At the Institute of Population Health (IPH), we aspire to establish ourselves as a preeminent centre for population health research, innovation and advocacy.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based approaches, we seek to catalyze positive change and enhance health outcomes for all residents of New Brunswick.
The Institute strives to create positive and equitable IMPACTS on population health outcomes by focusing on evidence for promoting and optimizing the health & wellness of the population across all social determinants of health. In collaboration with academia, community, government, industry, NGOs, Wabanaki communities, and the health system, we work to:
Innovative research: Conducting rigorous research to develop novel strategies for promoting and optimizing population health.
Data analysis and reporting: Analyzing population health data to identify trends and inform evidence-based decision-making processes.
Knowledge dissemination: Highlighting impactful research outcomes and disseminating best practices in population health promotion.
Advocacy and policy influence: Championing policies and initiatives that prioritize population health and address systemic challenges.
Stakeholder engagement: Facilitating meaningful collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and community stakeholders to translate research into actionable solutions.
Capacity building: Providing support and resources to foster excellence in population health research and practice.
Dr. Emily Richard, RN, PhD is the Scientific Director of the UNB Institute for Population Health, an Associate Professor, and the Associate Dean, Moncton, in the Faculty of Nursing at UNB. Dr. Richard is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise in mixed methods, questionnaire design and validation, surveys, and intervention research.
Her research program is centered on health promotion and population health, with an emphasis on leadership and innovation in health services, healthy work environments, healthcare professional education, and healthy aging. Dr. Richard is dedicated to addressing the determinants of health and influencing policy to create healthier communities. Key determinants such as education, working conditions, and healthy lifestyles are integral to her research.
She is also passionate about healthy aging, investigating ways to support older adults and their caregivers in maintaining their health and quality of life. Known for her empowering leadership style, Dr. Richard is dedicated to creating meaningful educational experiences for her students and has taught courses in leadership, health and wellness, quantitative research methods, and the determinants of health.
Dr. Jennifer Russell is the Executive Director of the University of New Brunswick’s Institute of Population Health and President of the New Brunswick College of Family Physicians. She previously served as New Brunswick's Chief Medical Officer of Health from 2018 to 2024, where she was recognized for her leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr. Russell’s career spans clinical practice in family medicine, mental health, and addictions, as well as extensive public health leadership. Before her time as Chief Medical Officer, she served as Deputy Chief from 2014 to 2018. She has also held roles as a medical officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and worked with the Horizon Health Network in Fredericton, focusing on opioid replacement therapy, mental health services, and hospital-based care.
Dr. Russell holds a Bachelor of Science from UNB, a Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie University, and a medical degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She completed her family medicine residency at Dalhousie in 2001. She has been honored with an honorary Doctor of Laws from Mount Allison University and an honorary Doctorate in Health from Université de Moncton. She was named Canada’s 2020 Physician of the Year for New Brunswick and invested into the Order of New Brunswick in 2021.
Dr. Paul Atkinson is a Professor in Emergency Medicine at Dalhousie University and recently appointed Clinical-Academic Head in Emergency Medicine, Saint John Area, New Brunswick, and Assistant Dean, Research at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick. He is also deputy editor for the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine; and was Chief Medical Officer at WorkSafeNB from 2016 to 2020. He is past chair of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians research committee, as well as the NB Trauma Program research sub-committee.
His international training began at the Queen’s University of Belfast, followed by postgraduate programs in internal medicine in Belfast and emergency medicine in Cambridge, UK. He completed a fellowship at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia. He relocated to Saint John, N.B. from Cambridge in late 2009.
He has over 80 peer-reviewed publications, as well as being the lead editor on two textbooks, Emergency Medicine an Illustrated Colour Text, 2010; and Point of Care Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine and Resuscitation, 2019.
Awards include the inaugural “Best in Class” undergraduate teaching award from Dalhousie University in 2012, and the national Grant Innes Award for Emergency Medicine research in 2014, and the Ian Stiell Researcher of the Year Award from the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, 2019.
Dr. Susan Brien is Senior Vice President Medical, Academic and Research Affairs for Horizon Health Network. Originally from New Brunswick and prior to joining Horizon, Dr. Brien served as the Director, Practice and System Innovation at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She played an integral part in the Royal College’s international initiative as the Vice-President Asia Pacific.
Her portfolio included overseeing new regional, national, and international projects, facilitating professional development activities such as team training, simulation, performance assessment, simulation accreditation, and curriculum integration. Dr. Brien also held leadership roles including Chief of Neurosurgery at Le Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Gatineau, where she had practiced as a neurosurgeon.
