Creating a healthier future for Gabriola
As the Gabriola Health Care Foundation takes on a larger role in supporting community health care, it’s also evolving to meet new opportunities and challenges. Like many growing non-profits, the Foundation is moving from a working board, where directors are involved in day-to-day activities, to a governance board focused on strategy, oversight, and long-term planning. This shift will help strengthen the organization, improve sustainability, and position it for future growth.
Hiring a new role for a growing organization
Leading a change like this requires dedicated support and experienced leadership. As such, the Foundation is pleased to welcome Christina Rajsic as its new Transformation Lead. Christina served on the Board of Directors from 2023 until June 2026, when she stepped down to take on this new role. Outside of the Foundation, she is the Executive Director of People for a Healthy Community.
As the Transformation Lead, Christina will strengthen governance, clarify the roles of the Board, committees, and staff, and support relationships with health system partners. She brings more than 20 years of experience in health care, public health, and organizational leadership, including senior roles with the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Provincial Health Services Authority.
“I’ve been struck by how much people on Gabriola care about supporting one another,” said Rajsic. “That community spirit is one of the Foundation’s greatest strengths, and I’m excited to help build on it as we determine our next steps.”
“We’ve accomplished a lot as a working board, but the Foundation is growing and our needs are changing,” said Foundation President Dyan Dunsmoor-Farley. “Christina’s leadership will help ensure we are well positioned to support the community’s health care needs for years to come.”
Building on recent successes
Christina joins the Foundation at an exciting time. Recent efforts to recruit two new family doctors for Gabriola demonstrate what can happen when community organizations, health care partners, volunteers, and donors work together toward a shared goal. The new physicians are expected to join the Gabriola Medical Clinic in fall 2026, helping expand access to primary care for residents.
The Foundation’s next chapter will build on this kind of progress. With strong leadership, committed partners, and an engaged community, it’s working to create lasting improvements in health care on Gabriola.
Shaping the future together
You can contact Christina at TL@GHCF.ca.
If you’d like to help, please consider donating to the Foundation. Community support helps attract health-care professionals, strengthen local services, and create a healthier future for everyone who calls Gabriola home.