Our Committees

The Board of Certification of Public Health Inspectors (BoC)

To ensure that our members are experts in environmental public health, the BoC grants the Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada), or CPHI(C), to candidates who fulfill the requirements outlined in our regulations respecting certification.

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The Council of Professional Experience (CoPE)

The Council of Professional Experience (CoPE) administers our Continuing Professional Competencies (CPC) program. In operation since early 2010, CoPE is composed of members appointed through consultation with the CIPHI branches.

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The National Advocacy Committee

We advocate on behalf of environmental public health professionals, also known as public health inspectors and environmental health officers, and provide support to our branches, members, and partner agencies, including by disseminating information via position statements and media releases, and through correspondence with policy decision-makers.

Meaghen Allen

National Director- Advocacy

Meaghen was appointed to the National Director- Advocacy in 2023. Prior to that she served as the Alberta Branch President from 2019 to 2022. Meaghen has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Alberta, an After Degree in Environmental Public Health, and a master’s degree in public health management. Meaghen currently works as the Director of Safe Healthy Environments with Alberta Health Services.

Natalie Lowdon

President Elect

Natalie Lowdon is the regional manager for the Winnipeg Health Protection Unit, Environmental Health Branch, with Manitoba Health. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Manitoba, and a Bachelor of Environmental Health (after degree) from the Concordia University College of Edmonton. A certified public health inspector (Canada) since 2007, Natalie has a wealth of experience in the field of public health inspection, as a public health inspector for the City of Winnipeg and with the Province of Manitoba.

Natalie joined the CIPHI Manitoba Branch Executive Committee in 2008 as a councilor. Her duties included volunteering on various committees, which eventually led to her chairing a branch educational conference in 2009 and a workshop in 2010. She was the venue chair for the 2013 Centennial National Annual Conference in Winnipeg, which commenced planning three years in advance of the event. Although her branch councilor term ended in 2012, Natalie returned to hold the branch secretary position from 2017-2018. In 2019-2020, Natalie held the Manitoba Branch President position and co-chaired the National Advocacy Committee during this time. In 2021, Natalie moved into the Manitoba Branch past-president role, while remaining on the National Advocacy Committee and continued to participate with the development of the branding for CIPHI, with the ongoing goal of increasing both public and employer awareness of the institute and the professional designation, and creating a better understanding of the role of environmental public health professionals in communities throughout Canada. In 2022, Natalie was appointed as a National Director for CIPHI, with the portfolio of advocacy. In this role, she was able to continue CIPHI's advocacy initiatives and lead the first CIPHI National 6-week public awareness campaign which was a success. She looks forward to contributing to CIPHI in her new role as CIPHI President-Elect that aligns with the mission of the institute.

Her favourite activities include being active, spending time with family and friends, pets and nature, and watching her two athletic daughters, Maëlle and Annalie, participate in hockey and gymnastics.

Vanessa Nickelo

Social Media

Born and raised in Cape Breton before moving west and graduating from Concordia University College of Alberta’s After-Degree Program in Environmental Health in 2010, Vanessa worked as a public health inspector at the New Brunswick Department of Health in 2010 before moving back to Nova Scotia and practicing as a public health officer with the Government of Nova Scotia from 2011 to 2018. She recently accepted the role as an officer with the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s Emergency Preparedness Program. Throughout her career, Vanessa has been an active CIPHI member, mentoring students, serving as a BoC examiner, presenting at the 2016 Annual Education Conference, and volunteering as webmaster at the Nova Scotia-Prince Edward Island Branch.

Vanessa resides in Halifax with her partner Mark. In her spare time she enjoys the gym, video games, and spending time with her dog, Loki.s.

Valerie Jackson

President- BC Branch

alerie started her started her post-secondary education at the University of Winnipeg with a degree in Bio-Anthropology. After graduating and working in the research field she decided to follow her passion for public health and obtained her Bachelor of Environmental Public Health at Concordia University of Edmonton and became a CIPHI certified Public Health Inspector. She has completed the Infection Prevention and Control course from Queens University and recently applied to a Masters of Public Health program through University of Waterloo. Valerie moved to beautiful BC and began working as an Environmental Public Health Officer (EHO) with first Nations Health Authority in Aug 2021. She previously lived in Manitoba where she worked with Indigenous Services Canada as an EPHO in remote, Northern and rural Manitoba First Nations.

Valerie joined CIPHI as a student in 2016 and when in Manitoba became part of various committees helping where she could. She took on the role of Manitoba president elect in 2020 and just stepped into the role of BC branch President Jan 2023. She is a member of the National Advocacy and Policy committees, and hopes to continue assisting with the amazing work they are doing. Valerie enjoys promoting the EPH profession, and is passionate about health promotion, education, health equity, food security, and public health in general.

Valerie loves the outdoors and enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with her family, friends, and dogs. Valerie is a 200 Hr certified Yoga Teacher, and is a fitness instructor volunteer at the YMCA. Overall health and wellness are important aspects of her life.

The Retirees Advisory Committee

In recognition of the importance of strengthening the public health system and public health human resource capacity in Canada, the Retirees Advisory Committee was established in September 2005 as a joint project of the CIPHI and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to:

Address the need for qualified environmental public health professionals, also known as public health inspectors and environmental health officers, to deal with potential public health emergencies.
Determine a framework to serve as a tool to enhance the public health system capacity.
Serve as a pilot for the establishment of retiree committees in other health disciplines.

Bringing together retired environmental public health professionals from all regions of Canada, the committee draws on its members’ experience and corporate knowledge to fulfill its mandate to provide CIPHI with guidance, assistance, and advice on public health issues. In its role as an advisory body, the committee forms working and/or task groups to support CIPHI in addressing the following key aspects relating to public health capacity:

The delivery of public health services in times of a public health emergencies.
Planning public health initiatives Identifying needs, and promoting, mentoring, and championing initiatives within the profession of environmental public health professionals and future committees of retired public health professionals.
Supporting CIPHI’s vision, mission, and values.

Committee initiatives

Current Committee Initiatives

Develop and maintain database of all retired Environmental Public Health Professional to contact during a major disaster or public health emergencies to assist local health agencies.
Develop enhanced services and benefits to retired CIPHI members.
Provide letters of congratulations to retiring members and letters of condolences to families of deceased members.

Past Committe Initiatives

Encouraged and supported CIPHI efforts to re-establish a Quebec branch and the use of the CPHI(C) certification by employers at all levels in the province.
Advocated for a stamp to be issued by Canada Post and a coin to be issued by the Canadian Mint to celebrate the 100th year of the institute in 2013.
Lead the initiative to create a History of Public Health Inspection in Canada document.
Supported projects lead by the Canadian Public Health Association to celebrate its 100th Anniversary in 2010.

Members

Name

Province

Name

Province

Sharon Murray

Newfoundland and Labrador

Calvin Morgan

Newfoundland and Labrador

Joe Bradley

Nova Scotia/PEI

Leonard Gallant

Nova Scotia/PEI

Vacant

New Brunswick and Quebec

Pamela Scharfe (Chair)

Ontario

Ken Gorman

Ontario

Bernie Chrisp

Manitoba

Vacant

Saskatchewan

Munira Peermohamed

Alberta

Nelson Fok

Alberta

Lynne Brewer

British Columbia

Peter Rogers