Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers' Compensation
Wispinski, Dale
Dale Wispinski is a lawyer who joined the Appeals Commission in 2012, after several years practicing labour and employment law with a national law firm. From 2014-2018, she was the Commission's General Counsel, with responsibility for legal, privacy, knowledge management, training, communications and quality assurance matters, in addition to serving as a member of the Commission's executive team. Dale holds an LL.B. from the University of Alberta (where she continues to serve as a guest lecturer) and a B.A. (Hons) from the University of Calgary. Dale also holds the Certified In-House Counsel (CIC.C) designation from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.??
Godziuk, Gary
Gary Godziuk was a commissioned senior officer, branch executive and a member of the Edmonton Police Service for over 28 years. During this time he served in diverse capacities, including operational, command, administration, and management roles within the organization, and externally with the City of Edmonton and Province of Alberta. Additionally, he served as a public and presiding member on multiple quasi-judicial boards for the City of St. Albert and instructed at the Canadian Police College.
Parish, Lynn
Lynn Parish has a background in law having practiced in the United Kingdom and Canada. As a solicitor in England she acted primarily for trade union clients pursuing compensation for workplace accidents. More recently, she has been a member of the City of Edmonton Subdivision and Development Appeal Board for six years, including one year as Chair and member of the Alberta Law Enforcement Review Board. Lynn formerly worked as a Chartered Mediator for Alberta Municipal Affairs and Provincial Court Civil Claims, and as an instructor for the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and for the Faculty of Law, University of Alberta in Client Interviewing and Counseling. As well, she coaches a law student team to the Canadian Client Consultation Competition. Lynn is an active volunteer with the Edmonton Community Legal Centre and a board member of both the Centre for Public Legal Education and the Rossdale Community League.
Amery, Mohamed
Mohamed Amery is a lawyer with significant board, governance and adjudicative experience. A partner at Linmac LLP, based in the Calgary office, he focuses on business litigation matters. In addition to holding a Juris Doctor degree, Mohamed holds a Master of Arts in Economics and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Calgary. He has regularly appeared before all levels of court since being called to the Alberta Bar in 2011. A lifelong Calgarian, he has been a member of volunteer boards and committees for several years. Mohamed served as a board director at the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society from 2014 to 2020, including one year as Vice-Chair and the following two years as Chair. He has also served as a member of the Law Enforcement Review Board and as a volunteer at the Law Society of Alberta for many years, particularly on the Audit and Finance Committee and the Practice Review Committee.?
Bentivegna, Giuseppa
Giuseppa Bentivegna is a lawyer who worked for the Alberta Utilities Commission and its predecessor for 19 years. Giuseppa has enjoyed an extensive career in administrative law, including stints in Yellowknife, Toronto, and Halifax before moving to Calgary. She has participated in many hearings during her career as counsel to tribunals. Giuseppa has also served as chair of the Ontario Review Board and as a justice of the peace. She has held management positions within government and worked as a consultant. She started her career in private practice in Montreal.
Clark, Christina
Christina Clark is a professional engineer who has spent over 25 years in executive and leadership roles in the electric utility industry. She trained as a mediator at the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Alberta, and holds an advanced certificate in Adjudication for Administrative Agencies, Boards and Tribunals from Osgoode Hall Law School at York Univerity. She currently serves on the City of Edmonton Assessment Review Board, and the Board of Appeal of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.??
Fisher, Charles
Charlie Fisher is a seasoned professional with years of adjudicative experience. He has a 30-year history of involvement in labour relations, occupational health and safety, workers' compensation, and long term disability appeal hearings throughout western Canada. Charlie has received specific training from the Alberta Foundation of Administrative Justice.
He is currently a board member with the Government of Alberta Long Term Disability Income (LTDI) Second Level Appeal Board for Bargaining Unit Employees, as well as a board member and a hearing chair with the Government of Alberta LTDI Second Level Appeal Board for Management, opted out and excluded employees. He is also a former panel member and a hearing chair for the Government of Alberta Children's Services Appeal Board.
