Biographies

Appointed to the Board in 2019

Kristi is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) and Full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP). She holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and a Masters Degree in Environmental Design (Community Planning) from the University of Calgary. She has also achieved a certificate in Urban Design from Simon Fraser University. Kristi is the Principal owner of a successful urban planning and design company. With over twenty-five years of solid urban and rural planning experience, her career’s primary focus has been in the creation of new vibrant communities and in service to land development clients undertaking residential, commercial and industrial projects. Kristi has also undertaken work, and held planning positions, for several municipalities. As a result, she has a rich experience and knowledge of municipal land development and policy matters, as well as private sector land use planning approvals paths. In 2005, Kristi received an Alberta Centennial Medal for “Outstanding Contribution” to her community.

Kristi spends her spare time owning and caring for competitive sport horses that her two adult daughters have shown across North America and Europe.

Appointed to the Board in 2014

Katherine Camarta is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario in Politics, Queen's University in Law and Mount Royal University in Journalism. She has been practicing law in Calgary since 1979; firstly in private practice followed by practice in the oil and gas, pipeline and electricity industries. She has considerable experience in the areas of corporate finance, securities regulation, energy project development, energy and environmental regulation and corporate and commercial transaction work. Mrs. Camarta also currently sits on the Board of Directors of a charitable foundation promoting medical research.

Appointed to the Board in 2016

Mr. Chomik holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta. A registered architect with the Alberta Association of Architects and other jurisdictions across Canada, he has been involved in the design of over 600 buildings as well as the creation of a number of master plans worldwide over a span of nearly four decades. Currently working as a senior principal with a large international architecture and planning firm, Mr. Chomik has held a wide number of relevant community positions including member of the Calgary Planning Commission, chair of the Calgary Urban Design Review Panel, and board member on Calgary Economic Development. He also served as president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and is currently president of a large condominium corporation as well as a member of the University of Calgary Senate.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Biography to follow

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Biography to follow

Appointed to the Board in 2020

Former Manager of Current Planning and Development with 29 years of experience working for the City of Leduc and is currently retired. Professional career included the positions of Senior Development Authority and Senior Planning Technician appearing before the City of Leduc Subdivision and Development Appeal Board and presenting land use bylaw amendments to City Council. Has extensive experience in local government, urban land use planning and development, policy analysis and project planning.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Timothy Hughes is an independent barrister and arbitrator in Calgary, Alberta. Qualified to practice law in New York, California, Alberta, and Ontario, Tim provides counsel services to clients and law firms in all aspects of cross-border commercial dispute resolution. He also serves as an arbitrator in commercial matters and is an independent tribunal secretary. Before moving to Calgary with his family in 2020, he practiced commercial, investor-state, and inter-state arbitration in the New York, Hong Kong, and Washington D.C. offices of leading international firms. Tim has experience in matters concerning public international law, oil & gas, renewable energy, infrastructure, shareholder and joint venture disputes, and the hospitality sector.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Lourdes is an Urban Planner, entrepreneur, and community mobilizer. With a Masters in Environmental Design, Lourdes is Founder & CEO of Hive Developments. An instigator for positive change both on a community and provincial level, she’s founded not-for-profit and social enterprise organizations that promote her advocacy for those most vulnerable in the city and beyond. She sits on multiple boards focused on city building, affordable housing, and entrepreneurship.

Appointed to the Board in 2020

Gael MacLeod holds a Master in Business Administration from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta. Her work experience spans banking, politics, philanthropy and non-market housing plus she has held leadership roles with Calgary City Council, Calgary Housing Company and Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC). More recently she served on quasi-judicial administrative tribunals for the Municipal Government Board and Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Her tribunal work experience is supported by having earned a Certificate in Administrative Justice. Gael continues to support a wide variety of community organizations through her volunteer work.

Appointed to the Board in 2014

Mr. Merchant graduated from the University of Michigan and is a registered Architect with over 35 years experience in commercial and residential projects. Past vice-president and council member of the Alberta Association of Architects, Mr. Merchant is an active member of a community association assisting in planning related issues. He has volunteered on several City of Calgary planning committees including the Industrial Zoning Review, Restaurant/Drinking Establishment/Entertainment Facility Review, Commercial Zoning Review and Third Party Signage Review.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Hon. Brian O’Ferrall holds a BA in Political Science, a Journalism Degree from Carleton University, and an LLB from University of Alberta. He was a lawyer for 30 years, a trial judge for six years, and an Alberta Court of Appeal Justice for 11 years. As an energy and environmental regulatory lawyer, Brian represented both proponents and opponents of energy projects. He also represented both landowners and expropriating authorities before the Alberta Surface Rights Board and the Land Compensation Board. He has appeared before DABs and SDABs throughout the Province and before all levels of Court, including the Supreme Court. As a journalist, Brian covered City Hall for CFCN during the Mayor Jack Leslie and Rod Sykes years. He was also the President of a Calgary Community Association dealing with a major infrastructure project impacting the community at the time of his presidency.

