Speakers

Christina Benty, MA is a speaker, author and a recovered politician. Her political journey forced her to face her own resistance to uncertainty and discomfort. Now, she helps expose the stories that keep her and others out of partnership and collaboration. She does it in the political arena where power dynamics, hierarchies, tribalism, competitive us and them thinking, is risk to all of us. She is the owner of Strategic Leadership Solutions Inc, a consulting firm designed to assist teams in building a culture of excellence in leadership and governance

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Karen Elliott is an experienced leader, a relationship builder and a skilled communicator. With a Masters in Applied Behavioural Science, she has spent the better part of the last 25 years working with teams and leaders to build great organizations. She has sat on both sides of the local government table, most recently as a General Manager at the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Prior to that she was an elected official in Squamish, B.C., serving as a councillor from 2014 – 2018, and then Mayor from 2018 – 2022. During her 17 years of consulting, she worked in both the public and private sectors in the areas of strategic planning, organizational change, team and leadership development and meeting facilitation. Karen is known for her calm yet energetic approach and is passionate about local government’s ability to positively impact peoples’ lives.

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Alex Abbandonato has been an Investigator with the Alberta Ombudsman since June 2025. He brings extensive experience in public administration and regulatory oversight, having previously worked as an investigator and mediator with the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission, the Industrial Relations Branch, and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

Alex also served as a Manager with the Canadian Red Cross where he managed a team responding to national emergencies, such as wildfires and floods, across Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Master of Arts in International Political Economy, and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution. Outside of work, Alex enjoys playing squash and writing screenplays.

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John Martyniak is an Investigator with the Alberta Ombudsman, a role he has held since January 2025. He brings over 12 years of experience in natural resource and environmental enforcement, including time as a fish and wildlife officer. In his previous work, he focused on applying legislation in a fair and consistent way and working through complex issues as they arose. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a certificate in conservation and natural resource enforcement. Outside of work, he enjoys martial arts, reading, and spending time in nature with family and friends.

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Michele Soroka is the Outreach and Engagement lead with the Alberta Ombudsman office and has been with the office for almost three years. Prior to joining the office, she specialized in digital, print and web media for The Canadian Brewhouse and The Brick Warehouse. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from MacEwan University. Her genuine passion for learning and her commitment to making a meaningful impact continually drive her journey in her role. Outside her dedicated work, she finds happiness with her two cats and is active with tennis and soccer.

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Lindsay Sellinger is a Senior Investigator with the Alberta Ombudsman. She has been with the office for eight years and has a particular enthusiasm for investigating difficult complaints and addressing complex behaviours. As a Registered Social Worker, Lindsay brings a unique approach to working with individuals who demonstrate challenging conduct. Prior to her work in the Ombuds world, Lindsay was with Children and Family Services and various non-profit organizations in British Columbia. She has a Bachelor and Master of Social Work. She is an avid volunteer and is a current Board member for a local non-profit organization. Lindsay is passionate about her work with the Ombudsman’s office but equally loves her garden, cycling, and travelling around Canada!

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As a highly experienced executive search consultant, Anurag is an integral part of the Leaders International leadership team. A strategic thinker, he has been keenly involved in the firm’s growth since 1997 and has recruited entire executive teams for multiple client organizations. He has also worked closely with numerous boards of directors from government, industry, and the not-for-profit sector. In 1994, Anurag entered the field of human resources and management consulting, and his experience includes executive recruiting, career counseling, and coaching. He is highly knowledgeable in contract development and alternate compensation strategies and has consulted in change management. Anurag obtained his master’s degree from the University of Alberta plus formal training in recruitment and hiring from Simon Fraser University. He is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and a Chartered Professional in Human Resources. He currently sits on the Board of Covenant Health Foundation and Downtown Rotary Club. He is also a member of a National CEO Forum Group in Edmonton.

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John joined Leaders International in 2020 and is a Partner based in the Calgary office. He brings more than 20 years of executive search and leadership advisory experience, partnering with CEOs and senior executives to strengthen leadership teams during periods of growth, transition, and organizational change.

An entrepreneur by background, John founded and successfully scaled two executive search firms, built and led high-performing teams, and ultimately completed a successful sale. This experience gives him a strong commercial perspective and a deep understanding of the leadership challenges facing founders, executive teams, and organizations operating in complex environments.

John plays a key role in expanding the firm’s executive search capabilities, leading CEO and C-suite assignments across the private and public sectors. In addition to executive placements, he has supported a range of board and governance-related searches, particularly where alignment between leadership, culture, and strategy is critical. Clients value John’s pragmatic, relationship-driven approach and his ability to combine disciplined assessment with sound judgment— ensuring not only role fit, but sustained leadership impact and organizational confidence.

In addition to his client work, John is an active member of the firm’s National Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, supporting Leaders’ commitment to inclusive leadership and equitable access to senior leadership opportunities.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Calgary.