Charlie has served as a panel member on the Millard Centre Symposium on Chronic Pain, the Alberta Workers' Compensation Policy and Service Review Committee, and has twice represented the Alberta Industry Task Force on the Alberta Appeals Commissioner Selection Committee. He has acquired a thorough understanding of interpreting legislation, policies, regulations, and medical evidence within the context of administrative justice.
His volunteer experience includes serving as a hearing chair on the St. Albert Community Justice Committee, a director with the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association, a team manager with the St. Albert Raiders Bantam AAA Hockey Team, and a coach with the Calgary, Saskatoon, Thunder Bay, and St. Albert Minor Hockey and Baseball Associations.
Weatherall, Miles
Miles Weatherall is a senior management consultant who works with business leaders and their teams in their pursuit of continuous improvement. He is also a professional project manager, a certified change management consultant, and an executive coach. Miles has extensive experience in quasi-judicial roles and is currently a member of the Land and Property Rights Tribunal. Miles holds a Bachelor of Administration degree with a concentration in public administration with distinction.
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Fernando, Joshua
In 2011, Joshua Fernando started his career in disability management as an adjudicator at the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) in Alberta. Over the next five years, he worked in several roles within the organization. In 2016, he accepted an opportunity to work for a national retailer to manage its western Canada disability management team. He later began his role as a WCB advocate at a large-scale union providing advice and guidance to its members regarding the WCB process. Currently, he is a partner at a financial group specializing in strategies for health-care professionals.
Paquette, Paul
Paul Paquette has served on various boards and committees as a chair and a board member.
His board member experience includes sitting on the Assessment Review Board in Strathcona County, the Child Care Licensing Review Board, and the Bargaining Unit Long Term Disability Income Continuance Second Level Appeal Board.
Paul's past experience also includes consulting and representing injured individuals appealing disability claims.
Verma, Rohit
Rohit Verma is a lawyer with diverse work experience in both Alberta and internationally. He received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta, Master of Laws from the University of London, and has qualified as a mediator at the London School of Mediation.
He has been employed as a Workers' Compensation Board appeals advisor and legal counsel at the City of Calgary, Real Estate Council of Alberta, and the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund. Rohit has also worked at the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, and he has taught law courses in the School of Business at SAIT.
In his spare time, Rohit enjoys travelling and nature photography.
Anderson, Frank
Frank Anderson began his career as a social worker after receiving his liberal arts degree. After four years, his career shifted to the field of workers' compensation. Frank has 36 years of experience in workers' compensation in various capacities, including experience in an appeals advocacy role. Frank has extensive experience in the appeals system as an employee of the Appeals Commission for 12 years. In 2005, he was appointed as a hearing chair at the Appeals Commission, a position he held until June 2022. In July 2022, he was appointed as an appeals commissioner. Frank has private sector experience facilitating focus groups. He has completed course work in conflict management through the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and adjudication courses offered by the Foundation of Administrative Justice.
Gilman, Donna
Donna Gilman has had a diverse career in both the public and private sectors, including in managerial, policy and human resource positions, as well as at the Workers' Compensation Boards of Alberta and Saskatchewan. She worked extensively with workers, employers, and business owners while serving as Director of Maintenance Enforcement for Saskatchewan Justice and as Manager of Collections for the Consumer Taxation Branch of British Columbia. She has a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and is also a trained mediator. Donna began serving as a tribunal panel member in 2014, working with panels for Alberta Community and Social Services and the Alberta Transportation Safety Board, prior to joining the Appeals Commission in 2017.
Ryan, Colleen
Prior to joining the Appeals Commission, Colleen served on the Parole Board of Canada, the Alberta Law Enforcement Review Board, and the College of Dental Technologists of Alberta. She is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, and practiced criminal law and civil litigation during her legal career. She taught law and business administration courses for over 15 years, earning a Masters in Adult Education from the University of Alberta during that time. She holds an LL.B. and a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta and a B.A. (with Distinction) from McGill University.?
