Dr. Geoff Payne joined Michael Smith Health Research BC as President & CEO in November 2025, bringing more than two decades of experience as a biomedical researcher and senior academic leader in British Columbia’s post-secondary and health research sectors.

Geoff joined Health Research BC from the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), where he served as President and Vice-Chancellor. Throughout his career, Geoff has held numerous leadership positions dedicated to strengthening BC’s research ecosystem. At UNBC, he was the inaugural Assistant Dean for Education and Research and the founding Director of the UNBC Health Research Institute. He later served as Vice-President, Research before assuming the presidency.

Over his tenure, he championed research excellence, strengthened community partnerships, and expanded opportunities for innovation in northern and rural health.