Board of Directors

The Board of Directors consists of 10 members with four community representatives, three industry representatives and three government representatives.

COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES

Warren Bloomquist  (2007 - 2010) elected
Warren is a fourth generation farmer in the Calumet area, 15 miles east of Ponoka.  Warren, his wife and three grown children, run a cow-calf operation on six quarters where they have established an intensive grazing program.  He has been involved with many organizations and boards in the community, including serving as a director on the Bashaw Hospital Board and director on the Ponoka Savings and Credit Union Board, and community council member of the Community Savings and Credit Union.  He was instrumental in establishing the Haiti Children's Aid Society, which was formed to support the Haiti Children's Home in Mirebalais, Haiti.

Warren was involved in the formation of the Calumet Synergy Group.  He has seen the positive impact it has had in the surrounding community as a result of information provided at monthly meetings, community open houses sponsored by the group, and open houses sponsored by energy companies.

Iris English (2010 - 2013) elected

As a charter member of Lakeland Industry and Community Association (LICA), a synergy group in northeast Alberta in the Cold Lake/Bonnyville/Elk Point/St Paul area formed in 2000, Iris has seen the positive, powerful effects of communication, collaboration, and cooperation, as embodied in the synergy process. She brings 30+ years' experience on a wide variety of boards and organizations, and a strong background in organizational development, strategic planning, and effective communication. Iris has served on the LICA Resolution, Communication, and Governance committees and the Board, and was a member of the task groups from which Synergy Alberta arose.

Iris has a background in agriculture (animal science) and owned a chunk of boreal forest in the Cold Lake area for a dozen years. She's traded that for a chunk of boreal transition land south of St Paul, as a concession to her husband's wish to move a bit closer to a warmer climate.

Brian Holmberg (2010 - 2013) elected

Brian Holmberg is the Economic Development Officer for the Town of High Prairie.  He is an ambassador for the area and his position entails lots of travel to promote the region.  Brian is involved with many organizations and currently resides on the Hospital Board, Economic Pursuit Committee, Peace Oil Sands Board and Board for the Lesser Slave Lake Economic Alliance.  He also spends hours volunteering with the local Food Bank.

Brian was in the Hospitality Business for 46 years.  He started out as a chef and ventured into hotel management. He retired from the hotel business in 2007.  Brian was President of A.C.O.P.A. Alberta Citizens On Patrol Assoc. where he worked closely with the R.C.M.P. K Division and the Solicitor General.  He received the Solicitor General's Award in 2007.  This was a major highlight of his career.

Brian and his wife, Jackie reside in High Prairie; have two married daughters and five grandchildren.

Judy Winter  (2007 - 2010) elected
Judy was raised on a farm in the Delburne area. She   graduated with a B.Ed from the U of A and taught in Calgary and Edmonton before moving to the Caroline area to farm with her husband's family (now with their son and his wife) and raise their four children. 

Judy was a substitute teacher for about 12 years as well active in the Butte community and involved in her children's activities including 4-H, Scouts, dance, sports and anything else that came along.  At present, she is a proud Grandma to seven wonderful grandchildren.

She learned early on that with cooperation and respect there is always a better chance of success whether it is talking to a two year old, a cranky cow, or a know-it-all teenager.  The fact that these tenets were part of the synergy movement made it an easy transition to "synergist".

She was part of the original membership of the Butte Action Committee and this led her to the first Synergy conference as a presenter and then on the conference planning committees ever since. 

Judy is excited to be part of the directorship of Synergy Alberta to represent the community viewpoint and to continue with the hard work that has already been done to give synergy groups in Alberta the support they can use to be the best they can be.

INDUSTRY REPRSENTATIVES

Darcy Allen (2008 - 2011) elected
Darcy is the Regional Coordinator for Business Services and Stakeholder Relations for EnCana Corporations - Foothills Division.

Darcy was born and raised in rural Central Alberta. He is an honors graduate from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Gas Plant Operations and holds certification in Power Engineering. He has direct experience, knowledge and diverse skill sets encompassing the agricultural and oil & gas industries.

Darcy has worked for EnCana Corporation throughout Central & Southern Alberta for 25 years in various lead roles and supervisory capacities. Darcy's background is highly weighted toward field capital & operational activities and emergency response planning.

Darcy is primarily involved in the management and delivery of community relations, issue resolution and landowner consultations with respect to energy developments. Darcy is actively involved in numerous Synergy Groups throughout Central Alberta and also sits as a director with the Battle River Watershed Alliance.

CAPP/SEPAC (Vacant) appointed

Appointed representative will be announced shortly.

Alice Murray (2008 - 2011) elected
Alice Murray is the Community Affairs Coordinator for Central Alberta Region for Shell Canada Energy. Alice has 20 years of experience dealing with issues and consultation around sour gas development. She is an active member of five Synergy Groups and is a founding member and on the Board of Directors of Synergy Alberta. Alice is a member of the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and holds a certificate in Conflict Resolution and graduated with distinction with a BA in Communication from Royal Roads University. Alice lives on a multi-generation family farm with her husband, daughter, son-in-law and grandsons in the beautiful parkland area near Caroline, Alberta.

GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES

Marilyn Craig (2006 - 2010) appointed by ERCB
Marilyn Craig has been with the Energy Resources Conservation Board since 1975 . She is currently Manager of the Public Safety Group responsible for managing and coordinating the ERCB's work relating to its public safety and health mandate . Marilyn has many years of experience in the areas of public safety, public consultation, emergency preparedness and response and land-use planning (setback) policies for the upstream petroleum industry. She has been involved in several province-wide multi-stakeholder policy development and review processes involving mainly sour gas related issues.

Jim Kiss (2008 - 2011) appointed by Alberta Agriculture
Jim was raised on a farm in the County of St. Paul that he eventually acquired and continues to operate in a limited manner. It was a mixed farming operation that evolved into a cow-calf, hay and pasture operation.

Jim's career path has seen much change over 15 years as a political advisor and executive assistant to six different Ministers within the Government of Alberta. His most recent political duties were as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Premier in 2004. He began his tenure with the Minister of Agriculture in 1989, moving through 12 different ministries until December 15, 2004 when he accepted the position of Farmers' Advocate of Alberta. He has a Business Administration Diploma specializing in Finance from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

Jennifer Steber (2009 - 2012) appointed by Alberta Energy
Jennifer Steber holds a Masters Degree in Policy and Planning from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Manitoba.  With 20 years of public service with the Alberta Government primarily focused in strategic policy development, Jennifer has worked in the Ministries of Energy, Environment, Tourism, Parks and Recreation and Sustainable Resource Development.

Jennifer's current responsibilities include working with numerous ministries, agencies and industry on air, land (forest, parks, access management), water, and biodiversity policy to facilitate the responsible development of energy and mineral resources.  Jennifer directs a branch of 60 professional and technical staff in the areas of Integrated Resource Policy, Geology/Engineering and Geographic Information Services that are directly involved in a range of strategic to operational initiatives such as Land-Use Framework Regional Planning, Water for Life, Clean Air Strategic Alliance, Cumulative Effects Management Framework, Integrated Land Management, Industrial Access to Crown Land, Alberta Information Management System, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program, and Species at Risk.