Colleen enjoys facilitating learning and has been a mentor/coach in the fields of law, education and athletics. Some of her accomplishments in these fields include receiving a City of Edmonton Citizenship Volunteer Award and earning a Gold Medal in Women's Hockey at the World Masters Games.
Brittain, Grace Anne
Grace Brittain has been a Registered Nurse for over 45 years. She also has training in Health Administration and Forensic Studies, and her professional background includes progressive roles in health care management, education, and administrative justice. She has worked more than 28 years in health care leadership, holding the positions of Chief Executive Officer, Director of Care, and Community Team Manager, and she has been an adult educator for mental health, and the Health Care Aide program. Grace? has served on the Alberta Mental Health Review panel, and the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) hearing tribunal, and she was a public member for Alberta Health under the Health Professions Act, and member and chair for the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) appeal panel. Currently, Grace is a public adjudicator with the Law Society of Alberta (LSA) and a member of the CRNA Council. Her interests include dogs, books, writing, and she remains an optimistic golfer.???
Necula, Michael
Boissonneault, Denis
After a short time in retail sales, Denis Boissonneault began his career in workers' compensation. During that time, Denis also obtained several years of post-secondary education in the field of Business Management Studies. For the past 41 years, Denis has worked in various capacities in the workers' compensation system, specifically with vocational rehabilitation, claims review and analysis, as an appeals adjudicator and quality assurance advisor. For the past 28 years, Denis has worked directly with the Appeals Commission in the areas of appeal preparation and management, as a senior policy advisor and a Hearing Chair for 12 years.
Keil, Jodi
Jodi Keil is a lawyer with years of experience in administrative law at all levels of government. She has provided professional support to the Land Compensation Board, Municipal Government Board, Alberta New Home Buyer Protection Board and the City of Edmonton’s Assessment Review Board. She also spent time as legal counsel for the Alberta Court of Appeal. Her career has been the result of her passion for legal education and access to justice. Since 2016, Jodi has taught various business law courses at the University of Alberta School of Business. She is on the board of directors of the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals and was previously on the board of directors of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton.????
McAvoy, Marilyn
Marilyn McAvoy has had an extensive career in administrative law. For the last five years she has been a member of the Alberta Land Compensation Board and counsel to the Surface Rights Board. Marilyn began her career with the Federal Department of Justice, and then acted as counsel for the City of Edmonton for 16 years. She has appeared frequently before Alberta Courts and various regulatory boards. Marilyn, an accomplished athlete, enjoys a variety of sports and recently was inducted into the Oshawa Ontario Sports Hall of Fame for the sport of baseball.
Read, Carol
Carol Read worked at Canada Post for 35 years during which time she held various elected positions with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, including local President. For 14 years Carol was the local Grievance Officer.
Carol has experience in an appeal tribunal setting through her role as a member on the Employment Insurance Board of Referees. She has a Bachelor of General Studies degree, supplemented by a Labour Studies Certificate from the Labour College of Canada.
Faulder, Lynn
For the past 25 years, Lynn has worked on a number of provincial and federal administrative tribunals. She also has served on the boards of Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission, NorQuest College, Northlands, and the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation. Lynn has a background in nursing and is a certified Board Director.
Whiting, Patty
After several years in the oil and gas sector working for a servicing company, Patty Whiting was appointed to the Board of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission and also as Chair of the Occupational Health and Safety Council. Patty served as Chair or panel member of many appeals in these roles, as well as advising on matters of policy. She currently serves on two charitable boards and sits as a Chair for the Board of Referees for Employment Insurance Appeals.
Bogstie, Gordon
Gordon Bogstie worked for Canada Post for over 30 years. He has also been elected to a variety of positions within his Union and has served as a full-time officer in the capacity of Local President and Health and Safety Officer. He has served on the executive of the Calgary and District Labour Council and recently finished a nine-year term on the Board of Referees Tribunal for Employment Insurance.
