Our Team

Michelle joined YSPOR in November of 2021. She holds a B.Sc. in Genetics and Immunology, a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, and was a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow, spending 5 years researching infectious and genetic diseases at the University of Toronto. A fun fact about Michelle is that her passion for research once got her a ‘cease and desist’ order from the spy agency MI5 during one of her projects.

Shayna joined the YSPOR team in May of 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with distinction and a Masters Certificate in Project Management. A fun fact about Shayna is that in 2023 she achieved one of her lifelong dreams, climbing 5,400 meters to reach Mount Everest Base Camp.

Amy joined the YSPOR team in October 2023. She holds degrees in Exercise Physiology, Physiotherapy and a Master’s of Health Management. Amy spent six years working in Inuvik, Northwest Territories before moving to Whitehorse where she has been for the last 19 years. When Amy is not at work, she enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, texting her daughters while they are away at university, exploring Yukon’s incredible trails, spending time with her husband and dog and recharging off the grid at her cabin.

Jamie joined the YSPOR team in June 2023. She is a Tr’ondek Hwech’in citizen, who was born and raised in Dawson City. Jamie hold a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Health, with a major in Biomedical Sciences and minor in Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity from Saint Francis Xavier University. She enjoys spending her time on the land harvesting, hiking, and camping and engaging with her friends, family, and community.

Janet Van Bibber ùúye
agunda íchʼe (I am wolf clan)
Shadhęl tsʼän íchʼe (I am from Shadhęl {Champagne})
ä́tsųą shäw umą daklʼaweidí ächʼe na (My great grandmothers’ mother, who passed away, was dakl’aweidi

Janet joined YSPOR in March 2024, bringing extensive experience in community engagement and program development within the Yukon First Nations context. In her previous role as First Nations and Community Liaison-COVID at the Population and Public Health Evidence and Evaluation Branch, Janet developed and managed key relationships with Yukon First Nations, municipal leaders, and the Yukon Government. With a bachelor’s degree in social work and a diploma in business administration, Janet is committed to collaborating with Yukon First Nations and individuals with lived experiences to develop health research priorities, enhance community capacity, and facilitate training opportunities that benefit Yukon communities.

Contact Janet: 867-335-9309 or janet.vanbibber@yukonu.ca

Liris was YSPOR’s first ever employee acting as Scientific Director from August 2021 until she transitioned into the role of Health Chair in June of 2022. She is a licensed physical therapist and holds a Ph.D. in health sciences. A fun fact about Liris is that she is an avid hiker and once found herself in a situation where she needed to be helicopter evacuated out of the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal due to an intense monsoon.

Piper started at YSPOR in Dawson City as a Junior Researcher in May of 2023. She strives to support and create an improved healthcare system, incorporating Indigenous medicine and ceremony as a common resource within the Dawson Community Hospital. She enjoys learning and researching how ceremony can raise spirits and improve healing and health. She feels privileged to be able to support and work with local Knowledge Keepers to document, share and educate about the power that plants, trees, and berries hold.

Anna joined the YSPOR team full time in spring 2024. Anna was born in Whitehorse, grew up in Ottawa, and is excited to be back in the Yukon. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience from Simon Fraser University and a Masters of Public Health from the University of Toronto. Anna is passionate about supporting the development and application of health research that is relevant and useful to communities. Anna loves being outside, making crafts and eating yummy food.

Contact Anna: 867-332-2934 or abillowits@yukonu.ca

Joelle Charlie is a Liard First Nations member and Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation citizen who was born and raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. Joelle’s Gwich’in name is Zheetìi, which means “Sky”. From an early age, Joelle was taught to respect the land and to value the teachings of her elders.

Joelle started at YSPOR in Watson Lake as the First Nations Community Research Coordinator in May of 2024. She aims to help uplift and empower her community, by being a source of support and advocating for her people to take ownership of their health data and research. She is dedicated to advocating for Indigenous rights, self-determination, language revitalization, and decolonizing spaces. She is interested in plant medicine, language teaching, food security, and community development. She is passionate about building systems of autonomous care and community interdependence, by blending Indigenous Knowledge with new ways of being and support. To support her, Joelle was recently accepted into “To Swim and Speak with Salmon” and is excited to develop her skills further. Joelle is very passionate about reclaiming her culture, through speaking her language, going out on the land, and engaging in cultural activities such as beading, berry picking, and kayaking.

Hope joined the YSPOR team in March 2024. She is a member of the Kaska and Tahltan Nation who was born and raised in the Yukon. Hope is interested in cultural revitalization. She enjoys travelling and spending time on the land with family when she isn’t busy studying. Hope aims to study law and one day become a lawyer.

Ava joined the YSPOR team in June 2024. She was born and raised in Whitehorse. Ava is an undergraduate student at the University of Victoria pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology. In her spare time, she enjoys being outside, paddleboarding, spending time with friends and family, and going for walks with her dog.

Alex grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, and joined the YSPOR team in June 2024. As a fourth-year Bachelor of Health Sciences student at Queen’s University, Alex has a passion for public policy and its influence on improving lives. In his free time, Alex enjoys traveling, playing musical instruments, going to the gym, and playing tennis.