Members of the Board

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The Board is made up of a Chair, three full-time Vice-Chairs, two part-time Vice-Chairs, and a number of part-time members, representative of both labour and management. All members are appointed by the Lieutenant- Governor in Council for their experience and knowledge of labour relations.

Mark Asbell, Q.C. - Chair
Mark Asbell, Q.C. was appointed Chair effective September 1, 1999.  A graduate of the University of Alberta Law faculty, Mark previously served with the Board as a Vice-Chair from 1991 through 1997.  Prior to his first tenure with the Board, and from 1997 to his most recent appointment, he practiced labour law with the firm Ackroyd, Piasta, Roth & Day.  In addition to his Chair responsibilities, Mark is an active volunteer and Board Director for a number of local and national charity organizations.

Les Wallace - Vice Chair
Les Wallace graduated from the University of Alberta Law faculty in 1983 and served his articles with the Ontario Labour Relations Board.  He returned to Alberta and practiced labour and employment law until joining the Labour Relations Board and the Alberta Human Rights Commission as their Legal Counsel in 1988.  Les served as a full-time Vice-Chair from 1996 to 2008. He is currently a lawyer, arbitrator and mediator and also serves as a Board of Reference under the School Act.

Nancy Schlesinger - Vice-Chair
Nancy Schlesinger first worked for the Board in 1996, when she joined the Board for a six-month secondment as legal counsel. She returned to the Board in October 1999 to work as legal counsel and was appointed to the position of Vice-Chair in January 2002. Nancy previously worked as legal counsel at the Alberta Court of Appeal, where she assisted the appeal justices with their work. She is a graduate of the University of Alberta Law School and clerked with the Alberta Court of Appeal and Court of Queen's Bench before completing her articles at the law firm of Witten Binder.

Gerald Lucas, Q.C. - Vice Chair
Gerald Lucas was appointed a full-time Vice-Chair effective March 1, 2004 after having served as a Vice-Chair on a part-time basis since 1984. Prior to his recent appointment he was senior partner in the law firm of Lucas, Bowker & White (that subsequently merged with Davis & Company) where he had an active labour relations practice. As well, Gerry continues his practice as an arbitration Chair.

Andrew Sims, Q.C. - Vice Chair
Andy Sims maintains a private law practice in Edmonton that includes labour arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution. He provides management and administrative law advice to tribunals. He served as the Board's Chair from 1985 to 1994 and as Chair of the Public Service Employee Relations Board from 1993 to 1994. He is also a Vice Chair of the Canadian Industrial Relations Board.

James (Jim) Casey, Q.C. - Vice Chair
James Casey is a partner in the Edmonton law office of Field LLP.  He practices in the areas of labour and employment law, administrative law, and professional regulation.  He is the editor of Remedies in Labour, Employment and Human Rights Law and the author of The Regulation of Professions in Canada.

Lyle Kanee - Vice-Chair
Mr. Kanee has worked in Toronto and Edmonton with union-side law firms. He has been a sessional instructor in labour law at the University of Alberta and has presented at a number of conferences. He has been involved in negotiating collective agreements, resolving workplace grievances, and presenting cases before the Board. His practice has included civil litigation, pension and benefit issues, disability insurance claims, class actions, and human rights matters, and he has represented clients' interests before human rights and professional tribunals, and all levels of the courts including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Reg Basken - Member
Reg Basken is currently retired from the position of Executive Vice-President/Secretary Treasurer of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada of which he was a founding member. Reg is presently a Labor Representative Member of the British North America Committee. He was appointed to the Board in 1999.

Paul Bokenfohr - Member
Paul Bokenfohr is currently Vice-President, Human Resources & Administration with CV Technologies Inc. He has over twenty-five years of experience in human resource management/labour relations in a number of different industries including education, construction, oil, brewing, telecommunications and technology. He was appointed to the Board in 2001.

