The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) provides provincial and national leadership in public health through surveillance, detection, treatment, prevention and consultation services.
The BCCDC is a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). PHSA plans, manages and evaluates selected specialty and province-wide health care services across BC, working with the five geographic health authorities to deliver province-wide solutions that improve the health of British Columbians.
Dr. Federica Di Palma is an internationally recognized leader in genomics and bioinformatics, with more than two decades of experience advancing the application of genomic science across public health, cancer, rare disease, and population health systems as well as non-health sectors. She is known for building and leading high performing, interdisciplinary teams that translate scientific innovation into practical, scalable impact for patients and the public.
Dr. Di Palma most recently served as interim senior executive director of the BC Genome Sciences Centre, leading the organization under its expanded provincial mandate. She also served for five years as chief scientific officer & vice president of Research and Innovation at Genome BC, where she advanced strategic research investment, strengthened provincial and international partnerships, and supported the integration of genomics into health systems and policy.
Dr. Di Palma is a professor of medical genetics at the University of British Columbia and holds a PhD in immunogenetics from the University of Reading. Her career includes senior leadership and research roles at leading international institutions, including the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, the National Institutes of Health, the Earlham Institute and University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom, and the University of New Hampshire in the US. She serves on international scientific advisory boards, advising governments and organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom on genomics policy, research strategy and capacity building.
Wendy is an accomplished, compassionate and inclusive leader whose work is grounded in collaboration and building strong partnerships. She is committed to strengthening teams, fostering collaboration, and promoting diversity at all levels. She endeavours to create a culture where all staff grow and thrive.
She has worked with PHSA since 2013. Prior to joining BCCDC, she was the director of operations and planning with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) and served as the Fraser area operations director for close to six years before that.
Wendy is the recipient of a BC Healthcare Leaders Award for an initiative to reduce ambulance turnaround times at hospitals. Wendy has a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Management and Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business from Columbia Southern University. She also has a background in medical imaging.
Jat Sandhu is an experienced public health professional who has provided strategic leadership to regional and provincial initiatives since 2007. He oversees a portfolio that includes strategic planning and implementation, data analytic services, public health information governance, communications and knowledge translation, stakeholder management and collaborative partnerships, and sustainability of strategic and transformative population health initiatives. In 2022, he earned recognition for his contribution to public health in B.C. by the Health Officers Council of BC and the UBC School of Population and Public Health.
Prior to joining BCCDC, he was the founding director of the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) Public Heath Surveillance Unit (2007-2016) and then executive director of data analytics and decision support at VCH (2017-2021). His experiences include British Military Hospital Pathology, Hong Kong; WHO regional training centre for Medical Education in Sydney, Australia; the Australian Red Cross; the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health in Alberta; and various agencies of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.
He holds a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Bristol and an MBA from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Business School. Jat is also a Clinical Associate Professor with the School of Population and Public Health at UBC.
Dr. Jason Wong oversees medical leadership and engagement with BCCDC and is a deputy provincial health officer, assisting with the duties of the provinciall health officer.
Prior to this role, Dr. Wong was the medical director for the Clinical Prevention Services division at BCCDC, providing public health leadership in the areas of sexually transmitted infections and bloodborne infections (STIBBI) and tuberculosis (TB), overseeing the provincial STI and TB clinics. He is also a clinical associate professor in the UBC School of Population and Public Health. His research interests include epidemiology, integrated surveillance, syndemics and public health.
Dr. Wong completed doctor of medicine (MD) training at the University of Alberta and a master of public health (MPH) degree at the University of British Columbia. He holds a certification in the College of Family Physicians (CCFP) and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC) with a specialization in public health and preventive medicine.
