Zena is an experienced leader and strategist who is adept at working with complexity, facilitating organizational learning, adaptation, and continuous improvement, and building thriving, inclusive teams. She’s worked in the health research funding sector at provincial and national levels since 2008; prior roles include director, strategy at the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research and assistant director of the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health. Trained as a qualitative researcher, Zena has a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia.

Zena is passionate about contributing to the development of a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive health research funding sector. In addition to her role at Health Research BC, Zena is a writer, speaker, and LGBTQ+ health advocate. She’s published three books, including The Care We Dream Of: Liberatory and Transformative Approaches to LGBTQ+ Health (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2021) and the Lambda Literary award-winning anthology, The Remedy: Queer and Trans Voices on Health and Health Care (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2016).