She served as the inaugural Director of Operations for Quebec, Eastern Canada, and Nunavut with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, where she was responsible for national patient safety education. Dr. Brien was an Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Ottawa and a faculty lecturer with the Division of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University, where she also served as the UGME Accreditation Lead for the Gatineau Campus. She is a certified physician executive and member of the American Association of Physician Leaders.
As Senior Vice President Medical, Academic and Research Affairs, Dr. Brien oversees and ensures systems, policies and processes support excellence in medical care, medical education and champions continuing improvement, innovation, and research.
Dr Lorna Butler received her PhD from the University of Toronto (1990) her Masters of Nursing from Dalhousie University (1987)and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mount Saint Vincent University (1978). She is currently a Professor and Dean, Faculty of Nursing at UNB for Fredericton & Moncton.
Dr Butler was inducted to the Canadian Nurses Academy as a Fellow in 2022. She describes her career as about taking risks to position nursing in places where we have never been before and ensure that nurses’ contribution to society is visible and high profile through the communities in which they serve. She believes that perhaps her greatest contribution has been the use of technology to create access to nursing education locally, nationally and in the circumpolar north.
Crossing borders to learn culture and care to improve the social determinants of health has been life changing for her. Lessons from Indigenous people of Canada’s north and the circumpolar world have shaped how she approaches a global health strategy with policies that are inclusive of Indigenous people. Her contribution to the Advisory Board is knowing how to collaborate with international partners to influence policy. Dr Butler believes strongly that it is not so much about what she may have done but what others can do because of her presence.
Dr Jbilou is Full Professor, at the School of Psychology and at the Centre of medical training in New Brunswick, Université de Moncton. Dr. Jbilou is a distinguished public health specialist with a medical education in family medicine and public health and an MSc and a PhD in community medicine.
Dr. Jbilou educational emphasis on public health has guided her research career in the field of synergistic interface between public health and primary care (NCCDH, 2021). Her research aims to improve the health of populations with unique but prevalent daily challenges, such as non-communicable diseases, social disparities, work-related stress, and climate change.
Dr. Jbilou has earned multiple acknowledgments and funding grants for her research in the public health field. Recently, she was honoured by ResearchNB for her work with the 2023 Changemaker of the Year Award.
Her expertise in health education, behavioural medicine, digital Health, and implementation science has established her position as leading researcher in health systems management and preventive medicine.
Natasha Lemieux is Vice President Community at Horizon Health Network, She is formerly the VP of Patient Services and Clinical Education & Chief Nursing Officer at Homewood Health Centre in Guelph Ontario, a position she has held since 2017. Natasha brings in depth knowledge of Addictions, Mental Health and Long Term Care as well as experience in Indigenous Care, Forensics, and Corrections.
Natasha brings over 20 years of clinical nursing, educational, and administrative experience in health care both in acute care and community settings. She has worked and studied in urban and rural settings across Canada. She also has experience in facility, operational, and occupancy planning, successfully increasing patient access to treatment and improving quality outcomes.
Natasha has educational experience at Brandon University in the Masters of Psychiatric Nursing- Health Services Leadership and Administration and holds a Masters Certificate as a LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt from Schulich School of Business at York University. Natasha also holds a Masters Certificate in Healthcare Management from the Schulich Executive Education Centre and gained her Change Management certification from Prosci.
She has been in leadership since 2008 and participated in several surveys in a number of programs, including Long Term Care, Acute Care, and Outpatient service delivery. Natasha’s greatest strength is her sound knowledge of clinical care, the health care system and her ability to appreciate diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences.
Natasha has extensive experience in education development and training delivery including the creation and provision of Crisis Intervention Team Training to Municipal Police, RCMP, Corrections Officers and other First Responders. She was also a keynote speaker the Critical Incident Stress Conference in Niagara Falls and has provided education and training sessions for many organizations nationwide including the Salvation Army, John Howard Association, Schlegel Villages and the Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA). She has also severed as a member of the Research Ethics Board at Homewood Health Centre and on the Registered Nurse and Registered Practical Nurse Advisory Council at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario.
Dr. David MaGee is the vice-president research at UNB. In his role, he provides leadership and vision in shaping UNB's strategic research direction and agenda, overseeing research-related policies and programs, and developing a higher profile for the full spectrum of research and scholarly activities in all UNB's academic units.
Currently in his second term, Dr. MaGee was first appointed vice-president research in 2017. Prior to his appointment, Dr. MaGee served as dean of science (2008-2017) and as chair of the department of chemistry (1999-2007). In his capacity as vice-president (research), Dr. MaGee serves on the boards of several regional and national organizations, including the new Digital Research Alliance of Canada, Springboard Atlantic, the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, Research New Brunswick (as well as both of its pre-merger organizations, the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation and BioNB), the Canadian Consortium of Ocean Research Universities, Huntsman Marine Centre and AceNet.
