PANELIST BIOGRAPHIES

Jennifer (Jenny) is a Spoonie, volunteer, patient partner, advocate, speaker and storyteller living with a wide range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis. They draw on their lived experience with chronic pain and complex illness to build meaningful partnerships with organizations such as Pain BC, Pain Canada, the Chronic Pain Network, the Power Over Pain Portal, the University of British Columbia and Circa Pain. A strong advocate for peer support as a driver of social change, Jenny believes personhood should never be overshadowed by patienthood and is committed to collaborating with peers, clinicians, and researchers to improve quality of life for people living with pain.

Louse is a proud Metis of Cree heritage who uses the teachings of her Elders in her teaching style. She came to us with a background of nursing and medical office assistant work and then decided to return to school. Louise studied anthropology/history and graduated from the University of Calgary with a degree in Heritage Resource Management. Louise has dealt with Osteoarthritis and lupus for many years. In the past 30 years she has been a patient advocate and research partner within CAPA and various universities. She is currently volunteering with the Health Quality Council of Alberta working on end-of-life projects.

Matt Smith is a Registered Nurse with 14 years of experience in chronic pain care. He began his career at the Jim Pattison Pain Clinic and later advanced to Coordinator of the FHA Community Pain Program and Regional Clinical Lead. Now with Pain Care BC, Matt leads provincial initiatives focused on improving access to pain care, streamlining navigation pathways  and strengthening capacity in primary care settings across British Columbia. He is passionate about advocating for people living with pain and promoting trauma-informed care. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children, hiking, backcountry camping and following college football.

Marcia is 49 years old. Two years ago, after undergoing an MRI, she was diagnosed with end-stage severe degenerative arthropathy of the left hip. The condition is marked by significant cartilage loss, resulting in bone-on-bone contact in the upper weight-bearing area of the joint, along with a subchondral cyst, an intra-articular body, collar osteophytes, and extensive labral fraying. She tried to continue working and volunteering, but the pain has increased every day. Marcia is a mother and a naturally curious woman who worked her entire life as a travel agent. After moving to Canada, she realized her English fluency was not sufficient, which led her to begin a new career as an electrical worker. Through her involvement in the community, she has gained knowledge in many areas, and she continues to feel a strong need to keep learning every day.

Miranda is from the U.K. and moved to Canada in 2018 with her husband. She has two young children and lives in the Kingston area. As a teenager, Miranda was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and after several stormy years, went into remission, however in 2021, was diagnosed with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis whilst pregnant with her son after experiencing chronic joint pain for several years. Miranda works as a research project manager at Queen’s University and is passionate about high-quality person-centered research that meets the needs of patients whilst being practical and applicable.