Gordon, Susan
Susan Gordon has been serving on quasi-judicial boards/tribunals since 1999. She also has a background in sales. Her education includes a B.A. (with distinction) from the University of Toronto, an M.A. from York University, and an LL.B. from the University of Calgary. She has served in the past at the provincial and national levels of the Canadian Bar Association in respect to Alternative Dispute Resolution.
McKenna, Jerry
Jerry McKenna worked for a number of years as a lawyer with the Alberta Justice Department in the Civil Law Branch, in solicitor, advocacy and management positions. His practice included the giving of advice to, and appearing before, a number of administrative tribunals, in the areas of expropriation, education and policing law. He was also involved in the planning and development of large infrastructure projects. He has also served in volunteer positions in a number of organizations in Edmonton?.
Reimer, Robert
Rob Reimer operated a ranch, along with his spouse Marlene, for 40 years. He served as Trustee with Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools from 1995 until 2010, with 11 years as Chair. He was Vice-Chair of the County of Wetaskiwin Subdivision and Development Appeal Board from 1996 until 2009. Rob was a Co-Chair with Region 9, and later, Region 4, Child and Family Services Authorities from 1998 until 2006. He served as Chair of the Family Supports for Children with Disabilities Appeal Panel from 2006 until 2009 and Chair of the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Appeal Panel from 2006 until 2010. He has also been a member of the Municipal Government Board.
Davison, Christopher
Chris Davison obtained his juris doctor from the University of Saskatchewan in 2012. He worked as a Crown Prosecutor in Regina, SK from 2013 to 2017, specializing in fatality drinking and driving prosecutions. He was appointed to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in Toronto, ON in 2017 as a member of the refugee protection division. He worked as counsel for the Registrar at the Real Estate Council of Alberta from 2018 until 2023, prosecuting real estate and mortgage broker licensee misconduct. He has served as Calgary Chair for the Consumer Services Appeal Board since 2019. ?
Basarab, Sherryl
Sherryl Basarab has a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Psychology. She is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Law Society of British Columbia. Her legal career has focused on labour, employment, and administrative law. Sherryl has represented clients in matters before several tribunals including the workers' compensation system, human rights, labour relations and employment standards tribunals. She was previously legal counsel at the B.C. Labour Relations Board and the B.C. Employment Standards Tribunal. She has also appeared in superior court on applications for judicial review of tribunal decisions at both the trial level and appeal level.?
Aizenobie, Aituaje
Aituaje Aizenobie is an Associate Lawyer at a Calgary-based law firm. She had previously worked in both public and private post-secondary educational institutions in Canada. Aituaje earned her Bachelor of Laws degree in 1999, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2001. Aituaje holds two master's degrees - a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Laws. She is also a certified instructor at the post-secondary educational level. In addition to a robust legal career, she also held a unique role as a Refugee Status Determination Officer on a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) project. Transitioning to Canada, Aituaje was called to the Ontario Bar in August 2021 and transferred her membership to the Law Society of Alberta in January 2022. ?
Chaudhry, Sania
Sania is an employment, labour and human rights lawyer practicing in Alberta and BC. She is also a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law teaching Critical Race Theory and Law and is currently working on her Masters of Law part-time there as well. Sania is active on many Boards and Committees for multiple lawyer and community organizations. She was recognized in 2022 as a Top 30 Under 30 by the Alberta Council of Global Cooperation. Also in 2022, she was the recipient of the Women Who Inspire Award by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women and the Community Crusader Award by the South Asian Inspiration Awards. In 2023, she was awarded the Rising Star Award by the South Asian Bar Association of Calgary and was shortlisted as an Excellence Awardee in the Female Trailblazer (Private Practice) category for the Canadian Law Awards. She was recently named one of 2023's Top 25 Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.