A proud New Brunswicker, Dr. MaGee completed his PhD in synthetic organic chemistry at UNB in 1987. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Rochester, he returned to UNB as a faculty member in chemistry. His primary area of research inquiry has focused on new and/or simpler ways to make biologically-interesting and structurally-challenging natural products. He has published 49 peer-reviewed articles on his research, presented at more than 80 conferences and holds five patents for significant discoveries made in the course of his research.
Dean Marin joined the UNB Faculty of Law in 2016, after teaching at the University of Ottawa for four years. He was appointed Associate Dean in 2018, Acting Dean in 2020 and Dean in 2021. In 2022, he was appointed King’s Counsel.
Dean Marin’s focus is the implementation of UNB Law’s Strategic Plan, a bold agenda that will affirm UNB Law as one of Canada’s top law schools. The Plan includes new experiential learning opportunities, a graduate program, research chairs, an intensive term, a pre-law program and upgraded facilities.
Dean Marin is active in the legal profession through service on administrative tribunals, professional organizations and continuing legal education. He currently serves as Vice-Chairperson of the New Brunswick Labour and Employment Board and previously served as Vice-Chairperson of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal (WCAT). In the latter role, he authored nearly 100 decisions on the rights and obligations of injured workers and their employers.
Dean Marin also serves on the Atlantic Regional Committee of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute, which provides support to lawyers appearing before the country’s highest court. He is a member of the Councils of the Law Society of New Brunswick and the Canadian Bar Association New Brunswick Branch, as well as the Executive Committee of the Council of Canadian Law Deans.
Dean Marin is a frequent presenter at conferences organized by the Canadian Bar Association, the National Judicial Institute and other professional organizations. His teaching and research focus on administrative law, workplace law, corporate governance and torts.
Before entering academia, Dean Marin practiced civil litigation at an international firm in New York City and clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada for the Hon. Ian Binnie. He has a law degree from the University of Ottawa, an MA in Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University, and an LLM from the University of Cambridge, where he studied as a Gates Scholar. Dean Marin was named a Fellow of Action Canada, a program that supports the development of Canada’s public policy leaders.
He is a member of the Law Society of New Brunswick, the Law Society of Ontario and the Bar of New York.
Patrick Parent is a veteran of organizational transformation. Over the past 25+ years, he has worked as a senior executive including president and CEO roles within various public and private sector organizations and businesses.
He now holds the positions of Assistant CEO, Strategic Execution, and Senior VP, Client Programs and Professional Services with a mandate to transform primary care as well as various organizational practices. Patrick holds an executive MBA from McGill University and HEC Montreal and is also an alumnus of Mount Allison University.
Patrick Parent est un vétéran de la transformation organisationnelle. Au cours des 25 dernières années et plus, il a travaillé comme cadre supérieur, notamment comme président et chef de la direction au sein de diverses organisations et entreprises des secteurs public et privé.
Il occupe maintenant les postes de Président Directeur General adjoint, Exécution stratégique, et de vice-président principal, Programmes à la clientèle et services professionnels, avec le mandat de transformer les soins primaires ainsi que diverses pratiques organisationnelles. Patrick est titulaire d'un MBA pour cadres de l'Université McGill et de HEC Montréal et est également un ancien de l'Université Mount Allison.
Roxanne Grace Sappier, is a proud Wolastoq woman from the Tobique First Nation (Neqotkuk). Roxanne completed the Mikmaw-Maliseet Bachelor of Social Work program through St. Thomas University in 2008. Roxanne is also a Certified First Nation Health Manager through the First Nation Health Managers Association. Roxanne received the 2018 Excellence in Health Leadership Award from the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement and through First Nation Health Managers Association.
Mrs. Sappier has been the Director of Health Services for the Tobique First Nation (Neqotkuk) for 25 years from 1999-2024. As Director of Neqotkuk Health Services, she was instrumental in achieving national accreditation of the health facilities in Neqotkuk as well as the creation of a new health center and expansion of many new initiatives and services.
Roxanne chairs and sits on several committees that help advocate for culturally safe and appropriate health need areas for the First Nations people in NB.
In July of this year, Roxanne accepted a new position as the Executive Director of Health and Wellness Transformation for NB – Sankewitahasuwakon, supporting unity among the 15 First Nation communities Health Directors, Chiefs and Tribal Councils to strive to exercise self-determination over health services.
While her life is dedicated to her family and fur babies, the well-being of Skicinuwi and L’nu’k Nations in this territory is also close to her heart.