Congratulations are in order for our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Nel Wieman, and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Evan Adams, who were awarded King Charles III's Coronation Medals for their work on behalf of First Nations Peoples
The King Charles III's Coronation Medal is given to candidates who have made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region, or community of Canada, or have made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.
Dr. Wieman received her medal for her work in anti-racism and on the toxic drug crisis public health emergency.
“One never receives acknowledgment in isolation," said Dr. Wieman. “So this also represents the hard work of my FNHA colleagues, especially the Office of the Chief Medical Officer (OCMO) and Public Health Response (PHR) teams, including my Co-Executive Lead on the toxic drug crisis, Katie Hughes, VP of the PHR."
Dr. Wieman has been with the FNHA since 2018. Canada's first female Indigenous psychiatrist, Dr. Wieman has more than 20 years' clinical experience working with Indigenous people in both rural/reserve and urban settings. Her previous activities include co-directing an Indigenous health research program in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and the National Network for Indigenous Mental Health Research, being Deputy Chair of Health Canada's Research Ethics Board, and serving on CIHR's Governing Council. Dr. Wieman was the elected President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) from 2016-2022. She served on the BC Provincial Task Team charged with ensuring implementation of the recommendations arising from the In Plain Sight report. She also co-chaired the Technical Committee that developed the British Columbia Cultural Safety and Humility Standard.
Dr. Adams received his King Charles III's Coronation Medal for contributing to and leading Indigenous public health organizations and amplifying Indigenous voices.
“I'm so happy to receive this recognition," said Dr. Adams. “It does help encourage me to keep working on Indigenous health and to keep showing up under difficult conditions."
From 2014-2020, Dr Adams was the FNHA's inaugural Chief Medical Officer, and served as our Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Public Health, from 2023 to August 2024. His past contributions to BC health care include serving on the Board of Directors for the qathet Division of Family Practice (2018-2020) and acting as Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Public Health for Indigenous Services Canada (2020-2023). Dr. Adams just began a one-year leave from the FNHA to serve as a Harkness Fellow at the Department of Native Hawaiian Health in Honolulu.
Congratulations, Dr. Nel Wieman and Dr. Evan Adams! We are proud of you and how well you represent First Nations People and the FNHA!