Appointed to the Board in 2017

Andy Orr holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of Guelph and a Certificate in Community and Regional Planning from Mount Royal College in Calgary. He is a former Senior Planner with over 33 years experience working for the City of Calgary and retired in 2015. During his tenure he represented The City as a Development Authority on numerous subdivision and development appeal board items and presented land use amendments to City Council.

Appointed to the Board in 2016

Jim Palmer has held a variety of senior corporate and operations business and finance manager positions over a 34-year career with a major integrated oil & gas company. He has served on his community association board for over 17 years in various capacities. Jim also served on the Wood Buffalo Subdivision and Development Appeal Board as vice chair and chair. He has led many projects both on a professional and volunteer basis related to business process and systems design through to implementation as well as projects focused on business governance and controls. Jim has served as executive member for sports, church and other community-related boards in Calgary and Fort McMurray, and received a number of honours for volunteer and professional accomplishments.  He has served as vice chair for the Calgary SDAB. 

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Michelle Pink has over 15 years of Commercial Real Estate experience. Through these last two decades, Michelle's skills have focused on administrative law tribunals, property tax negotiations, valuation modeling, report generation, budgeting, lease analysis, portfolio analysis, mortgage renewals, as well as sales and acquisition negotiations, modeling and due diligence. She currently holds her CCIM designation and has held Board positions in her industry. In addition to her work in Commercial Real Estate, Michelle owns a small residential portfolio with her husband in Calgary. 

Appointed to the Board in 2020

Jamila Premji is a senior lawyer with over 35 years of legal experience with particular focus on real estate, construction, land development and home building. Jamila currently serves as legal counsel to IMARA National, a not for profit organization and is a director and the chair of the Governance and Risk Management Committee of the Multi Generational Housing and Community Centre, a not for profit corporation. Previously, she has served the Aga Khan Council for the Prairies (Legal Member), National Council for Canada ( Member), FOCUS Canada (Board) and The Famous Five Foundation (Board).

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Romeo Rojas holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Calgary.  After obtaining his law degree, Romeo served as a Trade Commissioner in the Canadian Foreign Service, where he held various posts in Ottawa and the Middle East.  Romeo returned to private legal practice in 2007, practicing with a prominent Calgary firm and subsequently with the Calgary office of a national firm, where his practice was focused on domestic and international arbitration in the energy and construction industries.  Romeo currently works as an independent arbitration counsel and arbitrator and is an adjunct professor at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law, where he teaches commercial arbitration law.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Biography to follow

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Biography to follow

Appointed to the Board in 2015

Tanisha Singh is a designer with a Bachelors in Architecture from Chitkara University in India and a Post grad Certification in Green Architecture from Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence in Ottawa. She further went on to pursue a Diploma in Interior Design and has a LEED accreditation. With over a decade of design experience behind her, she has worked on projects ranging from luxury apartments, airports, seniors’ facilities, industrial production lines, low income residences to tiny homes. She has a keen interest in constantly educating herself and keeping abreast with the changing trends in Architecture and Construction. She is extremely enthusiastic about engaging in various volunteering events and has been a participant in the Partners in Planning with Federation of Calgary Communities. Recently, she has also taken up initiating the establishment of a community association for her community of residence. When she is not keeping busy, she loves to read, write for publications and spend time with her toddler.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Charles Stevenson retired in 2022 from the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) where he served as Registrar. In that role, Charles was responsible for oversight of the core regulatory functions for this quasi-judicial tribunal regulating the real estate, mortgage brokerage, property management, and condominium management industries in Alberta. Charles holds three certificates in tribunal administrative justice from the Foundation of Administrative Justice.

Appointed to the Board in 2017

Katherine Wagner is an architect and associate with the national, integrated design firm DIALOG and has undertaken projects within the cultural, institutional and educational sectors. She was elected to the College of Fellows of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada for demonstration of great dedication to bettering her community and profession.

Katherine recently completed six years as a board member of Calgary Arts Development Authority, and prior to this served two terms as chair of the Cultural Spaces Investment Process Assessment Committee. She was on the Calgary Public Art Board for five years and served on The City of Calgary East Village Design Review Panel.

Katherine has been a sessional instructor in the architecture program at the School of Architecture Planning and Landscape, University of Calgary and an architecture program assessor for the Canadian Architectural Certification Board accreditation team. She has participated on an Advisory Committee for Canada Council for the Arts and is past president of the Alberta Association of Architects, serving five years on the Association Council.