Leslie Bonshor
Leslie Bonshor is the Vice President, Indigenous Health and is responsible for providing executive leadership to Indigenous Health programs, services, and initiatives.
"We're committed to improving access to culturally safe health care of the Indigenous people in our region, and we recognize that we all have a contribution to make in reconciliation and healing."
Leslie Bonshor, Vice President of Indigenous Health, Vancouver Coastal Health
Biography
Leslie Bonshor was appointed Vice President, Indigenous Health at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) in April 2021. As Vice President, Indigenous Health, Leslie is responsible for providing executive leadership to Indigenous Health programs, services, and initiatives across the continuum of care to create a comprehensive service delivery system in collaboration with all of our health and wellness partners and Indigenous communities and organizations. She provides strategic advice and leadership to enable and facilitate culturally safe care across VCH with a focus on improving the wellness, health and care needs of Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit).
Leslie has made immense contributions to the Indigenous portfolio at VCH and continues to bring her strategic leadership to this critical portfolio. Her advice and expertise helps to focus our efforts on delivering safe, quality care to Indigenous peoples, and guide our implementation of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the delivery of other recommendations from reports such as the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and addressing Indigenous-specific racism that exists in health care as outlined within In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C. Health Care.
Joining VCH in 2015, Leslie has worked tirelessly leading the Indigenous Health team as Executive Director at VCH and has been instrumental in providing direction and guidance on the priorities and issues related to improving the health of Indigenous populations. Prior to joining VCH, she was Director of Aboriginal Health at Fraser Health, starting as a consultant with them in 2005, before taking a permanent role in 2007. Prior to joining health care, she started her career in the banking and financial services industry where she excelled for 15 years, followed by the start-up of a First Nations consulting company with her husband.
Leslie comes from the Stó:lō Nations Ch'iyaqtel community and she has dedicated her career to promoting, improving and advocating for the wellness and health needs of Indigenous Peoples.