The Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured.

Dr. Alex Hillyard has worked and studied in the field of human services for 45 years, retiring from public service in 2018. Alex has an undergraduate and master’s degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Alberta.

During his career, Alex has had frontline and senior executive leadership positions working across the lifespan from infant and preschool intervention programs to public education and adult services. The first 25 years involved infant and preschool intervention, mental health services, and public education. The last 20 years were spent with disability services in positions as Chief Executive Officer for the North East Alberta Community Board (1998 – 2005), the Calgary Region Community Board for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (2005 – 2014), and as Regional Director, Disability Services, Calgary Region (2014-2018).

The core of Alex’s passion has been to help build the capacity of communities and family/social networks to support children, adolescents, and adults to have a meaningful life. Alex has served on advisory committees for the Community Rehabilitation Programs at Grant MacEwan University (Edmonton), University of Calgary, and Mount Royal University (Calgary). Alex has received awards of recognition and appreciation from parent groups, service providers/organizations and was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Public Service.

Janet has 30+ years of experience as a lawyer, mediator, and arbitrator. She graduated from the University of Toronto Law School with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1984. In 2010, Janet was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in recognition of her exceptional legal skills and contributions to the profession. She earned a "Mediating Disputes" certificate through the Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School in 2013. Janet is a partner at Scott Venturo Rudakoff LLP in Calgary, AB.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Janet worked as an economist after graduating from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Cum Laude (Honours) in Economics.

Janet has been an active volunteer and board member. She has guided the strategic planning processes and by-law reviews in her previous board positions. Since 2012, Janet has held a volunteer advisor role on the United Way’s GAIN Committee. The committee offers high-level services to agencies requiring support to improve their organization and service delivery.

Janet lives with a person who suffered a brain injury and has seen first-hand the positive benefits of therapy and ongoing support.

Orson has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and is a CPA, CA who articled with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Orson has held various senior leadership roles including director, treasurer, and vice president with public companies in Calgary such as Talisman Energy, Petro-Canada, Suncor, Canexus, TransAlta, and Source Energy. Orson is currently the Vice President of Finance at Dexterra Group Inc (formerly Horizon North) where he has responsibilities for financial reporting, treasury, financial planning and analysis, and tax compliance.

Orson is a finance professional with 20+ years of experience in both public accounting and industry, predominantly with public companies.

Deb has over 30 years of extensive C-level experience within a broad scope of industries. Her leadership roles within companies on both the national and international stage have been a driver of success for organizations such as Harvest One Inc., SMART Technologies, Aguila Convergence Worldwide, Foxconn, Loblaws, Hudson’s Bay, Scotiabank, and BMO. Her business and HR experience proffers a wealth of hands-on work in guiding corporations through periods of global transformation, acquisition, and divestitures.

Along with Deb’s education at the University of Alberta, she has also become a Certified Trained Facilitator in The Leadership Challenge and a Personal Resilience Practitioner which has assisted her in gaining new perspectives in challenging times.

During her career of driving transformation by innovative and effective approaches to strategic planning, leadership, and organizational effectiveness, Deb has received over 10 professional certifications and awards, including the Women of Inspiration™ Award. Created to recognize the achievements of women from diverse industries across Canada, this accolade is reserved for role models who have taken the road less traveled, paved the way for others to follow, and have used their platform to create change on a local, national, and global scale.

Throughout Deb’s life, she has seen family and friends experience brain injuries and knows first-hand how difficult it can be to manage. Knowing the work ARBI provides to help people in these situations, she wanted to give back and help make a difference by joining ARBI’s Board of Directors.

Ross is a graduate of the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education degree and holds his Certified Human Resources Professional designation with the Human Resources Institute of Alberta.

Ross is the owner and President of Gilker McRae Ltd. He leads the overall management and business development of the company and he provides transition and consulting services. Ross has prior experience in business ownership in the career transition and franchising industry which he readily shares with those interested in pursuing entrepreneurship. With qualifications and certifications in several psychometric assessment tools, he has assisted many individuals to find their passion and identify their ideal work.

After a stroke in 2007, Ross has dedicated himself to raising money for various charities through his cycle club, CycleTherapy. This group has supported the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, MS Bike Ride, and more recently has sponsored their own annual 100 km ride with funds going to support KidSport and the Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured. For his commitment to community service, he was honoured with the Human Resources Institute of Alberta’s Community Champion Award in 2013.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, from the University of New Brunswick in 1982. Jim is a Calgary-based independent businessman with over 35 years of diverse oil and gas industry, technical, managerial, and board experience.

Jim was previously the Founder and Chairman or CEO of four publicly listed oil and gas exploration and production companies: Twin Butte Energy Ltd., Prairie Schooner Petroleum Ltd., Great Northern Exploration Ltd., and Ionic Energy Inc.

