Our Team
Looking to join our team?
See the Join Our Team page or call (250) 247-9922
Tracey Thorne
(working as Dr Tracey Thorne Inc)
BSc MD CCFP
Tracey was born and raised in the beautiful Annapolis Valley in rural Nova Scotia. She graduated from Dalhousie Medical School in 2007 and did her residency training in Family Medicine in Prince George. She moved to Gabriola in 2009. Tracey is passionate about rural living and community health. She does a lot of work with the Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice, both engaging in local projects and collaborating with communities across Vancouver Island. She is a founding member of the Gabriola Health and Wellness Collaborative. Dr. Thorne also works at the Youth Wellness Clinic in Nanaimo.
When not at work Tracey loves exploring the tide pools and forest trails of the Salish Sea with her husband, two boys and their elderly dog. She collects a lot of books, convinced that someday she will sit down and read them all.
Clare Gibbs
MD CCFP
(long-term locum GP)
Clare is originally from Victoria, and has been coming to Gabriola since the 1990s (though only in more recent years as a doctor). As our long-term locum, she fills in for the other doctors when they are away. She received her medical training at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and completed her residency in rural family medicine in southern Alberta, before returning to the west coast.
Clare also works with the Canadian Red Cross as part of their Emergency Response Unit. She has a strong interest in international and low-resource medicine, and has worked in hospitals in Sudan and Zambia as well as in the Moria refugee camp in Greece. More often though, you can find her on Gabriola running, hiking, swimming, and cycling…and in the clinic!
Jennifer Lewis
Nurse Practitioner
MScN, NP-C (Family)
Jennifer was born in Southern California; her favorite place growing up was the Pacific Ocean, though now the Salish Sea has taken the number one spot on her ‘favorite places’ list. She is a scavenger of found objects that she uses in her little studio to create odd things.
After practicing as a registered nurse in both ICUs and ERs, Jennifer obtained her MScN degree from Gonzaga University in Washington State and has worked as a nurse practitioner in Trauma, Emergency, Urgent care and Family medicine. The majority of her practice as a nurse practitioner has been in rural areas, often in locations with limited resources.
Jennifer has worked to advance health equity, and has volunteered at free and mobile clinics for migrant, marginalized and disenfranchised populations with little or no access to medical care. She has also worked to advance women’s health initiatives in the Washington State government. One of her life’s goals is to ensure that anyone in need of medical attention receives the care they need.
Her partner found Gabriola on a camping trip and came home with tales of a paradise island (he has traveled extensively, so that really is saying something.) After raising two children, which she considers one of life’s great adventures, Jennifer, her partner, and their three dogs moved to the island. She pinches herself daily, as working at the Gabriola Medical Clinic is the culmination of a dream.
In her free time, Jennifer also enjoys paddle boarding, hiking with her dogs, organizing and reading books, knitting, gardening, and watching the ocean. Basically, she is interested in lots of ‘stuff.’ She also loves playing cribbage on the deck with her partner (she lets him win), with dogs (Lilli, Maggie, and Izzy) at their feet.
Kate Clarke
(working as Dr Kate Clarke Inc)
BSc MD CCFP
Kate grew up in the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia where she was surrounded by Aussie Rules football, dangerous spiders and great coffee. She later moved to Sydney to complete her medical degree at the University of Sydney, during which she met her Canadian husband while on a rotation in Vancouver.
At the end of 2018, she moved to Galiano Island full time, where she now owns a hobby farm with her husband and Duck Toller, Mac.
After a two year stint completing her Family Medicine training in both Australia and Victoria BC, she’s very happy to be back on the Gulf Islands, and feels so honoured to be able to provide care to the population on Gabriola. Kate is passionate about the social aspects of health and wellness and has particular interests in aging in place, palliative care and addictions, though hopes to be able to help with a wide variety of concerns.
Dr. Erin Cusack
Bio coming soon…
Medical Office Assistants
Carol Farr
Clinic manager
After completing the Medical Office Assistant Certificate from VIU, she went straight to work in a busy walk-in clinic in Nanaimo. From there she moved to the Gabriola Medical Clinic where she has had the opportunity to use all her technical and interpersonal skills in the community that she loves and has lived in since 2002. Caroline is committed to ongoing professional development as it applies to health care in rural communities. She has completed training in Emergency Social Services, Mental Health Emergencies, and Health Emergency Management.
Natalie Godin
MOA Natalie parle français.
After some wandering, a fateful visit brought Natalie to Gabriola in 2002, where she found the home she was looking for. After a stint raising babies, baking, and making coffee, Natalie found the perfect way to serve her community in health care. A background in science and education has given her an appreciation and compassion for helping those who need it, and feels that she has achieved her goal of contributing to her community in a meaningful and fulfilling way by working as an MOA at the Gabriola Medical Clinic.
Attached Staff
Attached Staff works with (not for) the clinic
Angela Pounds
Social worker
Angela was born in K’ómoks territory, she has lived in the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw people since 1986. Angela spent her childhood on Gabriola and returned to the community in 2010. Angela is a registered social worker and has worked within the health care system for the last 10 years, currently she works with Island Health as a Mental Health and Substance Use Clinician.
Cathy Fox
Mental health and addictions nurse
Cathy Fox is an RN who works for people struggling with mental health and/or substance use issues. Cathy is a community outreach nurse with experience in crisis counselling, harm reduction, homelessness issues as well as psychiatric emergency response. Cathy believes that everyone of us could use a little extra support sometimes, and is honoured to deliver that with the compassionate health care team on Gabriola.
Cathy also digs gardening, having a sense of humour and wearing stripes with plaids.
Cathy holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) with honours from the University of Victoria.
Looking to join our team?
See the Join Our Team page or call (250) 247-9922 to speak to any of the doctors. We’d be delighted to tell you more!
The Gabriola Medical Clinic is a teaching clinic affiliated with the UBC Faculty of Medicine. You may see medical students working with your family practitioner during your appointment.
Have No Doctor?
We believe there are around 800 patients on Gabriola who are not registered with a primary care provider. Our aim is that everyone on the island who wants a GP at our clinic can receive it.
During the pandemic, we’re doing our best to accommodate everyone on Gabriola. Call us on (250) 247-9922.
Please understand that we are not a walk-in clinic. For more information about our services during the pandemic click here and for emergency care click here.
Get In Touch
Phone & Fax
P. (250) 247-9922
F. (250) 247-9162
Hours
Mon, Tues, Wed: 9am to 4pm
Thurs: 10am to 4pm
Fri: 9am to 3pm
Address
695 Church Street
Gabriola BC V0R 1X3
Gabriola Medical Clinic
Gabriola Medical Clinic is an association of Nurse Practitioner Lewis and Dr.'s Thorne, Cusack and Clarke.