Alberta Labour Relations Board
Nekolaichuk, Gordon
Gordon Nekolaichuk was appointed a full-time Vice-Chair of the Labour Relations Board in 2021. Prior to joining the Board, Gordon practiced labour, employment, and human rights law with both employer-side and union-side law firms. He has represented employers and unions before arbitrators, the Board, other administrative tribunals, and at all levels of Court. He also taught labour law as a sessional instructor at the University of Alberta. Gordon is a graduate of the University of Alberta (B.A. 2008, LL.B. 2011) and clerked for the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench before being called to the Bar in 2012.
Smith, Ian
Ian Smith was appointed a full-time Vice-Chair of the Labour Relations Board in November 2013. Prior to joining the Board, Ian was a partner at Miller Thomson LLP practicing labour and human rights law. He has represented clients’ interests before arbitrators, administrative tribunals and all levels of the Alberta Courts. Ian is a graduate of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.
Schick, Jeremy
Jeremy Schick was appointed a full-time Vice-Chair of the Labour Relations Board in September 2019. He previously acted as Legal Counsel for the Board since 2013. Before joining the Board, Jeremy practiced labour and employment law, administrative law, and civil litigation, on behalf of employers, employees, school boards, and other agencies, boards and commissions. He also previously taught as a Belzberg Lecturer with the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, teaching legal research, writing and advocacy. Jeremy is a graduate of the University of Alberta (B.Com. 1996, LL.B. 1999), and clerked for the Alberta Court of Appeal and Court of Queen's Bench before being called to the bar in 2000. In his spare time, Jeremy volunteers and acts with various community theatre groups in Edmonton.
Scott, Karen
Karen Scott was appointed a part-time Vice-Chair of the Labour Relations Board in 2024. Karen practiced labour, employment, and human rights law for over 20 years. In addition to her law practice, Karen has mediated and adjudicated human rights matters as a part-time member of the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal since 2015. She also acts as a third-party investigator conducting workplace harassment investigations and has been retained by employer and employee counsel as a mediator in employment law matters. She has taught employment law as a sessional instructor at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law since 2017. Karen graduated from the University of Alberta Faculty of Law in 2002 (With Distinction) and clerked for the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench and Court of Appeal before being called to the Bar in 2003.
Semaine, Wassila
Wassila Semaine was appointed a full-time Vice-Chair of the Labour Relations Board in 2024. Wassila practiced at various sized firms and as a solo practitioner, focussing in areas related to labour, employment, privacy, human rights, and workplace investigations, acting, at different times, for the employer, employee, and/or union. Wassila holds a B.Sc. (2002), a MSc (2005), and an LL.B. (2008) from the University of Alberta. She has also completed other various post-graduate courses through Osgoode. As part of her articling, she clerked with the Alberta Court of Appeal, before being called to the Bar (in 2009).
Bish, Brent
Brent Bish has previous experience on boards and is currently the elected councilor of the Town of Hinton representing several boards. Mr. Bish is also the President of the United Mine Workers of America and has 28 years of service with the Cardinal River Coals LTD. Brent has a Business Administration Diploma from the College of New Caledonia.
Graham, Carol
Carol A. Graham is a lawyer with 30 years of experience in labour relations working with public, private and non-profit organizations. She is curently working as a Managment Consultant in Human Resources specializing in arbitrations, mediation, collective bargaining and investigations.
Armstrong, William
Connell, Lauren
Edmunds, Jodi
Romanow, Todd
Montanaro, Alexandra
Worden, John
Metz, Kevin
Stewart, Jay
Titley, Travis
Williams, Richard
Klassen, Randolph
Randy Klassen is the Regional Director of the CLAC Member Centre in Calgary and has over 20 years of experience working as a Union Representative with employees in a variety of sectors. Randy currently serves on the CLAC H&W Board of Trustees and has served on two other Boards over the last 15 years. Randy has completed and obtained Trust Management certificates from the IFEBP and holds a Marketing Diploma from Mount Royal College in Calgary.
Schenk, Rodney
Rod Schenk works for PCL Constructors Inc. as the Director Labour Relations, Western Canada. He has 30 years of experience in labour relations, working on both the union and management side. He has worked for CLAC in Alberta and British Columbia, JV Driver Projects, and Bemac Construction. His labour relations experience is primarily in the construction, maintenance, and fabrication sectors in Western Canada, but also has construction labour relations experience in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. He has a Bachelor of Management degree, specializing in Human Resources and Labour Relations from the University of Lethbridge. Rod was a ALRB Member previously from 2011 – 2017.
Thibodeau, Trisha
Trisha Thibodeau has over 18 years of experience in the Labour Relations field and is currently employed as a Labour Relations Officer with the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA). Prior to that, she was employed as a Labour Relations Consultant with the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) and handled the majority of the Arbitration and Labour Board files for the Union. She has also had extensive experience with negotiations, including first contract, transition, and essential services bargaining. Trisha has pursued ongoing education in her field through Queens University and the ADR institute of Alberta.
Farkas, Kris
Kris Farkas is a labour relations consultant in Alberta with degrees in both commerce and law. After several years in private practice, focusing on labour law, Kris joined United Nurses of Alberta, initially as a Labour Relations Officer, and for ten years as Manager of Labour Relations. She has acted as Union Counsel at arbitrations, labour board hearings, professional conduct hearings, and various levels of court. Kris also has experience negotiating collective agreements, for groups ranging in size from less than twenty to more than 20 thousand.
Lacasse, Jacqueline
Jacqueline Lacasse is the Director of Labour Relations at the University of Calgary and is responsible for collective bargaining, contract administration, program and policy development, grievances and arbitrations and labour relations training. Prior to joining the University, Jacqueline practiced labour and employment law in private practice and as in-house legal counsel for Alberta Health Services. Jacqueline is an active community volunteer and has held board roles for a number of local non-profit organizations.
Burns, Jennifer
Jennifer has a LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto. She was called to the bar in Alberta in 1996. For most of thirty years, Jennifer worked with Extendicare Canada Inc. in various roles, primarily in the areas of labour and employment, and then with The Good Samaritan Society as Vice-President, HR and Legal Counsel. Jennifer currently works as Vice President, Human Resources at Shepherd’s Care Foundation. Aside from serving numerous terms with the Alberta Labour Relations Board, Jennifer served as a Tribunal Member with the Alberta Human Rights Commission from September 2010 to June 2013.
Schlesinger, Nancy
Nancy has spent most of her career at the Alberta Labour Relations Board, working alongside the Board’s dedicated staff and members. She started as the Board’s legal counsel in 1999, followed by appointments as Vice Chair in 2002, Essential Services Commissioner in 2019, and Chair in 2021. Prior to working for the Board, Nancy 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 for the Alberta Court of Appeal and Court of Queen's Bench before being called to the Bar in 1995.
Begemann, Bill
Bill has been a member of Local 424 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical workers for over thirty years. He has worked in various positions throughout his 17 year tenure within the business office of the Local Union and is currently working as an Assistant Business Manager for the membership of Local 424. As a result of his experiences he has been involved in all facets of organizing, grievances, arbitrations, board hearings and negotiations. He has sat on numerous Industry boards and is an active participant in the Labour community.