Northern Alberta Development Council

Tany Yao was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Northern Development on July 13, 2023. He previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health.

Prior to serving as an elected official, Mr. Yao served with the Alberta Central Air Ambulance in Lac La Biche and as a paramedic firefighter in Fort McMurray. He also worked as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Operations – EMS in the region of Wood Buffalo.

Tany Yao was first elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo on May 5, 2015. He was re-elected on April 16, 2019 and May 29, 2023.

Ms. Melonie Doucette was appointed to her current position as Director with Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development and Tourism in 2023. She previously had 16 years of experience working in regional economic development with the Government of Alberta, including with the former Northern Alberta Development Council Branch.

Ms. Doucette has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of New Brunswick, a Certificate in Community Economic Development Training Program from the University of Calgary, a Project Management Certificate from Keyano College, a Facilitation Skills Certificate from Alberta Culture and Tourism, and a Leadership Development Certificate from Keyano College. She is an alumnus of Leadership Wood Buffalo.

Mayor Craig Copeland has proudly called Cold Lake home for over 30 years. He was elected to City Council in 2004 and he served one term as Councillor before being elected as Mayor in 2007. Mr. Copeland is now serving in his sixth term on City Council, having been re-elected as Mayor in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2021.

He sits on numerous boards and committees as a representative of council.

Mr. Copeland holds a Diploma in fish and wildlife from Lakeland College and is the manager of the fish stocking program and zebra mussel prevention program for the Government of Alberta.

Reva Jaycox served as councillor for the East Prairie Metis Settlement from 2021 to 2025. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and has worked as a teacher across northern Alberta, including in the Northland School Division 61 and Peace Wapiti School Division.

Her professional experience also includes work in the forestry, transportation, oil and gas, and aggregate industries, including roles with Weyerhaeuser, International Paper, and Wapiti Gravel Services. She also co-owned and co-managed Blue Roan Ltd., an oilfield service company, alongside her husband.

Reva has served on advisory and community boards such as the Public Advisory Group and Environmental Advisory Committee for Weyerhaeuser/Ainsworth, the Lesser Slave Watershed Board, and the High Prairie Children’s Resource Council. She participated in emergency response coordination during the 2023 wildfire evacuation in East Prairie.

Mr. Shmyruk is the recipient of the 2019 Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Awards of Excellence, Top Instructor Award for the north region. He has been employed with NWP for 14 years and has worked as a Red Seal Journeyman Welding instructor in the Construction and Fabrication Department.

Mr. Shmyruk, a second-generation trades instructor, was born and raised in Fairview and entered the welding field immediately after high school. He graduated from Fairview College as a welding journeyman in 1998 and worked for many leading companies across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.

He has served in different capacities as a member of the Northwestern Polytechnic community. Before his current role as the Acting Dean, Mr. Shmyruk was Chair for the Automotive, Motorcycle, and Powersports Department, interim Dean for the School of Skilled Trades and Acting Dean for the Animal Health Technician Program. His roles have supported faculty and staff with day-to-day programming, recruitment, new program creation, research and innovation as well as fiscal planning with responsibilities at an administrative level.

Alongside his teaching duties, Mr. Shmyruk serves as the Director of Skills Canada Alberta and a Board Member of the Ignite Youth Centre in Fairview. He previously served as the President of Ignite.

Mr. Ungarian is a Councillor and Reeve for the County of Northern Lights, representing Ward 6 (Hotchkiss/Hawk Hills). He has been in office for more than 13 years, including seven years as Reeve. Mr. Ungarian and his wife have resided on a farm northeast of Manning for the past 46 years. He is a third-generation farmer focused on beef and hay production. Along with operating the farm, Mr. Ungarian has spent many years working in the oil and gas sector.

As a municipal elected leader, Mr. Ungarian has chaired and contributed to the work of numerous committees and boards such as the Manning and Area Attraction and Retention Committee (health care workers), Agricultural Services Board, Community Rail Advocacy Alliance, and Regional Assessment Appeals Board.

Mr. Ungarian has a longstanding relationship with the forest industry, including involvement in important regional files such as rail service and species at risk. He has been involved in caribou recovery and was an original founder of the Northwest Species at Risk Committee. He won an award from Forest Products Association of Canada, recognizing the work of the committee.