The Community Advisory Council for CeMCOR was established to provide a connection between the scientific and educational objectives of the Centre and the interests and needs of women in the community. The roles of the Advisory Council are to:
- facilitate collaboration and coordination between CeMCOR and the wider community of women;
- to identify needs and assist in setting of research priorities;
- to participate in the development of strategic directions;
- to highlight opportunities for community participation and involvement in research;
- to consult and cooperate with national community and research organizations.
Elana Brief received her doctorate in Physics from the University of British Columbia where she developed MRI methods to measure concentrations of brain chemicals. Dr. Brief has also worked as one of the Research Directors of the Women's Health Research Network where she co-authored "Our Common Ground", a guide on how to engage in community based research. She currently works as a Research Scholar at the National Core for Neuroethics.
Mavis Dixon, graduated from the University of Waterloo with an honors degree in Psychology and a specialization in non-profit administration. She has worked in a management role and as a communications and fund development specialist in non-profit organizations for 13 years. She is currently a communications and government relations consultant working in the private sector.
Shannon Keefe graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Kinesiology and a specialization in Health Science with a minor in Biology. She currently works in the field of Recreation and Fitness, where she develops, implements, and facilitates social, cultural, and educational programs and services that promote health and build community. Even more, she has a keen interest in women’s health and was part of the UBC Wellness Centre student outreach team promoting and educating individuals on nutrition and sexual health.
Allison Macbeth is the Founder & Director of Blue Poppy Health, a Fertility Awareness & Sexual Health Educator, teaches women to balance hormones naturally for pregnancy planning, natural birth control, and improved hormonal health. She is a certified Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner and has a Masters of Applied Science with a specialty in sex education. She has expertise in fertility awareness, holistic hormonal health, sexual health education, HIV, curriculum design, program planning, and evaluation. She is currently working with CeMCOR on a project related to women's interest in sex across the menstrual cycle.
Judy Norsigian is the Executive Director of Our Bodies Ourselves (OBOS). Also known as the Boston Women's Health Book Collective, OBOS is a nonprofit, public interest women's health education, advocacy, and consulting organization. Since joining this group in1971, Judy has been editor and contributing author on all the editions of Our Bodies Ourselves, the landmark book on women's health and sexuality. She is an internationally reknowned speaker and author on women's health concerns - from abortion and contraception to midwifery advocacy and health care reform - appearing on Oprah, the Today show and NBC Nightly News.
Priyanka Poulose is a 2nd year Master of Design candidate at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. A seasoned communication designer and architect, she brings 8 years of industry expertise crafting compelling visual identities and immersive experiences. Engaging with esteemed institutions like BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre, Emily Carr University Health Design Lab, and CeMCOR, her practice converges design, health, and social advocacy. She is the founder and creative director of Bloom Club, an inclusive community dedicated to eradicating menstrual stigma through participatory creative practices, and Bloom Talk, a podcast that seeks to amplify diverse menstrual experiences through storytelling.
Shirley Weir, Founder of MenopauseChicks.com, empowers women to navigate perimenopause and menopause with confidence and ease. Her mission is to connect women to the best information, to midlife health professionals, and to each other through her private online community. As a women’s health advocate, Shirley is reframing the menopause conversation from something that has traditionally been viewed as negative, into a milestone worthy of celebration. A well-regarded speaker and writer, Shirley hosted the first-ever online "menopause graduation party" in 2016 and spoke at TedxGastown Women. In 2017, she received a Women of Distinction Award from the YWCA in Vancouver.