Chair

Simon has over 20 years of international business experience and is currently Vice-President of Communications at Encana, a Calgary-based energy company. Previously, Simon was head of Investor & Corporate Communications at Talisman Energy and Director of Communications, Marketing & Sales with the Calgary Zoo.

Born in Glasgow, Simon spent the early part of his career with a consulting firm helping Scottish companies develop overseas export markets. He lived in Manchester for 12 years and worked with Bruntwood, a commercial real estate company as a member of the executive team where he led the company’s marketing, communication and brand activities.

Simon has shared his expertise, advised and served as an elected Trustee with a range of organizations, including Tourism Calgary, Mount Royal University, Central Manchester National Health Service Trust, Manchester City Centre Management Company, Manchester City Council and the Marketing Society.

Vice Chair

Susanne is the Senior Operations Accountant with Steelhead Petroleum. She facilitates people to empower positive results while engaging team members using an authentic leadership style. Susanne holds a master’s Degree in Leadership and is trained in Organizational Design, Leadership Mentoring, and Coaching.

Susanne volunteered with the Calgary Stampede from 2005-2017. She served as Chair of the Calgary Stampede Parade Committee where she led the committee dedicated to presenting a world class entertainment event to kick off the 10-day Calgary Stampede. She helped found the Innovation Committee in 2014. As the Vice Chair, she supported her team at the Calgary Stampede to bring innovation to reality while continuing to build and support a culture of innovation.

In 2012 she worked with the Alberta Organizing Committee of the Canadian Transplant Games to execute a 6 day Olympic-style event for recipients of organ donations.

Secretary

Nicole Letourneau RN PhD FCAHS is a Professor at the University of Calgary in the Faculty of Nursing and Cumming School of Medicine (Pediatrics, Psychiatry & Community Health Sciences). She holds the ACHF Chair in Parent-Infant Mental Health and previously, she was Canada Research Chair in Healthy Child Development.

She is PI of the CHILD (Child Health Intervention and Longitudinal Development) studies program, studying parenting, attachment and child development in the context of maternal depression, family violence, and other stressors. Nicole leads the APrON cohort study of 2200 Alberta families, the Action Team on Triadic Attachment and Child Health (ATTACH) study, as well as VID-KIDS. She is also an author of two books on parenting and has received many awards for her scholarly achievements. She has published over 145 peer-reviewed papers, 14+ book chapters and over 120 opinion editorials appearing in major print and online Canadian news outlets.

Treasurer

Pamela Wicks is a seasoned financial professional with decades of broad experience in the Canadian energy sector. She also has had a lifelong dedication to advancing equal opportunity for women and is involved with a number of women’s organizations, including as a board director. Since 2002 Pamela has been with Pulse Seismic Inc. where she has held the roles of Corporate Controller (2002-2007), Vice President Finance (2007-2010) and Chief Financial Officer (2010-Present).

Pamela brings a combination of dedication and integrity to all of her roles. Working at a smaller public issuer has provided direct exposure to a wide variety of accounting, financial and governance issues, enabling her to develop expertise in the areas of audit, compensation, investor relations, banking and credit facilities, conducting asset acquisitions and dispositions, complex corporate structures and restructurings, strategic plan development and execution, financial forecasting/modelling, and generating value for shareholders.

Director

Bob is currently Senior Vice President & Associate Broker, at Cresa Calgary LLP. Formerly an independent commercial real estate brokerage consultant and the Senior Managing Director in Calgary for a global leader in commercial real estate, Bob has been involved in Calgary’s commercial real estate market since 2002. He brings over 30 years of sales leadership and business acumen, to the Discovery House Board. Over that career, he has launched market altering products, brokered significant transactions in landmark developments and addressed complex client issues with innovative solutions. His approach to business is characterized by an intense client focus, informed through a highly engaged and collaborative process.

Previously, Bob was a board member and supporter of the Alexandra Community Health Centre. He is also a past president and board member of both The Glencoe Club and Glencoe Golf & Country Club.

Director

Doris is a senior professional in Human Resources and is a Certified Executive Coach who has a deep commitment to help organizations, teams and individuals unleash their full potential, particularly in organizations that are experiencing a high degree of change. 
 