John Briegel - Member
John Briegel is the Business Manager of Local Union 254, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.  Prior to joining the Board, John was member of the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board.  John has extensive experience negotiating and administering collective bargaining agreements in the construction sector and the electrical power industry.

Jennifer Burns - Member
Jennifer Burns is currently Director of Human Resources for Western Canada with Extendicare Canada Inc. She is responsible for all aspects of human resources and labour relations in Extendicare's nursing home and home care divisions in Western Canada. Jennifer received her law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1987 and is a member of the Law Societies of both Ontario and Alberta. She was appointed to the Board in 1999.

Bud Conroy - Member
Bud Conroy was appointed as a Member of the Board in March, 1998.  He is Human Resources Director for Fluor Canada Ltd. where he has worked for over 25 years. Bud has responsibility for the full range of Human Resources activities for Fluor's Canadian operations. He is active in several Human Resources and Engineering Human Resources associations locally and nationally.

Doug Cooper - Member

Douglas Cooper has an extensive labour relations background, having experience in negotiating collective agreements, representing employees in grievance and arbitration proceedings and many years of union administration. He has served as an officer of two different locals of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the US and Canada (IATSE), being the President of Alberta Projectionists and Video Technicians for over 16 years. He also worked for several years as a representative for the Calgary Motion Picture and Stage Technicians and eventually became their Business Agent. Doug has been a member of the Labour Relations Board since 1999 and is also an Appeals Commissioner for the Alberta Workers’ Compensation Board.

Ray Drisdelle - Member
Ray Drisdelle has been a Board Member since 1980.  A Millwright by trade, he was Business Manager of Millwright Local Union 1460 for six years.  In 1981 he was appointed as an International Representative with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America.  He has particular expertise in construction, maintenance and manufacturing plant labour relations.

Michael Dyer - Member
Michael Dyer is currently Vice President of Employee and Student Services at SAIT. He was formerly the Vice President of Human Resources for InvestorPlus.com, IKON Office Solutions Canada and the Calgary Herald. Michael is an active volunteer in the community.

Eslin Eling - Member
Eslin Eling is the Director of Employment Standards for PCL Constructors Inc. and is responsible for all labour relations matters for PCL's Canadian operations. In carrying out his responsibilities, he is required to interact with labour relations boards across the country. His work history includes service with the provincial government, as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister of Labour and as the Board's registrar for northern Alberta. Eslin was appointed to the Board in 1995.

Lynda Flannery - Member
A Board Member since 1986, Lynda Flannery's 30 years of experience in Human Resources has focused on management, specializing in labour and employee relations. She brings extensive experience in the public and private sectors in construction, oil and gas, healthcare and municipal government. Currently, Lynda operates People Works, providing consulting expertise in all areas of Human Resources.

Roger Gunn - Member
Roger has over 30 years of labour relations experience in industries such as power utilities, healthcare, municipal government and construction. He was the founding President of the Canadian Industrial Relations Association (Northern Alberta Chapter).  Roger teaches labour relations and human resources at NAIT, and is the President of Win Win HR Solutions Inc., a Human Resources consulting firm.  He graduated with an MBA from the University of Toronto and has a B.Comm. (Hons.) and a B.Adm. from the University of Ottawa.  Roger was appointed to the Board in January, 2001.

Tom Hesse - Member
Tom has been active in labour relations for almost 28 years. Tom's most recent position is executive assistant to the President of Local 401 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. Previous positions he has held in the organization include: service representative, director of advocacy, negotiator and director of education and communications. Tom has his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics and Social Psychology. Tom was appointed to the Board in May 2002. 

Herbert Holmes - Member
Herbert Holmes is the Edmonton Manager for Construction Labour Relations - an Alberta Association.  He rejoined the Association in 1987 having previously worked for CLRa from 1980 through 1983.  He served as a Labour Relations Consultant with the Personnel Administration Office of the Provincial Government and as a Labour Relations Manager for the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Herb spent two terms as a member of the Governing Council of Athabasca University.  He was appointed to the Board in January, 2001.