Christian, Gideon
Gideon Christian is a law professor at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Law, where he has been teaching since 2019. Gideon obtained his LL.M and PhD from the University of Ottawa. During his doctoral studies, he was a SSHRC - Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Doctoral Scholar and an International Development Research Center IDRC Doctoral Fellow. Between 2012 and 2019, he worked part-time as an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law. Between 2014 and 2019, he held a full-time position as Legal Counsel in the National Litigation Sector of the federal Department of Justice where he was involved in high-profile litigation involving the Government of Canada.
Heighington, Lisa
Lisa Heighington is a registered nurse who has worked in health care for over 30 years, with experience in clinical practice, disability management, as a transplant coordinator and as a nurse educator. She also worked as a medical adjudicator with the Victims of Crime Program. She is currently a member of the Assessment Review Board with the City of Edmonton. Her past board work includes serving as a public member on the Criminal Injuries Review Board with the Alberta Government and on a disciplinary committee with the College and Association of Registered Nurses.
Tran, Judy
Judy graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with experience primarily in financial reporting and budgeting. She currently adjudicates property assessment disputes as a member of the Edmonton Assessment Review Board, and spends her professional time consulting for municipal clients in financial administration and policy. Judy has also volunteered in the local arts community as board member for Workshop West Playwright’s Theatre.?
Bonnett, Lori
Lori Bonnett received a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Alberta in 1998 and a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall in 2003. Lori has been an active member of the Law Society of Alberta since 1998. Her career has included in-house counsel roles for various sectors of the oil and gas industry over the past 13 years. In these roles, Lori has advised on numerous, complex infrastructure projects, joint ventures, and operational matters. Lori's board experience also includes being a member of the Alberta Transportation Safety Board and the Municipal Government Board.
Lori has been an active member of the volunteer sector in each town/city that she has resided. She served as a member, and then as Chair of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut from 2005 to 2014. Lori has been a volunteer at the Calgary Drop-In Centre since 2010. She currently serves on the Research Ethics Board at SAIT in Calgary.
In her leisure time, Lori spends time with her two young grandsons and enjoys travelling.
Humphreys, Michael
Michael Humphreys worked as a lawyer in the United Kingdom, almost exclusively, on behalf of members of trade unions. He specialised in claims for damages for accidents at work, industrial disease, breaches of employment rights, and human rights violations. In 2000, he was appointed to sit as a part-time Chair of Employment Tribunals adjudicating claims for unlawful termination, breach of contract and discrimination cases arising in the work place. In 2007, he came to Canada and obtained a position as an Appeals Advisor on workers' compensation claims. He later worked for the Health Sciences Association of Alberta as a labour relations officer providing advice and advocacy services to members of the union and negotiating collective agreements.
Laycock, Todd
Todd Laycock is an industrial security professional employed with the oil sands industry in northern Alberta. Prior to this, he was a member of the Edmonton Police Service, working in a variety of capacities over the course of his 25-year career.
Todd has previous experience with adjudicative boards, having served on the Assessment Review Board for the City of St. Albert and the Mental Health Review Panel Roster in Alberta. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, as well as several professional designations in the security field. Todd has also instructed at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa.
Peckham, Gary
After 34 years of service, Gary Peckham retired from the Alberta Public Service. In his roles he has had extensive management experience. Former positions include the Chair of the Alberta Debtors Assistance Board, Statute Administrator for various pieces of legislation and was the former Director of the Service Alberta’s Contact Centre. He has several management certificates and has received three Premier’s Awards of Excellence during his career.
Saunders, Jody
Jody Saunders joined the Appeals Commission in September 2020. Her past positions have included Tribunal Counsel with the Law Society of Alberta, where she managed the quasi-judicial hearing and appeal process, and Associate General Counsel and Professional Leader, Legal with what is now the Canada Energy Regulator, where she practised administrative law for 16 years. She began her legal career at a small corporate and commercial civil litigation firm in Calgary. Jody obtained her law degree from the University of Alberta and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary.