She has worked and led teams in many environments varying in size and complexity in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors, including government. Her skills lie in the ability to take lessons from across the spectrum of these experiences and apply them into the context of each of her roles. As the Chair of the Board for the Women in Need Society for a number of years, Doris successfully led the organization through a time of crisis, having a stronger organization for it.
 
Doris completed her MBA at Royal Roads University, where she was also granted the Leadership Award by her fellow cohort members. 

Director

Taylor is a Senior Associate within the Corporate Restructuring group for Grant Thornton LLP. Taylor specializes in formal and informal restructuring proceedings within the oil and gas industry, providing financial advisory services to bankrupt and insolvent entities. He has experience in assisting and advising various stakeholders, which includes secured lenders, unsecured lenders, and debtors.

Prior to obtaining his Chartered Accountant designation in 2015, Taylor graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan in 2011. He is currently working towards obtaining his Licensed Insolvency Trustee license and the Chartered Insolvency Restructuring Professional designation. Taylor is currently serving on the Audit & Finance Committee.

Director

Carli is a research analyst with Palisade Capital Management and is responsible for the analysis and evaluation of investments ideas and portfolio weightings, with a focus on the diversified portion of Palisade’s portfolios. Prior to joining Palisade Capital, she was responsible for the small-cap and special situation investment opportunities at another Calgary-based investment management firm. 

Carli has over 16 years of experience in the investment management and pension industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from the University of Calgary with a minor in Management and is a CFA charter holder. Carli is active in the community, including volunteering at YMCA Calgary for the last 11 years. Carli is currently serving on the Audit & Finance Committee.

Director

Pamela has a background in healthcare and the not-for-profit sector. She is a Graduate Nurse from the Foothills Hospital School of Nursing and has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria. During the first several years of her career, Pamela worked as a registered nurse, primarily in the field of Oncology. She has also held a number of different positions in the areas of program development, operations, management and fundraising and stewardship.

Pamela served 7 years as a Director on the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter Board and joined the Discovery House Board in 2014 as a community member on the Governance Committee. 

Director

Jagat is a Lawyer at Shim Law. She practices primarily in Family Law, vastly experienced in guiding clients through complex divorce situations, domestic violence instances, protection order hearings, contested parenting/child support cases along with prenup and separation agreements. She regularly appears in Provincial Court of Alberta and Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta. Jagat is passionate about her practice in law and is committed to helping clients navigate through challenging phases of their lives to commence a new beginning. 

Outside work life, Jagat loves going on hikes, traveling, spending time with her husband and is a new mom to a beautiful baby girl!

Director

Esmahan is a passionate community builder. She has extensive board experience, at the national and local levels, and serves on a number of working groups including as the Director for BC at Equal Voice, United Way Calgary Public Policy Committee, Confederation Centre of the Arts and co-leads an Alberta based collective for BIPOC women in politics.

She co-founded two organizations, including Ask Her and is an Associate Principal at Champion Communications & PR. She brings extensive experience in public engagement, public policy, government relations, strategic planning and communications. She has worked for the Government of Alberta and most recently as a public affairs consultant in British Columbia. 

In 2017, Esmahan was recognized by Chatelaine as one of Canada’s 33 Women of the Year and was named one of the top 50 Arab women in North America by the Arab Women of Excellence Awards in 2019.

When she’s not working or volunteering, Esmahan enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Director

Nicolette is a critical media studies instructor and PhD Candidate at the University of Calgary. Her intersectional research interests include media interventions in gender-based violence (GBV), digital feminisms, and mediated misogyny.

Nicolette advised the Federal government’s Status of Women Committee for its 2017 Violence Against Young Women and Girls (VAYWAG) study and advises national media outlets and law enforcement regarding so-called ‘incels.’

Nicolette was a Professor at Sheridan College (ON, 2009-2016) where she also spearheaded cross-regional anti-violence initiatives, connecting this post-secondary institution with politicians and industry, to raise awareness about consent and GBV both at the college and in the broader communities. She also worked with Ontario domestic violence shelters and organizations as a board member and/or on public education and fundraising initiatives. Nicolette received a number of awards for her efforts.

Nicolette can be found hiking in the Rockies or writing children’s books.