Anita has transformed her lived and living experience into a meaningful career in mental health advocacy, research, education, and engagement. Her impact was recognized earlier this year with the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her contributions to mental health advocacy, education and research, and for establishing supportive networks that connect patients, families, and healthcare organizations. In 2024, she was appointed the Canadian representative to the inaugural Lived Experience Council through the Global Leadership Exchange.

Anita co-chairs the Hallway Group, a lived and living experience council convened by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC). Her leadership extends across various MHCC initiatives, where she actively contributes to panels, projects, and advisory committees. In her role as Lived Experience Strategic Advisor at British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS), Anita advocates and amplifies equity, diversity, and inclusion, and ensures marginalized voices are heard, valued, and meaningfully engaged within the healthcare system. Transformed by her personal and phttps://www.linkedin.com/in/davidanita/https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidanita/rofessional experiences, Anita has found her passion and purpose.