Jade Yehia

Jade Yehia grew up on the west coast of Turtle Island from a family of mixed ancestry. At an early age she was passionate about environmental stewardship and the deep connection place has to our health and wellbeing, which led to her academic and professional pursuits. She holds a Master of Science with a thesis on Health Impact Assessment in the Environmental Assessment process, and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Geography. She is a certified Environmental Health Officer and Consultant with over 16 years of experience in population and public health, working with regional health authorities, provincial and federal governments, local governments, and Indigenous communities from coast to coast. Jade led Island Health's Healthy Built Environment program for nearly a decade before becoming the inaugural Climate Change and Health Lead at the BC Ministry of Health. She also acted as Northern Health’s interim Climate Change and Health Lead supporting the development of the organization’s first-ever Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap. Currently, she is an associate faculty member at Royal Roads University teaching environmental management tools and land use planning and is exploring doctoral studies focused on planetary health as a driver for systems transformation. In her work with LEAPH, Jade is committed to climate change and health, intergenerational equity, and fostering connections between land, health, water and community well-being. Outside of work, Jade is a mother who loves exploring nature with her daughter and dog, practicing yoga, dancing without abandon and singing her heart out. Her secret superpower? Bringing people together, being lighthearted when the time is right, and putting the earth first with balance and care—always with attention to the details and intention of the bigger picture.