During her studies, Dr. Zhang co-chaired the Vancouver Chapter of the Reading Bear Society, where she led initiatives to promote early childhood literacy and community engagement.
Dr. Babak Shadgan, PhD’11
As an Olympic Sports Physician and chairman of the Medical & Anti-Doping Commission of the United World Wrestling, Dr. Babak Shadgan has directed medical coverage of wrestling competitions in world championships and Olympic Games since 2003, including the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Dr. Randip Gill, BSc’14, BEd (Sec)’15, MA’18, PhD’24
Dr. Randip Gill’s PhD work focused on how different types of childhood poverty experience affect children’s development, health, and school success from kindergarten to high school graduation in B.C., and how these relationships differ by the child’s immigration background.
Phoebe Tuyishime, MPH’24
Phoebe Tuyishime has a strong passion for tackling public health issues, particularly nutrition and food insecurity. Her experiences, including working with the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Rwanda, have shown her the positive impact of effective public health efforts, especially in addressing critical issues like nutrition, sanitation, and infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
Brian Martin, BMLSc’24
During his fourth year in the BMLSc program, Brian acted as a Student Liaison in addition to his studies. Upon graduation, he received the William J. Godolphin Prize for Excellence in Critical Thinking and a Faculty of Medicine Summer Student Research Award.
Kristen Danielle Go, BMLSc’24
Pursuing a career related to medicine to be able to provide care and help for other people has been Dana’s dream for as long as she can remember. After graduation, she will be expanding her research of blood-based neurological biomarkers at Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and hopes to pursue grad school and for medical school in the future.
Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell
Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Honorary Medical Alumni Award. She is an Associate Professor for Medicine/Neurology at the University of British Columbia where she holds the Marg Meikle Professorship for Research in Parkinson’s disease and directs the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre.
Dr. Adrian Yee, MET’20
Dr. Adrian Yee is a 2024 recipient of the UBC Medical Alumni Association Honorary Medical Alumni Award. He is the Director of Curriculum within the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) Program and provides leadership for UGME to ensure a high-quality educational experience across all four sites and four years of the curriculum.