Dr. Melissa Lem is a Vancouver family physician who also works in rural and northern communities. Director of PaRx, Canada’s national nature prescription program powered by the BC Parks Foundation, she is a long-time advocate for the nature-health connection. She has engaged in advocacy and policy work on a broad range of issues, from climate change and hydraulic fracturing to sustainable health care and nature-based solutions.

A senior writer for the CBC, she was the resident medical expert on CBC TV’s hit show Steven and Chris for four seasons and is a regular contributor to CBC Radio and CTV News.

Dr. Lem was the inaugural winner of University College’s Young Alumni of Influence Award (University of Toronto), a 2021 World Parks Week Ambassador, sits on the Advisory Committee of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Health and Well-being Specialist Group, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia.

Twitter @Melissa_Lem