Cheryl De Paoli

Executive Director, Alberta Real Estate Foundation

Cheryl is the Executive Director of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation. She is a certified facilitator and holds a Master of Science in Business and Sustainability from the University of Bath and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary. Cheryl’s work includes supporting learning teams and organisations to develop and design innovation, strategy, and multi-stakeholder consultation. Cheryl has worked for corporate, government and non-profit organisations in Argentina, India, Mexico, Turkey and the United States. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organisations (CCVO) and the advisory committees for the Alberta Emerald Foundation and The Natural Step Energy Futures Lab. She can often be found riding her horse through the beautiful foothills of southern Alberta.

DANIEL ALESSI

Associate Professor and inauguralEncana Chair in Water Resources at the University of Alberta.

Dr. Alessi’s research group studies the water cycle in unconventional energy recovery and environmental geochemistry. With collaborators on campus, much of my group’s current focus is on water practices in hydraulic fracturing, including (1) evaluating the chemistry of flowback and produced waters and its links to toxicity, (2) assessing the sources of microbial biofouling and biocorrosion in fluids associated with hydraulic fracturing, and (3) modelling the transport and fate of fracturing chemicals in geologic media. The primary goals of the research are to develop new tools to characterize fluids in the hydraulic fracturing water cycle, inform risk management plans for wastewater handling and transportation, and produce leading science that will support reduced water use and improved costs for hydraulic fracturing operations.

Ryan MacDonald

Consultant and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Lethbridge

Ryan MacDonald is an independent consultant based in Cranbrook, B.C. and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Lethbridge. His work focuses on hydrological processes, modelling, and aquatic ecosystems. He has worked throughout western Canada and has an excellent understanding  of key issues facing water resources in this region. He has been a lead modeller for multi-stakeholder collaborative modelling initiatives looking at large-scale water management in Alberta. He has also led several watershed-scale assessments looking at the interface between human land use, climate, and the natural environment. His background in process-based hydrology, modelling, and inter-disciplinary studies enables him to pursue research questions that can be applied in a practical management context.

Kerry Black

Dr. Black is an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary in Civil Engineering, and the Schulich Research Chair in Integrated Knowledge, Engineering & Sustainable Communities.  Dr. Black previously worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia in Civil Engineering. Her work is centered on community-based participatory approaches, encompassing research relating to engineering infrastructure and sustainable communities, with a key focus on the incorporation of Indigenous-centered research methodologies.

Kerry Black’s research experience and expertise relating to sustainable infrastructure in First Nations communities builds on over 10 years in the public, private and non-profit sectors.   She has worked on water and wastewater management in First Nations communities across Canada and most recently served as a Senior Policy Advisor in Housing & Infrastructure with the Assembly of First Nations.

Kerry completed her undergraduate in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto and her Master of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia. She has also received her PhD from the University of Guelph with research focussed on sustainable water and wastewater management in Indigenous communities, incorporating technical engineering principles with culturally-grounded processes, policy and socio-economic considerations.

Kerry is a strong advocate for sustainable water management.  She is also a strong advocate for Indigenous issues, including the recognition of Indigenous rights, the human right to safe, clean drinking water and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of reconciliation.

David Hill

University of Lethbridge, Office of the Vice-President (Research)

David Hill is the Director of Development for the Southern Alberta Agriculture and Agribusiness Program and the Centre for Agricultural Research and Agribusiness Innovation. These initiatives integrate academic training, fundamental and applied research across the southern Alberta agri-food domain in the areas of agriculture and agribusiness, with a specific focus on new programming in the business activities of the agri-food sector. A key emphasis of the programming is the provision of a wide range of co- and extra-curricular experiential learning opportunities for students, as well as fostering and promoting industry engagement. The initiative also capitalizes on and enhances existing and new research collaborations with federal, provincial, industry and producer groups in agriculture.

David has almost 45 years of experience in water, irrigation, agriculture and natural resource management. He is a member of the Board of the Agriculture and Food Council (www.agfoodcouncil.com), and a member of the Board of Inside Education (www.insideeducation.ca). Since 2005 he has also served as the Water Policy Co-Chair for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (www.pnwer.org).

David was a member of the Alberta Water Council for 9 years from its inception until joining the University of Lethbridge in 2012. He is a former Chair of the Alberta Science and Technology Leadership (ASTech) Foundation (www.astech.ca), a past president of the Canadian Committee on Irrigation and Drainage and has served on the Alberta Endangered Species Conservation Committee, Alberta Environmental Agriculture Council, and as a past member of the Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy (University of California, Berkeley, 2004-2010).

Sans façon

Sans façon is an art practice who work internationally on projects ranging from temporary installations in public space, large scale permanent artwork, to collaborating with design teams on major infrastructure projects or developing and implementing city-wide strategies involving artists in discourse with a city. The majority of their work tempts interaction with the surroundings and is developed in close collaboration with communities, corporations and individuals including city councils, scholars, architects, engineers and designers.

Established in 2001 in Glasgow, Scotland, the practice moved to Calgary in 2011 to be lead artists for the innovative public art project Watershed+, part of the City of Calgary Public Art Program, integrating artists within the work of the City’s Utilities & Environment Protection department.