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Lorne Randa has proudly been a member of the firm’s municipal team for close to 20 years. Lorne is the firm’s Practice Group Leader for Privacy and Access to Information Law and Development Agreement, Offsite Levy and Cost Recovery. He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Law Society of Saskatchewan and the Law Society of the Northwest Territories, and has appeared before all levels of Court in Alberta, the Federal Court of Appeal, and many administrative tribunals and boards, including the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, the Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Municipal Government Board (MGB) and the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (LPRT). His preferred areas of practice include Privacy and Access to Information Law, Municipal Law (planning and development, development agreements, offsite levies, expropriations, and other infrastructure and utility cost recovery mechanisms), Contract Law and Administrative Law. Lorne is past Chair of the CBA National Privacy and Access Law Section and former Chair of the CBA Northern Alberta Privacy and Access Law Section.

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Derek King is the Managing Partner of the Calgary office, and a senior partner in our Municipal Law Team. Derek is a Practice Group Leader for the Firm’s Municipal Enforcement, Emergency Management, Expropriation and Environmental Law Practice Groups, and is a member of the Legislative and Policy Group. Derek has more than 28 years' experience addressing a broad spectrum of Municipal Issues for clients in Alberta and Saskatchewan, including Planning and Development, Nuisance and Unsightly Properties and Safety Code Compliance, Bylaw and Regulatory Prosecutions, and Injunctive Enforcement. He also has substantial experience in the areas of Municipal Governance, Municipal Legislative and Policy Development, Tax Recovery, Environmental Law, Emergency Management, Emergency Services Liability, Expropriation Law, and Municipal Litigation.

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Whitney Mosley, a knowledgeable and dedicated lawyer, is a valuable member of the Brownlee LLP team based in Calgary. With a strong background in municipal law, she brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as in-house counsel for a mid-size city in Saskatchewan.

With her diverse educational background and unwavering commitment to championing municipal law, Whitney Mosley is an integral part of Brownlee LLP’s team. Her ability to navigate the intricacies of the legal landscape, coupled with her passion for the communities she serves, makes her an exceptional advocate for clients.

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Jeannette Austin is the principal owner of Excello Consulting which specializes in keynote speaking, facilitation, strategic planning and she is a certified Natural Design™ Coach. She is very proud to be business partners with her son AJ in a HVAC & Plumbing company.

Her background includes 15 years of experience as a non-profit executive director, and over 17 years of municipal government experience in Alberta holding positions such as Interim CAO, Director of Operations and Director of Community Services. In addition, Jeannette has retail management experience with both small and large companies within Alberta and British Columbia. Despite her varied career, her true passion lies in speaking, facilitating, and teaching through her company Excello.

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Ben is a Senior Account Executive on AltaML’s Public Sector team, where he has spent the past year and a half partnering with public sector organizations to identify and deliver high-value applied AI solutions. He works closely with leaders across government and post-secondary institutions to align business priorities with AI strategy and to guide multidisciplinary teams through complex cloud and ML initiatives.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Victoria, which he completed in 2014. Prior to joining AltaML, he worked in digital transformation for the public sector, specifically supporting post-secondary institutions in modernizing their operations and adopting new technologies. This combination of scientific training and applied digital transformation experience underpins his ability to translate emerging AI capabilities into practical outcomes for public sector clients.

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Paul is an Executive Business Partner at AltaML with over three years of experience leading applied AI initiatives in the public sector. He drives measurable impact by partnering with executive teams to identify and deliver high-value AI solutions. Leveraging his 15 years of cross-sector leadership across healthcare, industrial, and government, he specializes in aligning business objectives with AI strategy, shaping technology governance frameworks, and guiding multidisciplinary teams through complex cloud and ML initiatives.

Paul holds a Master of Management of AI from Queen's University, a Master’s in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto, and a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. This advanced academic foundation in artificial intelligence, business, and engineering drives clarity, alignment, and long-term value throughout an organization’s AI adoption journey. Outside of AltaML, Paul leads the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) working group focused on AI Education for Engineers

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Shelly Der - Working for the government in both municipal and for the Government of Alberta for over 15 years in planning and development matters. With the Province, her background includes providing advisory support on legislation, working on regional plans and cross ministry work on a variety of initiatives, and has previously provided training on subdivision and development appeal boards. While working for a rural municipality, she worked as a development authority and on various planning and development related matters in Alberta

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Trevor works in the Improvement District and Land Use Planning Unit where he provides advisory support to the Minster, municipal administration, and the public on planning and development issues. Trevor has worked in planning and development in Ontario and Alberta since 2018. He has worked on zoning bylaw amendments, statutory plan amendments, and development permits in the public and private sectors in Ontario. In 2022, upon returning to Alberta where Trevor worked in policy development at the City of Edmonton and has been with Municipal Affairs since 2025.

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Angela has been the Manager of Municipal Legislation for over 11 years following 4 years at the Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner, as well as running her own privacy consulting business. Her education includes an undergraduate degree in Sociology and a Bachelor of Laws. She has 2 teenage sons who never cease to prove that being a mother is the hardest job ever.

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Darlene Bezeau is the Manager of Governance and Planning Policy with Municipal Affairs and has been working in the municipal sector for over a decade. Along with experience in policy and legislation, she has worked in emergency management and been part of numerous provincial responses to emergencies and disasters since 2016. In her free time, she enjoys escaping to the mountains where she can temporarily forget about the MGA.

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