Pamela M. Kirkwood - Member
Pamela M. Kirkwood is the Director, Labour Relations for the City of Edmonton. Previously she worked for the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees for 24 years, two central labour bodies (the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Labour Council of Metropolitan Toronto) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Pamela has over 30 years labour relations experience primarily in the areas of negotiations, grievance and arbitration advocacy, contract administration and education. She was appointed to the Board in May 2002.

William Kondro - Member
Bill Kondro is the Manager of the Lloydminster Community Futures Development Committee.  He is a former Mayor of the City of Lloydminster, and for 23 years operated a drug store in that city. Bill served as a member of the Public Service Employee Relations Board from 1987 until his appointment to the Labour Relations Board in 1993.

Ken Kreklewetz - Member
Ken Kreklewetz has over 30 years of labour relations and human resources experience in a multi union setting in both the public and private sectors including collective bargaining, interest arbitration and dispute resolution. Prior to his current appointment, Ken was a Member of the Alberta Labour Relations Board from 1985 - 1991 and the Public Service Employee Relations Board in 1991.

Rudy Krueger - Member
He has been active in Labour Relations in Canada for most of the past 27 years as a specialist in the field or as an operating manager in several industries. Since 1980, Rudy has been in the energy industry including the oil sands projects in Fort McMurray.   Rudy Krueger was appointed to the Board in January 2001.

Stephen Kushner - Member
Stephen Kushner is currently President of the Merit Contractors Association-Edmonton providing labour relations advice to employers in the construction industry, and has been with Merit Contractors since 1986. He was previously Manager of Labour Relations with Canada Post Corporation, Edmonton. Stephen was appointed to the Board in 1999.

Normand Leclaire - Member
Norm Leclaire is a retired Business Representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, serving local unions and employees in the retail and packing house industries. Norm has been a Member of the Board since 1983.

Donna Neumann - Member
Donna Neumann's 20 years of labour relations experience includes several years as Director of Human Resources for the Calgary General Hospital and Manager of Employee Relations with AGT. Currently she operates Windowpane Management Inc. which provides management services in strategic planning, human resource management, and labour relations. She joined the Board in 1990.

Scott Palmer- Member
Scott Palmer has 16 years of labour relations experience in the
health-care sector in Alberta. In his current role of Labour Relations
Consultant for the Health Sciences Association of Alberta, Scott
provides analysis and support for negotiations, classification and
labour board matters, negotiates collective agreements, and acts as
nominee and counsel for arbitrations. He has a Bachelors of Arts in
Political Science from the University of Alberta and a Masters of
Industrial Relations from Queen's University. He was appointed to the
Board in May 2002.

Ron Pilling - Member
Ron Pilling is a retired National Representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees.  He has considerable experience in labour relations including collective agreement negotiations, arbitration and grievance procedures. Ron was appointed to the Board in January 2001.

Larry Schell - Member
Larry Schell is an International Representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He has labour relations experience negotiating, organizing and servicing both construction and non-construction bargaining units. Larry has been a Member of the Board since 1984.

Grace Thostenson - Member
Grace Thostenson has over 20 years of labour relations experience in the telecommunications and electrical power industries under provincial and federal labour jurisdictions. Grace is currently the Business Manager for the United Utility Workers' Association of Canada (UUWA). She holds a certificate from the University of Wisconsin and is a graduate of the Labour College of Canada.  Grace was appointed to the Board in May 2002.

Cliff Williams - Member
Cliff was Chairman of the Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training Board from 1998 through 2004. He was one of the founding members of Construction Labour Relations - an Alberta Association. After closing his business in 1988, he joined the staff of CLR where he worked until his retirement from full-time employment in December of 1998. He continues to work with the Apprenticeship system as well as providing some consulting work with CLR.

Roy Wotherspoon - Member
Roy Wotherspoon is Regional Manager-Labour Relations with the Capital Health Authority. He has over 25 years of labour relations experience in a variety of public sector management positions. Roy was appointed to the Board in 1995.