community roles

I’m a small business owner of two companies. One focuses on general and construction labour, the other on Production Testing and other oilfield services. Our companies are focused on custom software development to better match available workers with open jobs.

I have been a community volunteer for a number of roles in our community. These include:

  • Grande Prairie Disc Golf Club: I founded the Disc Golf Club. My current official role is Treasurer. I also help with the organisation of leagues, tournaments, and new courses.

  • United Way Alberta Northwest: Board member.

  • Swan City Rotary Club: Member

  • Avondale Neighbourhood Association: I served on the founding board of the Avondale Neighbourhood Association

  • Community Accessibility Advisory Committee: I have volunteered on this Committee which brings together self-advocates and organisations to advocate for greater accessibility in Grande Prairie

  • Community Building Youth Futures (CBYF) Evaluation Committee: CBYF is a program meant to increase graduation, employment, and other positive outcomes for youth. I served on the Evaluation Committee tasked to measure its impact in Grande Prairie.

  • 2018 Alberta Summer Games: Ambassador Program Coordinator

  • Disc Golf Association of Alberta: Board member, Zone 8 Coordinator

  • Non-Profit Consulting: I am continuing to make myself available to consult with non-profits on leadership and program development, communication, and change management.

I spent over ten years directing non-profit youth resiliency programs. Throughout the school year, I supervised staff and volunteers throughout the Peace Country. In the summers, I worked at a large summer camp (up to 500 people on property at a time) in various roles including Program Director and Camp Manager.

For my work in the community, I’ve been honoured to receive the following awards:

  • Leading Edge (Chamber of Commerce)

  • Sport Builder (Sport Connection)

  • Outstanding Citizen of the Year (Association of Volunteer Organizations)

Board & Committee Positions

Council or the Mayor have appointed me to a number of boards and committees to represent Council.

Here are my current appointments:

  • Investment & Strategy Committee (Chair)

  • Financial & Administrative Services Committee

  • Police Commission: The governance body of the Grande Prairie Municipal Police Service. Responsible to hire and supervise the Chief, set policing policies and priorities, oversee the budget, and interface between the MPS and Council, the community, and other stakeholders.

  • Inter-municipal Collaboration Framework Negotiating Committee: City and County Councillors are appointed to this Committee to negotiate provincially mandated cost sharing agreements between our two municipalities

  • Grande Prairie Storm Board

Previous appointments I have received:

  • CHAIR of Public & Protective Services Committee: An internal Council Committee responsible for advising Council on matters relating to Police, Bylaw, Fire, Community Social Development, Transit, Housing, Recreation, and Culture.

  • CHAIR Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee: an internal City Council committee responsible for advising Council on: Economic Development, Engineering & Environmental Services, Geographic Information Services (GIS), Inspections Services, Planning & Development, Transportation, and other matters as referred by Council. This committee is also the deciding authority for some land development processes.

  • CHAIR Community Opioid Response Task Force: a task force made up of City departments, provincial organisations, non-profits, and business organisations to address the Opioid crises in Grande Prairie.

  • CHAIR Municipal Police Advisory Committee: a Committee made up of mostly public members which gives advice and community input to the RCMP and Bylaw Enforcement. Also provides advice about policing and enforcement to Council.

  • InvestGP Committee: A Standing Committee of Council which does work to provide oversight and develop policy for City service areas involved with economic and land development.

  • Alberta Winter Games Board: Local organising Committee for the Alberta Winter Games which will welcome thousands of youth athletes and their support people in February, 2023.

  • Wapiti Recreation & Trail Management Advisory Committee: A committee struck by the province to help advise area management planning for the Wapiti recreation cooridor.

  • Community Living Committee: an internal City Council committee responsible for advising Council on: Culture and Heritage, Eastlink Centre, Fleet, Parks, Recreation and Sport, Revolution Place, Transit, and other matters as referred by Council.

  • Corporate Services Committee: An internal Council Committee responsible for advising Council on corporate matters such as budgets, Fiscal Management, communications and Human Resources.

  • Financial & Administrative Services Committee: An internal Council Committee responsible for advising Council on matters relating to financial management, legal & risk management, taxation, procurement, and IT.

  • Subdivision & Development Appeal Board: hears appeals regarding decisions made by the City's subdivision and development authorities and renders decisions based on the evidence presented.

  • Assessment Review Board: responsible for hearing complaints about assessments made on property and businesses.

  • Youth Advisory Council: a body made up of youth aged 14 - 24 and two City Councillors. This group exists to give youth voices input into City decisions, develop youth leadership, and to empower youth to work towards positive change in our community.

  • Inter-City Forum on Social Policy: an organisation used by member municipalities to share information, network, and undertake advocacy on social issues.

  • Joint Regional Emergency Management Committee: provides oversight to a formal partnership setup to allow local municipalities to coordinate their responses to large emergencies or disasters.

  • Bylaw & Policy Review Committee: tasked with reviewing City policies and Bylaws and offering recommendations to modernize them

  • Avondale Planning Committee: a Committee made up of City Councillors and Public School Board Trustees to plan for future uses of the Composite High School and Leisure Centre lands

  • Police Act Review: I attended a number of roundtable discussions to represent the City during a provincial review of the Police Act. These discussions involved police forces, indigenous bands, municipal governments, professional associations, and non-profits from across Alberta.

  • Grande Prairie Regional Recreation Committee: this is a group made up of officials from the City, County, MD of Greenview, Sexsmith, Wembley, Beaverlodge, and Hythe. It exists to discuss collaboration on recreation initiatives which benefit our entire region.

  • Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection Board: this non-profit exists to assist and promote local sport groups.

  • Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance Board: this organisation receives support and board members from municipalities, first nations, and private industry. It exists to ensure that planning is undertaken to ensure that the Mighty Peace Watershed ecology is properly cared for to maintain its environmental, economic, and social sustainability

  • Composite High School Site Planning Committing: A Committee consisting of City Councillors and Trustees with the Grande Prairie School District to help guide future planning for the Composite High School and Leisure Centre lands.

Alberta Municipalities

I serve as a Vice President for Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis). This organisation represents over 260 Alberta municipalities and hundreds of non-profits. It advocates on their behalf and provides corporate services such as insurance, pension management, employee benefits, and energy procurement. ABmunis also administers grants on behalf of the federal and provincial governments. I was elected to sit on this Board by the Mayors and Councillors of Alberta cities with populations of up to 500,000.

Appointments I’ve received from the Alberta Municipalities Board include:

  • Audit/Finance Committee (Chair)

  • Municipal Governance Committee (Vice-Chair)

  • Infrastructure Committee (Chair)

  • Executive Committee

  • Alberta Municipal Services Corporation Board of Governors

  • MUNIX (Municipal Insurance Exchange) Advisory Board

  • Investment Advisory Committee

  • Municipal Fiscal Health Working Group

  • Local Government Fiscal Framework Negotiating Committee

  • Minister’s Awards of Municipal & Library Excellence Panel

  • Representative to Northern Alberta Elected Leaders and Rural Municipalities Association District 4