Board of Directors - Biographies

 

Ed Stelmach
Board Chair

Ed Stelmach has a long record of public and community service. Between his five terms as a hardworking MLA from Vegreville to his leadership as Premier of Alberta, Ed held four cabinet posts as Minister of Agriculture, Infrastructure, Transportation, and International and Intergovernmental Relations. During his time as premier, he was instrumental in crafting the faith-based sector’s master agreement with government, and he helped navigate various agreements and legislation as Catholic health care made the transition from the Sisters’ leadership to the current structure. Ed has received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta, an Honorary Degree of Business Administration from NAIT, and a Bachelor of Applied Business from Lakeland College.

Sr. Mary Corita Heid, RSM
Board Member

A member of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Sister Mary Corita Heid, RSM, has extensive experience in the Healing Ministry. From 1970 – 1993, Sister Corita held positions in nursing, hospital administration, and corporate management in Mercy Health Services and then Trinity Health. In 1994 she transitioned from Management to full time Governance on local boards of Trinity Health.

Sister Corita also served on Health System Boards, serving as Chairperson of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (Kansas) for three years, and ten years on the Providence Health & Services Board, of Seattle, Washington. Sister Corita holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mercy College of Detroit and a Masters in Health Care Administration from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.

She currently serves on the Iowa – Nebraska Regional Health Ministry Board of Trinity Health as Vice-Chairperson. Her service on Covenant Health Board began on January 1, 2015.  Sister Corita resides in Mason City, Iowa where she available to serve as a Certified Spiritual Director for persons in the area.

Most Rev. Richard Smith, Archbishop of Edmonton
Ex-Officio

Archbishop Richard Smith studied at St. Mary’s University and at the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax. Ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 1987, he pursued further studies in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian Institute in Rome and obtained a Licentiate in 1997 and a Doctorate in 1998.

After some fruitful years of ministry in Halifax, he was appointed Bishop of Pembroke on April 27, 2002 and ordained to the episcopate on June 18, 2002. Pope Benedict XVI, on March 22, 2007, appointed him to the Metropolitan See of Edmonton. Archbishop Richard Smith was formally installed as eighth Archbishop of Edmonton on May 1, 2007, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

Joan Hertz
Board Member

Ms. Hertz is an executive, lawyer and strategic consultant who has served as Interim President and CEO as well as Vice President, External Affairs and Corporate Counsel for NorQuest College. She built and practices in her own private practice of law and strategic consulting; served as Corporate Counsel, Strategic Affairs for Capital Health, as well as in private practice at McCuaig Desrochers LLP. A proven executive comfortable in the private and public sector, she has a passion for innovation and the building of winning strategies in transforming enterprises.

She has a diverse professional experience in leadership positions, private law, in-house corporate counsel, strategic consultancy, and board experience which combine to make her a strong advocate and strategic thinker. She has worked with many organizations in the establishment, development, and execution of successful strategies and governance structures.

Ms. Hertz is the Chair of ATB Financial Board of Directors, and previously served as a director at ATB Financial from 2008 – 2018, and as Chair of the Governance and Conduct Review Committee. She currently serves as Chair of the Board for Edmonton International Airport and former Chair of the Audit Committee and Governance Committee. She is Vice Chair of Covenant Health and chairs the Growth and Innovation Committee. She also sits as a public member on the national CPA Canada Board, as well as a private company board, Silvacom Ltd.

She teaches Legal and Fiduciary Duties of Directors at the Institute of Corporate Directors, and for over 25 years has provided governance, legal, and strategic advisory services to private sector and crown clients ranging from small to large institutional firms.

She has served as a public member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta Council, the Alberta Accountants Unification Agency and the Provincial Judicial Council. She is the former Chair of the Provincial Court Nominating Committee. She has also served on Alberta’s Promise and was formerly with Kid’s Kottage Foundation, and Edmonton Catholic Cemeteries Board, as well as numerous other boards.

Joan graduated from University of Alberta Law School with an LL.B., and Georgetown University in Washington D.C. with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree (Magna Cum Laude) in International Politics, Law and Organization.

She’s also a wife, mom and a soccer player who believes whatever we do, we should have fun every day.

Ron Gilbertson
Board Member

Ron is a senior executive with over 35 years of experience in a number of industry sectors. He is now semi-retired, although he remains actively involved in a number of public and private organizations, including the Caritas Foundation (Chair), Sawridge Group of Companies and the Alberta Insurance Council (Chair).