Jim previously served as Chairman of the Board of Savanna Energy Services and as a Director of RMP Energy Inc., both publicly traded (TSX) companies. Jim acted as an advisor to three private equity funds specializing in emerging opportunities in the energy services business.

Janie earned law degrees from Laval University and the University of British Columbia in 1993 and 1996, respectively, and practiced corporate, commercial, M&A and banking law across the country and parts of the globe before her career was interrupted by a brain injury in 2019. Originally from Quebec City, Janie embraced a career path which allowed her to appreciate the nuances of professional and personal life across places as diverse as Vancouver, Toronto, London (England) and Sao Paolo (Brazil), before making Calgary her home for the last 10 years.

Since reaching a recovery trajectory in late 2021, Janie has been actively enjoying redefining her professional life as a consultant for global infrastructure investors and a range of start-up businesses helping them source, structure and strategically work through their investments and business growth aspirations.

Before Randy’s car crash in 1982, he had an aspiring career in professional football. He played with the Calgary Colts, Calgary Mohawks, and the Medicine Hat Rattlers. In his final year with the Rattlers, Randy was invited to the Saskatchewan Roughrider’s training camp. However, all of Randy’s dreams came to an abrupt halt when he suffered a traumatic brain injury due to driving under the influence of alcohol. He was involved in a serious car crash that killed his best friend and left him in a coma. When he awoke from his coma, he learned he had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury.

In 1985, Randy began a rehabilitation program at ARBI. He made tremendous strides during this time and his incredible motivation to overcome the next hurdle had a ripple effect on the other clients in the program.

Randy is a compelling motivational speaker and his message has a lasting impact on audiences. He is a preferred keynote speaker at national brain injury conferences and a sought-after presenter by United Way of Calgary and Area during their annual campaign. Randy also volunteers his time assisting ARBI and other non-profits with annual fundraising events.

Randy’s 20+ years of volunteer work with the PARTY (Prevention of Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) Program has been spent educating students on the importance of making safe choices. His personal story and positive approach leaves an incredible impact on these young people and their future decisions.

In 2012, Randy received the Prime Minister’s Award for life-long volunteer achievement for his work in educating youth about the risks of drinking and driving.

Val is an experienced occupational therapist who has dedicated 35 years of her career to public health care and not-for-profit organizations. Over this time, Val transitioned from a front-line therapist (mental health and injury prevention) into management—overseeing Allied Health professionals in Central Alberta under Alberta Health Services. Here she was actively involved in leading numerous multidisciplinary teams serving clients in disability rehabilitation programs which included acquired brain injuries.

Val's transition from public health care to the not-for-profit sector was seamless, driven by her exceptional management and program evaluation skills. As the former Executive Director of Red Deer Hospice Society, she orchestrated a highly successful tenure, raising 5.4 million for a capital expansion campaign and negotiating crucial public operational funding enhancements. Val's impact extended to other notable not-for-profit boards in Red Deer, where her active directorship further exemplified her dedication.

Val's remarkable career earned her the Leaders in Rehab award for her innovative rehabilitation programming. Her sought-after expertise led her to present to diverse audiences, including professional groups, peers, and community leaders, on topics such as injury prevention, program delivery, and funding needs for not-for-profit initiatives.

ARBI's mission resonates strongly with Val's aspirations. She is excited to return to her rehabilitative roots and collaborate with a diverse board team, to support brain injury and stroke recovery at ARBI.

Gina is a passionate advocate for healthcare excellence, backed by a robust leadership background and a deep commitment to improving the lives of individuals facing medical challenges. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Leadership, specializing in health from Royal Roads University, and brings exceptional expertise to benefit over 2,500 medical radiation technologist professionals in her role as the Provincial Manager in Alberta at Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT).

Throughout her diverse career spanning healthcare operations, quality assurance, and strategic planning, Gina has championed initiatives aimed at extending healthcare into the broader social services landscape. Her strategic acumen has equipped organizations for growth through innovative policies, accreditation strategies, and evaluation measures. These initiatives are pivotal for organizations seeking to create a lasting positive impact on society, aligning seamlessly with her vision of fostering holistic well-being.

Beyond her professional commitments, Gina is deeply engaged in community involvement and places a high value on collaboration. She has a history of volunteering and collaborating with diverse groups to achieve shared objectives. Her passion for healthcare and her desire to drive positive change extend into her personal life, where she actively supports initiatives promoting well-being and resilience. As a board member of ARBI, she is honoured to unite her professional expertise with her commitment to community betterment. Gina eagerly anticipates contributing to ARBI's essential work in providing hope and healing to those affected by brain injuries.