Council members
Competencies required for members of the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities include critical and strategic thinking skills, disability community stakeholder knowledge, and leadership/teamwork skills.
Jacob McGregor, chair
Jacob McGregor brings lived experience as a person with a disability to the Council. He has been an advocate for the disability community and an active volunteer for disability organizations, such as Easter Seals, as well as participating on several City of Calgary committees. He has professional expertise in social media as co-founder of Rycob Media in Calgary. Jacob holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and has received several awards for being an outstanding volunteer.
Jacob was directly recruited and appointed on the basis of acceptably meeting the required competencies, skills and attributes.
Email: Jacob McGregor
Frank Hoebarth, vice-chair
Francis (Frank) Hoebarth is a social worker who is committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities. He has volunteered on various boards, including the Calgary Handibus Association. He has strong connections within the disability community, as well as having a disability himself.
Frank was directly recruited and appointed on the basis of acceptably meeting the required competencies, skills and attributes.
Email: Frank Hoebarth
MLA Eric Bouchard
Eric Bouchard has been a small business owner for most of his professional life. Eric’s career in small business includes him owning and operating a restaurant in downtown Calgary for 15 years, where he prides himself on working the daily restaurant grind, side-by-side with his restaurant staff. Eric pursued public office to ensure the survival and growth of Alberta small businesses and to ensure the needs and priorities of families are always being put first. On May 29, 2023, Eric was elected to represent the people of Calgary-Lougheed.
Email: Eric Bouchard
Susan (Sue) Gilchrist
Sue Gilchrist is a senior nonprofit executive with over 18 years of leadership experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families across Alberta. As CEO of Special Olympics Alberta, she leads a province-wide organization and has built strong relationships with communities, government and sector partners. Ms. Gilchrist has served in several governance roles, including with Alberta Council of Disability Services. In 2022, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for leadership in the nonprofit sector.
Dr. Emmanuel Nzeyimana
Dr. Emmanuel Nzeyimana, PhD, holds a PhD in Development Studies from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya. He is a strategic economic governance and development specialist with over 20 years of experience in economic policy, development programming, institutional coordination and international development. Dr. Nzeyimana currently serves as the Executive Director of HARMONY Public Charter School in Edmonton, Alberta. He also serves on the boards of directors of several organizations, including the YMCA of Northern Alberta Foundation, where he contributes his expertise in strategic leadership, governance and community development.
Craig Peterson
Craig Peterson is Executive Director for Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) in Alberta and leads the organization's national Next Generation youth programming. Blind since age 15 due to LHON, a genetic condition that affected multiple generations of his family, Craig is a passionate advocate for accessibility, inclusion and employment. Since joining CNIB, he has expanded programs connecting people with sight loss to employment and community supports in Alberta. He previously served as COO of the Missing Children Society of Canada.
Ozzie Sawicki
Ozzie’s Hall of Fame career in the realm of sports spans over four decades, marked by a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and the belief that sport should be accessible to individuals of all abilities. Ozzie has represented Canada internationally as a coach, performance advisor or official, including involvement in 8 Paralympic Games. An internationally recognized speaker, business and community leader, Ozzie has taken his message of accessibility, inclusion, leadership, and the creation of performance culture to groups world-wide.
Email: Ozzie Sawicki
Lorrie Sitler
Lorrie is a community advocate and the mother of 2 young adults with invisible disabilities. During her 25-year career, she has held many roles including: Board member with Special Olympics Camrose, Camrose Association for Community Living, and the Camrose Open Door, a Trustee with Battle River School Division, a Commissioner for the Camrose Police Commission, and a Director with Special Olympics Alberta. Lorrie is currently an Executive Director for the Grande Prairie Police Commission and continues to promote the relationship between Special Olympic athletes and law enforcement officers through Law Enforcement Torch Run. She has a strong desire to contribute to an inclusive and thriving society.
Email: Lorrie Sitler
Stacey Supina
Stacey is a retired Government of Alberta manager who has led and supported numerous successful initiatives on behalf of vulnerable Albertans, passionately motivated by his lived experience with a spinal cord injury. Stacey has effectively served on many related boards and committees and is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Spinal Cord Injury Alberta. Stacey has received several significant awards and acknowledgements including from numerous Indigenous communities in Alberta. Stacey has a BA from the University of Alberta and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from the University of Lethbridge.
Email: Stacey Supina
Earl Thiessen
Earl Thiessen is a dedicated leader with 13 years’ experience in the addictions and mental health sector, with a special interest in the development of supportive housing and the well-being of marginalized populations. He provides an Indigenous perspective and has family members with cognitive and behavioural issues due to substance use disorders. Earl sits on the Calgary Mental Health and Addiction Leadership Group, Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee and the province’s CSS Coordinated Community Response to Homelessness Task Force.
Earl was directly recruited and appointed on the basis of acceptably meeting the required competencies, skills and attributes.
Email: Earl Thiessen
MLA Ron Wiebe
Ron Wiebe was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Grande Prairie-Wapiti on May 29, 2023. Prior to working with the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Wiebe had an over 40-year career in the transportation industry. Working for several trucking companies as a driver when he was just 18 years old, he eventually started a transportation company with his father and brothers, Wiebe Transport. He acted in various positions there until they sold the company in 2008. Mr. Wiebe continued to play a senior role for the new owners including director of fleet operations and director of business development for Western Canada.
Mr. Wiebe held several board positions in the past 2 decades. Most recently, he was on the board of governors for Northwestern Polytechnic. He was also the president of a party association from 2020 to 2023, a church board member and a board member of the Northwest Corridor Development Corporation. In 1992, he served for a year as a municipal councillor in La Crête.
Mr. Wiebe was born in Manning, Alberta, and grew up in La Crête. He is married with 3 children.
Email: Ron Wiebe
Dale Zielke
Dale has several family members who have disabilities and is currently the Director of Chinook Cardiology in Lethbridge and serves as a Lethbridge Food Bank board member. Dale's past work experience includes owner of a small business and teacher for the Calgary Board of Education. Dale earned a Bachelor of Arts from Augustana University, Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta as well as a diploma in Global Business from the University of Oxford.
Email: Dale Zielke
Contact
Connect with the Premier’s Council Secretariat:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-422-1095
Toll free: dial 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
TTY: 711 for the message relay service
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 780-415-0097
Address:
Suite 1110, 10055 106 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2Y2