Over his career he has held a number of executive positions, including CEO of Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Lacent Technologies and Edmonton Airports. Prior to that, Ron served as Vice President of New Ventures at Alberta Research Council, and as a Senior Manager at Stantec.

Ron has also served on the boards or advisory boards/committees of Airports Council International, the Canadian Airports Council, the Alberta Economic Development Authority, the Capital Region United Way, the Mazankowski Heart Institute, the World Student University Games and faculties of the University of Alberta.

Paul Martens
Board Member

Paul brings over 30 years of experience in managing and directing private companies in retail and oil and gas construction. His contributions include developing corporate strategy, governance and implementing structure and process to adapt to revenue growth and expanding geographical reach.

Paul is a graduate of the University of Alberta School of Business and is a Chartered Accountant. He has contributed to his profession as a sessional presenter for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta CFO Leadership Program and as Chairman of the ICAA Members in Industry Working Group. Paul has also contributed to his community as past President and Director of the Derrick Golf and Winter Club.

Paul joined the Audit and Finance Committee of Covenant Health in 2011.

Greg M. Yuzwa, CPA CA
Board Member

Greg Yuzwa retired as an active Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP after 38 years of experience providing accounting, assurance, regulatory, tax and business advisory services to clients in a broad range of industries including oil & gas, construction, real estate development, property management, public sector and not-for-profit organizations. He currently serves as board member and chair of the audit committees of the Alberta New Home Warranty Group of Entities as well as the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton.

Greg has a significant history of contributions to his communities including serving in executive positions with the Kinsmen Clubs in Edmonton and Calgary over 15 years; Treasurer of both the Citadel Theatre and Theatre Calgary over a 9 year period; founding board member and treasurer of the Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation for 20 years; committee chair on the campaign cabinet of the United Way of Calgary over 3 years; board member and “master official” of Swim Alberta and president of the Calgary Cascade Swim Club for 5 years; and active leadership in the St. Stephen Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church community for over 30 years.

Tim Spelliscy
Board Member

Tim has 42 years of experience in the broadcast media business and spent most of that time at Global Edmonton (CITV). He held various local and national positions with Global Television during his career including Station Manager for Edmonton and Vice President of the Prairie region. He retired in August of 2017

Tim’s community involvement has been extensive. He’s worked with many organizations as a speaker, fundraiser, board member and media adviser. That group includes The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, Catholic Social Services, Archdiocese of Edmonton Professional Ethics and Abuse Prevention Committee,  The Friars dinner, Western Catholic Reporter, LaSalle Residence, Lurana Shelter, St. Joseph’s College, Star of the North Retreat Centre and ALS Society of Alberta.

In 2012 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for service, excellence and community involvement. Tim also received a lifetime Achievement award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Canada in 2011 and the 2006 Kevin Carr Christian Leadership Award from Newman Theological College.

Angela Fong
Board Member

Angela Fong has more than 20 years of executive level experience within a variety of industries. She deeply enjoys being a part of “the build” within an organization, and has extensive experience working with business in developing the sustainable corporate infrastructure and programs necessary for long-term success. Angela has been with AIMCo since 2011, and is currently the Chief Corporate Officer where she leads a number of functions such as Human Resources, Corporate Strategy & Planning, Business Technology, Internal Communications and Procurement and Vendor Management.

Angela is a holder of the Institute of Corporate Directors Director designation, and in addition to serving on the Covenant Boards, is a board member of two other privately held Edmonton based organizations. She is also a volunteer with the University of Alberta Venture Mentoring Service, a program that cultivates strong and capable entrepreneurs through coaching and mentoring.

Elan MacDonald
Board Member

Elan MacDonald, ICD.D is the Vice President, External Relations at the University of Alberta. Elan has spent her career advising organizations and corporations to sustain and grow their businesses by navigating government, policy development, crisis communications, the regulatory and legislative processes, and the shifting political, social and economic landscapes.

As President and CEO of Impact Consulting, Elan built and operated one of Alberta’s most reputable government relations advisory and communications companies for close to a decade, serving local, national and international clients. She later joined her firm with Global Public Affairs, where she become the Senior Vice President, National Client Development.

Elan MacDonald offers a unique perspective among government relations and communication professionals that spans 25 years as a values-driven executive in political, private sector and community and stakeholder relations roles.

Elan is Chair of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and a Director on the boards of Edmonton Global, Atlas Biotechnologies and Alberta Ballet.

Elan has a long history in Alberta politics serving as Deputy Chief of Staff and Political Advisor to two Alberta Premiers, and as a political advisor to Cabinet Ministers.