Lisa Lapointe
Lisa Lapointe was appointed Chief Coroner in February 2011, and in 2019 was re-appointed for a five-year term until 2024. In this role, she oversees the independent investigations of over 12,000 deaths reported to the BC Coroners Service annually, including all child deaths and deaths reviewed at inquest and by Coroners Service Death Review Panels. Coroners establish the circumstances of unexpected deaths for the public record and may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
A graduate of the University of British Columbia Law School, Lisa began her public service career in 1995 as a policy analyst in the area of freedom of information and protection of privacy. She then joined the BC Coroners Service where she served as Coroner, Deputy Regional Coroner and Regional Coroner on Vancouver Island before being appointed as B.C.'s Assistant Deputy Chief Coroner in 2003.
In 2006, Lisa joined the BC Corrections Branch, serving as Assistant Deputy Warden at Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre in Victoria before moving to a provincial role as Director of Programs and Strategic Services.
In 2008, Lisa accepted the position of Assistant Deputy Director of the province's Civil Forfeiture Office, utilizing civil law to deter crime by removing proceeds and instruments of unlawful activity.
Lisa is a mother and grandmother, and in her free time enjoys running, cycling, yoga and spending time with her expanding family. She is the chair of the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Forensic Science and Technology Program Advisory Committee and is the former chair of the Canadian Forum of Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners. In 2013, Lisa received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in acknowledgement of her dedication and expertise to the public service for over 20 years. In 2018, under Lisa's leadership, the Coroners Service was awarded the inaugural Premiers Award for Evidence-Based Design for its analysis and timely reporting of data on illicit drug overdose deaths in the midst of a public health emergency.