OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NOREEN FRISCH

NOREEN FRISCH

PRESIDENT – DIRECTOR – CHAIR

Noreen, PhD, MSN, MSW, is a retired nursing faculty member with extensive practice experience in community-based programs. She has served as director of two schools of nursing and moved to Victoria to serve as UVic’s School of Nursing Director in 2007.

She brings knowledge of healthcare systems, administration, evaluation research and grant writing. She has a strong commitment to collaborative work. Having worked with the initial patient-oriented research activities in BC, she understands that health services need to be provided so that those being served are the decision makers in all processes. When she was first introduced to VSRA, Noreen saw the organization as one that is deeply committed to those collaborative values.  

She has two family members who have had strokes and learned years ago that stroke recovery can be a long-term process requiring supports that augment what our healthcare system offers.

In her spare time, Noreen enjoys being in two book clubs, playing Irish folk music, sewing, baking bread and participating in various fitness activities. She and her husband have found that Victoria is the best place they have ever lived!    

RICHARD BRIMMELL

RICHARD BRIMMELL

VICE PRESIDENT - DIRECTOR

 

Richard is a geotechnical engineer who retired in 2020. He owned and operated Brimmell Engineering for the last 16 years of his career.

Richard had a minor stroke early in 2020, from which he has fully recovered. Because of that event he has sympathy with stroke survivors. His interests are cycling, choir, cooking, reading and travelling.

LYNNE YOUNG

LYNNE YOUNG

SECRETARY- DIRECTOR

 

Lynne is a retired nurse who was educated to the PhD level in nursing at UBC. She has served in a variety of roles in nursing: bedside nurse, clinical specialist, educator and researcher.

Health promotion, cardiovascular care, pain care, aging and nursing education have been specific topics of attention in her clinical and academic work.

Lynne’s father had a stroke at age 60 and lived for another 10 years, the first five of which he was at home cared for by his wife, thus Lynne had personal experience with the challenges of stroke survivors and their caregivers.

Lynne has two adult children and four grandchildren, and she leads an active life paddling outrigger canoes, cycling, book clubs, and choir. You might even find her strumming a ukelele!

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ALVIN YANCHUK

ALVIN YANCHUK

TREASURER - DIRECTOR

 

Alvin, PhD, Registered Professional Forester, is a stroke survivor. He has been a member of the VSRA for eight years and recently assumed the role of Treasurer for VSRA.

Alvin has worked for the government of British Columbia for over 35 years. He is currently the Team Lead in Forest Genetics Research and an Adjunct Professor in Forest Biology at UVic. Alvin has worked in New Zealand and Rome (with the UN) and travelled to many places in the world where forestry is important. Last year, he was a recipient of the Canadian Institute of Forestry Scientific Achievement Award.

Eight-years ago Alvin suffered a stroke, which affected his ability to read, write (non-fluent aphasia), speak (complete apraxia) and swallow. After years of arduous therapy, he returned to full-time work in 2021. The VSRA has been enormously helpful with his recovery, and he is pleased that he is now able to give back to the VSRA by volunteering as the Treasurer.

Alvin was lucky that paralysis from his stroke was temporary. He is still able to fly-fish for trout in BC, and around the world. Alvin also has a black belt in karate and trains regularly. He enjoys travelling with his wife Elizabeth, single-cask scotch whiskies, abstract art painting, and playing with his grandson. Hopefully more are on the way!

BILL COX

BILL COX

DIRECTOR

 

Bill, H.BSc. Geology, Carleton University (1973-77). Bill retired after working  as a geologist in Calgary for a major oil company, then as a consulting petroleum geologist and lastly as part owner, director and executive of a public junior oil and gas company.

In 1999 and 2000 at the age of 45, Bill had back-to back-strokes that brought his career to a close, the sale of the oil company and LTD. Bill and his wife Janine moved to Victoria in 2008 after five years as snowbirds during the winter.

He has enjoyed many years of co-facilitating workshops for the UVic Center of Aging, Self Management Program, as a docent at the Royal BC Museum and as chair of the current-events discussion meetings by snowbirds.

For 17 summers, Bill and Janine travelled to the Ottawa area where Bill grew up, visiting family and friends, and enjoying cottage life.

Bill has served for over 10 years on the VSRA board, focused primarily on the outreach programs. Bill now enjoys the peer support of the VSRA, the exercise program and the company of other people who understand what it is like to be a stroke survivor or caregiver.

Beyond the VSRA, Bill and Janine have a wide variety of interests. These include visiting Janine’s 99-years-young mom, church thrift-shop volunteering, cruise travelling, current-events discussion groups, entertaining, men’s night, poker nights and Zooming with family and friends.

SUSAN EDWARDS

SUSAN EDWARDS

DIRECTOR

Susan, M.Sc., RSLP is the Director of the Victoria Voice and Swallow Clinic.

She works with adults and adolescents who have voice, upper airway and cognitive communication challenges following stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Susan led the communication group of the VSRA for eight years and was impressed by the strength of the community the members formed.

Her mother, who had a stroke at 48 years of age that proved to be quite isolating, would have loved this group. Susan looks forward to working together with the VSRA Board of Directors, the members and our skilled contractors to support people in their stroke recovery in the community.

In her free time, Susan enjoys local hiking, hospitality, and listening to stories about the relationships between all kinds of people and how we navigate the world together.

JENNIFER BEADLE

JENNIFER BEADLE

DIRECTOR

 

Jennifer held various roles in the financial services industry before retiring in 2014.

As a member of the VSRA since 2022 when her partner survived a stroke, Jennifer is committed to supporting stroke survivors and care partners as they navigate their stroke journey.

In her spare time, Jennifer  enjoys traveling, walking, reading — and occasionally tending to her garden.

GREGG MEIKLEJOHN

GREGG MEIKLEJOHN

DIRECTOR

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Gregg has a background in business, and sold his software business in December 2021. He has been certified as a professional business coach and has been working part time.
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Gregg had a suspected small stroke in January 2023 and a significant one in September 2023.
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He has aggressively conducted his rehab, tying the work to his favourite pastimes: dragon boating, soccer and golf.
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In addition, Gregg volunteers weekly with Move Adaptive Gym and sits on the board of the Better Business Bureau.

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