Alberta Energy Regulator- Board of Directors
Bryson, Corrina
Corrina Bryson has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry and currently serves on the Boards of the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board and the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission.
In addition to being a board director, Corrina Bryson is the chair of the board audit and finance committee and a voting member on the board governance committee.
Previously, Ms. Bryson led her own consultancy company, Simplify Complexity Inc., providing petroleum engineering and management consulting services to operators and investors. From 2011 to 2016, she worked with CNOOC-Nexen in a variety of roles, including vice president of Resource Development North America. Between 2004 and 2011, Ms. Bryson was a consultant and director with RPS Energy and APA Petroleum Engineering. Ms. Bryson began her career with Shell, working in progressive engineering, project, and business roles from 1994 to 2004 in the Netherlands, the UK, and Canada.
Ms. Bryson graduated from the University of Bradford in England with B.Eng. and M.Eng. degrees in Chemical Engineering with Management. She is a P.Eng. in Alberta and holds a Masters Certificate of Project Management (MCPM) from the University of Lethbridge. Ms. Bryson is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) and holds the designation of ICD, Director (ICD.D.).
Leach, Gary
Gary Leach has over 25 years of senior executive level experience in the oil and gas industry, including serving as president of The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada (EPAC). His background in law supports a deep understanding of regulatory issues affecting the energy industry.
In addition to being a board director, Gary Leach is the chair of the board regulatory review committee and a voting member on the board human resources, health and safety committee.
Under his leadership EPAC was a respected voice for Canada's oil and gas industry during a period of disruptive and rapidly changing market conditions. His views were sought on industry issues and trends by local and national media outlets. Mr. Leach regularly engaged with political leaders, policy makers and regulators while serving on industry and government agency boards and panels.
Prior to this, Mr. Leach worked as a senior international executive at a Houston-headquartered Fortune 500 oil services company, and a Canadian NYSE listed international oil production and services company, where he also served on the board of directors. Mr. Leach's responsibilities included establishing new business ventures, negotiating innovative project finance structures with multilateral institutions, and serving on joint venture boards in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Mr. Leach was also the founder and partner of a Calgary-based law firm, where his practice focused on providing counsel and advice to clients working in the oil and gas services industry.
He is a graduate of the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan, and holds Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Liberal Arts degrees from that institution.
Rippin Armstrong, Allison
Allison is a biologist and environmental scientist with over 25 years of experience in permitting, regulatory processes and environmental compliance, working with indigenous organizations, resource companies, regulatory agencies, indigenous, territorial, and federal governments.
In addition to being a board director, Allison Rippin Armstrong is a voting member on the board regulatory review committee and human resources, health and safety committee.
Along the way, Allison found that her passion and calling leaned more to the areas of mentorship, advocacy, education, and training. As Compliance Specialist at the Ekati Diamond Mine, Allison was part of the team that lead the mine toward ISO 14001 certification. There she started an Environmental Awareness program that included the formation of an Environment Club, with participation from all departments at the mine site.
Allison is amazed by the incredible opportunities that she has been able to be part of and help create. Highlights include: the development of environmental training modules in partnership with Yukon First Nations and Yukon University, the development of the Regional Wealth Creation Fund, as part of a negotiated Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association in Nunavut, and building a sustainability department at the Karowe Diamond Mine with Lucara Botswana.
Allison has served on the board of Yukon Women in Mining for the past seven years. She is a founding member of the Yukon University Foundation Board and has served on NWT and Nunavut Chambers of Mines as well as a number of working groups for the PDAC. Allison is currently the Chair of the Board of Tectonic Metals Inc.
As an independent consultant Allison has worked in Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alaska, and Botswana.
Yager, David
Mr. Yager is the special advisor to the Premier of Alberta. He is the chair of the ministry’s independent, third-party panel reviewing the AER and was chair of the “Premier’s Advisory Council on Alberta’s Energy Future.”
He has over 50 years in the upstream oil and gas industry and has been a longtime writer and commentator on the sector. He is the principal of Yager Management Ltd., an oil and gas service industry consulting company.
Mr. Yager was the founder, executive officer, and director of three publicly traded oilfield service companies. He also served as the President & CEO of Winterhawk Casing Expansion and as the chair of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC).
Competencies required for the board directors of the AER include extensive experience in environment and regulatory sectors; senior decision-making experience in complex, multi-disciplinary and collaborative environments; financial experience; business acumen; strong leadership experience; and sound governance experience. Mr. Yager was directly recruited and appointed on the basis of acceptably meeting the competencies, skills, and attributes as described above.
Arnett, Carey
Ms. Arnett served as member for the “Premier’s Advisory Council on Alberta’s Energy Future.”
She has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector.
She has served on the Board of Governors for the Calgary Petroleum Club as President, and was the Chair of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association Foundation. From 2017 to 2023, she was President & CEO of her family’s pipeline construction firm, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners Ltd. (now Arnett & Burgess Energy Services).
Ms. Arnett graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce.
Competencies required for the board directors of the AER include extensive experience in environment and regulatory sectors; senior decision-making experience in complex, multi-disciplinary and collaborative environments; financial experience; business acumen; strong leadership experience; and sound governance experience. Ms. Arnett was directly recruited and appointed on the basis of acceptably meeting the competencies, skills, and attributes as described above.
Watson, Theresa
Ms. Watson previously served as a board member of the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) from 2009 to 2013, before the organization was replaced by the Alberta Energy Regulator.
She has over 35 years of experience in organization strategic leadership, quasi-judicial hearings, regulatory development and compliance, liability assessment, wellbore integrity, oilfield operations, joint ventures and asset consolidation. Ms. Watson is currently President of T.L. Watson & Associates Inc., a specialized engineering company. She previously served Interim CEO and Board Director positions for carya and as a councillor for the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
Ms. Watson holds a chemical engineering degree from McGill University and a Master of Business Administration and Law degree from the University of Calgary.
Competencies required for the board directors of the AER include extensive experience in environment and regulatory sectors; senior decision-making experience in complex, multi-disciplinary and collaborative environments; financial experience; business acumen; strong leadership experience; and sound governance experience. Ms. Watson was directly recruited and appointed on the basis of acceptably meeting the competencies, skills, and attributes as described above.
Au, Duncan
Mr. Duncan Au is a Fellow of Chartered Professional Accountants and Chartered Financial Analyst with over 30 years of corporate finance and energy services experience. He is the President & CEO of JAFETICA Capital Inc., a private equity and corporate finance consulting practice that specializes in energy service opportunities.
From 2010 to 2023, Mr. Au held President & CEO and Director positions for CWC Energy Services Corp, which was acquired by Precision Drilling Corp. In 2005, Mr. Au was President & CEO of his own private energy service company, Richmound Energy Services L.P., which was sold to a public company that later became Essential Energy Services Ltd. (Essential). From 2006 to 2008, Duncan took on the role of Vice President, Business Development and Chief Financial Officer of Essential and helped build this public company from an enterprise value of zero to $410 million before departing. From 1998 to 2004, Mr. Au held Vice President & Director positions in corporate finance with both Deloitte and Ernst & Young where he led financings and mergers and acquisitions in the energy services industry.
Mr. Au has also served on the Board of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC), Energy Services Association of Canada (Enserva; formerly PSAC), and Calgary Economic Development, and was on the Board of Governors for the Canadian Energy Executive Association (CEEA).
Mr. Au holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta.
Competencies required for members of the Alberta Energy Regulator include: leadership, governance, regulatory, energy sector knowledge, and/or strategic planning. Mr. Au was directly recruited and appointed on the basis of meeting the competencies, skills and attributes as described above.