empower
Circle of Impact Recipients - September 2026
Three new recipients were honoured in this iteration of the Circle of Impact recognition.
Empower: Excellence in Teaching Shapes the Next Generation
The Empower category celebrates family physicians who foster the next generation through teaching excellence, educational leadership, and mentorship that advances family medicine. Our recipient demonstrates the profound impact of investing in future family physicians.
- Dr. Virginia Le was celebrated for her work in helping international colleagues navigate Canadian systems, and providing comprehensive primary care to underserved and minority communities. "Learners who work with her see family medicine at its fullest: longitudinal, culturally attentive, and unafraid of complexity."
Connect: Community Cornerstones Foster Connection
The Connect category honours family physicians who serve as cornerstones of care, leading community health initiatives and fostering collaborative practices for the wellbeing of their patients and their families.
- Dr. Andrea Gonzalez was recognized for providing longitudinal family medicine by ensuring a community of patients attached remains attached after a physician leaves. "Day after day she delivers preventative care, chronic disease management, and acute care to a diverse urban panel, and she continues to advocate for her patients and for the Filipino community she serves."
- Dr. Shelley Forrest was celebrated for being a reliable source of expertise in her community of Fernie, BC. "She has taught many students and residents and served as a mentor, particularly in maternity care when she was often called in to help for every new physician to the community for the last 25 years."