Leadership Team

Lydia Phillips

is the founder and CEO of Meridian Rehabilitation. Lydia grew up in White Rock, BC and graduated from UBC with a BSc in occupational therapy in 1990. Her first job was in stroke rehabilitation at Holy Family Hospital in Vancouver. She then worked at GF Strong rehabilitation hospital in Vancouver for seven years, spending time on the spinal cord injury, brain injury and ALS teams. She moved to private practice in 1997 and worked for Access Community Therapists; specializing in custom seating and assessment of dysphagia.

In 1999, she and her family moved to Vernon, BC and soon after, she started her own private practice. Over the years, her practice has grown into Meridian Rehabilitation Consulting with her personal focus in: functional capacity and cost of future care evaluations, brain injury case management and providing mentorship to the OTs at Meridian Rehab. Lydia has a wonderful husband, Brent, and seven children (5 boys and 2 girls). When she had fewer children, she enjoyed a variety of sports including rowing, triathlon, volleyball, basketball and hockey. Nowadays (when she has free time), she likes to go for a run, bike, read or spend time with her family.

Janet Dewitt

is the Chief Operating Officer of Meridian Rehabilitation and has been with the organization for 25 years. Prior to joining Meridian, she served as the Director of Recreation Therapy Services at a long-term care facility. She joined Meridian in 2001 as an original team member, starting as a Rehabilitation Assistant working with traumatic brain injuries. Over the years, Jan transitioned into leadership, helping guide Meridian’s growth from a three-person team in Vernon to over 75 employees across eight locations, including two international sites. Known for her thoughtful, practical problem-solving skills, she is passionate about helping Meridian grow while preserving the culture and values that have defined it since its early days.

Outside of work, Jan enjoys spending time on her family farm in Sicamous with her husband and grandchildren. Whether they are building forest forts, tending vegetable gardens, or caring for animals, she treasures watching them grow. You can also frequently find her cheering them on from the sidelines at hockey, baseball, and softball games.