Dr. Penny Ballem – HCS25
Interim President & CEO, PHSA
Dr. Penny Ballem was appointed the Interim President and CEO of PHSA in April 2025. Prior to that she served as Chair of the Board of VCH from 2019-2025.
Dr. Ballem is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She has had a 40-year career as a health leader and academic clinician in British Columbia. She served as the B.C. deputy minister of health from 2001-06. She also served as the city manager for the City of Vancouver from 2008-15. She advises governments across Canada on health policy, health systems and health human resources.
In January 2021 Dr Ballem was asked to lead the COVID vaccination program for the Province of BC which she oversaw up until June 2023. In January 2023, Dr. Ballem was appointed as a senior advisor to the Premier of BC on Health Systems.
Dr Ballem has received significant public recognition for her work in medicine and public service, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the King’s Coronation Medal for Public Service, the 2012 Wallace Wilson Award from UBC for leadership in medicine, the Marion Powell Award from Women’s College Hospital for leadership in Women’s Health, the Cannell Award from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada for her contributions to leadership in reproductive health and others. In June 2022 she received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Simon Fraser University. In August 2023 she was named as a recipient of the Order of BC.
Dr. Penny Ballem was appointed the Interim President and CEO of PHSA in April 2025. Prior to that she served as Chair of the Board of VCH from 2019-2025.
Dr. Ballem is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She has had a 40-year career as a health leader and academic clinician in British Columbia. She served as the B.C. deputy minister of health from 2001-06. She also served as the city manager for the City of Vancouver from 2008-15. She advises governments across Canada on health policy, health systems and health human resources.
In January 2021 Dr Ballem was asked to lead the COVID vaccination program for the Province of BC which she oversaw up until June 2023. In January 2023, Dr. Ballem was appointed as a senior advisor to the Premier of BC on Health Systems.
Dr Ballem has received significant public recognition for her work in medicine and public service, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the King’s Coronation Medal for Public Service, the 2012 Wallace Wilson Award from UBC for leadership in medicine, the Marion Powell Award from Women’s College Hospital for leadership in Women’s Health, the Cannell Award from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada for her contributions to leadership in reproductive health and others. In June 2022 she received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Simon Fraser University. In August 2023 she was named as a recipient of the Order of BC.