Tiessen, Jamie
Jamie’s career in media and broadcast networks spans 25 years. He has operated radio stations and broadcast networks in the Calgary area and held positions as an executive, director, chairperson, and consultant. His commitment to community spans over 15 years of dedicated public service, including his time as a municipal councillor for the Town of Okotoks and the Kananaskis Improvement District. He has also served on tribunals for several Government of Alberta ministries, along with other boards, and commissions.
Wong, Gia
Gia Wong is a member in good standing with the Law Society of Alberta and worked with the Society as a Formal Complaints Reviewer, Legal Counsel. She has a varied litigation background with a major insurer as in-house counsel. Gia has over 20 years of active litigation and dispute resolution experience, as well as four years of senior management experience. Gia has a diverse work history, which includes the Legislative Assembly Office, Ethics Commissioner's Office, and private legal practice.
Glavin, Gibson
Gibson Glavin was a commissioned Officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police serving for over 31 years. During his policing career, he held the senior positions of executive assistant to the Senior Deputy Commissioner at the RCMP headquarters in Ottawa, Aid-de-Camp for the Lieutenant Government of Alberta, Officer in Charge of strategic communications and provincial support services for the Alberta RCMP and he commanded the Special Tactical Operations unit and the Behavioural Sciences Group. He has previous experience as a Chair, adjudicator, and Board Member with the Alberta Transportation Safety Board, Fatality Review Board, and RCMP Discipline Tribunal. He holds a Communications degree and an Advanced Certificate in Police Leadership, and qualified as an arbitrator.
Kavaz, Vesna
Vesna Kavaz has been involved in quasi-judicial appeal adjudication since May 2016, when she was appointed to five Community and Social Services Appeal Panels. She has heard appeals for Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, Income and Employment Supports, Persons with Developmental Disabilities, and Family Support for Children with Disabilities benefits. She is experienced in administrative proceedings, interpretation and application of legislation, decision-making, and decision writing. Previously, Vesna worked at NorQuest College, Athabasca University, and several agencies and schools. She has taught English as a Second Language classes to adults from four continents and 25 countries, and was involved in adult literacy program development and delivery. Vesna holds credentials from Simon Fraser University and the University of Zagreb.
Kelly, Gregory
Mr. Kelly was previously employed as the Chair of the Review Committee for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Prior to this, he held the positions of Case Manager and Entitlement Officer/Adjudicator in WSCC's Iqaluit office in Nunavut. Since January 2008, Mr. Kelly has been employed as a relief Correctional Youth Officer with the North Slave Young Offenders Facility. He also served several two-year appointments as a Member of the Northwest Territories Social Assistance Appeals Board and as Vice-Chair of the Student Financial Assistance Appeals Board. Mr. Kelly has a Masters in Criminology, a Bachelor of Arts in Law, and most recently, received certificates in Tribunal Administrative Justice and Professional Leadership Development.
Kelly, Kevin
Kevin Kelly is a lawyer and chartered arbitrator in Calgary with extensive dispute resolution training in negotiation, conflict management, mediation and arbitration. He has practiced primarily in insurance, real property, business law, and estate planning and administration, and has appeared in the Federal Court of Canada and all levels of court in Alberta. Kevin specializes in dispute resolution and regularly acts as a mediator, arbitrator, and facilitator for board meetings and multi-stakeholder group disputes. He has designed and facilitated law and negotiation courses for SAIT, and is a facilitator, assessor and practice manager with the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education's Alberta Bar Admission Program. Currently, in addition to serving as both chair and adjudicative panel member on several quasi-judicial tribunals, Kevin is on the Board of Directors for the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre for Canada.
Moore, Robert
Robert Moore was a commissioned officer with 25 years of service in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). He held a variety of operational and management roles in municipal, provincial and federal policing throughout Alberta and at national headquarters in Ottawa. Robert was also an adjudicator in the RCMP's quasi-judicial grievance and appeal regime. Before joining the RCMP, he earned a BComm degree from the University of Calgary and worked in the banking industry.