Our
Board
Brenda Lenahan - Executive Director
Brenda Lenahan is a solo mom to her medically complex son, who has inspired her involvement in childhood disability advocacy and research. Since 2017, she has been advocating for equitable access to financial, health & social support for families raising medically complex kids in BC and across Canada. This grassroots work led to her co-founding BC Complex Kids Society, which is the main focus of her energy. Her passion for an equitable future for families and their kids has led her to membership in the Minister's Advisory Council on Children & Youth with Support Needs in BC and the National Advisory Council on Early Learning and Child Care. There is never a dull moment as she also runs a mobile business selling adaptive recreation equipment. She is ever so grateful for the beautiful connections with other families and the meaningful work that her son has brought into her life.
Angela Uncles - Chair / President
Angela Uncles is one of the founding members of BC Complex Kids Society. She currently serves as President and Chair on the Board of Directors. Angela believes that every parent is born an advocate out of necessity when they have a child with a disability. Angela believes in community care and community responsibility to help one another. Community care includes all systems operated by the government, including health authorities and non-profits, and we must all work together to ensure the lives of children with medical complexity are wholesomely supported so families can thrive. Angela has a long history of volunteering and working with non-profit and charitable organizations and vulnerable populations. She currently works as a Clinical Counsellor at a community agency. Angela resides in Surrey with her husband and two daughters and is in the process of adopting a son! For leisure, Angela is an avid reader, an eager but mediocre soccer player, and watches comedy shows.
Laesa Kim - Vice President / Secretary
Laesa is a writer and author of the memoir Can’t Breathe, which unfolds the emotional journey of living and accepting this complex life. Laesa believes in the power of each individual’s story, to learn from the nuances of each person’s experience and as a means of bridging our experiences together. She is a vocal advocate for the medically complex community in online spaces and various committees she has sat on at BC Women’s Hospital, and since 2020, she has been engaged as a parent partner on research projects across Canada. Laesa’s oldest sister lives with medical complexity and has moved through these same systems she now advocates within for her own child. Her lived experience has shaped her urgency, understanding and dedication to this community. Laesa lives in Surrey with her husband, son, daughter and dog - where they enjoy trail walks, basketball in the driveway and family game nights together.
Marion Fernandez - Director / Treasurer
Marion is a mama bear to a sweet medically complex boy, whose journey has taught her so much. From taking life a little for granted with good health, traveling the medical pathway with her son has lead her to volunteer her time with multiple organizations that gave her son life, to give back to them. She feels very strongly about parents taking a more active role in decision making and quality improvement projects in the medical realm, and is co chair of the Neonatal Family Council at BC Women's which helps her lend her voice to make a change. She is also vice chair of the Family Advisory Council at Canuck Place. She firmly believes in change making by parents, for parents, so that our medically complex kiddos can live in a better supported world.