Throughout the 2017 campaign I wrote a series of blog posts explaining how my experience prepared me for Council. You can see these posts by clicking here.

Council Appointments

Through my work on Council, I’ve been appointed to a number of boards and committees. These include:

  • Chair of the Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee

  • Community Opioid Response Task Force

  • Subdivision and Development Appeal Board

  • Regional Recreation Committee

  • Joint Emergency Response Committee

You can click here to see a full list of my past and present Council appointments.



Local Community Involvement

  • 2018-Present: Board member for United Way Alberta Northwest

  • 2018: Alberta Summer Games, Chair of the Ambassador program

  • 2011-2018: Area Director, Young Life Peace Country

  • 2017: Created and Managed "Spontaneous Summer Camp." More info here. Daily Herald Tribune article here.

  • 2011-Present: Founder, President or Treasurer: Grande Prairie Disc Golf Club

  • 2014-Present: Board Member, Avondale Neighbourhood Association

  • 2012-2013: Project Manager and Designer, Thrill Hill Disc Golf Course

  • Member of Swan City Rotary Club

Education

  • In Process: Professional Director certification

  • 2007: BA in Leadership Development- Rocky Mountain College

Other Experience

  • 2011-2018: consultant and trainer in organisation, leadership and communication for non-profit organisations

  • 2009-2017, most summers: Camp Manager, Speaker or Program Director at RockRidge Canyon summer camp. To read more about my experience managing a summer camp with over 400 people, click here.

  • 2005-2011: Junior High Director, Young Life Calgary Centre

I moved to Grande Prairie to work for a non-profit youth organisation. Right from the start, I was in Grande Prairie to help strengthen people’s connection to our community. Since arriving, I’ve had the opportunity to work and volunteer on a number of great initiatives. Here are some of the highlights of my time in Grande Prairie.

Spontaneous Summer Camp

In July 2017, a summer camp in southern BC cancelled a week of summer camp due to wildfires. I couldn't let those kids sit at home disappointed. And I also saw an opportunity for us to showcase Grande Prairie to others. So I invited the campers up here.

Only three days later, over 110 campers and adult volunteers showed up for five days of incredible fun. They all went home impressed with how much there is to do in Grande Prairie and with stories about how hospitable our community is. This kind of "advertisement" is incredibly important for us to attract people to live, work, and invest in our region.

I'm proud of this camp because so many people came together to make it happen. It took a tremendous amount of energy and creativity on the part of our community. Feeding, housing, and entertaining 110 people means bringing together a lot of moving parts.

To find out more about Spontaneous Summer Camp, visit www.ylpeacecountry.ca/savecamp.

To see a Facebook Live I recorded to talk about Spontaneous Camp, click here.

 

 Youth Mentoring Programs: Young Life

Young Life is a world-wide youth mentorship organisation. I began as a volunteer in 2002 and joined as staff in 2006. For most of my career, I was the Area Director for the Peace Country. I spent my days building and delivering programs, recruiting and training volunteers, and fundraising. I also got to spend a lot of time listening to and developing teenagers. Young Life contributes to:

  • Sustainability: adds value to the community without using taxpayer dollars, develops our next generation of community leaders

  • Livability: provides youth with safe fun and leadership experience

  • Connection: provides youth with peer community and mentorship from adults, provides adults a place to build friendships as they volunteer

 

Sport and Recreation: Disc Golf

Disc Golf is much like traditional golf but played with a frisbee. I founded the Grande Prairie Disc Golf Club in 2011. In 2012, I championed the building of the Thrill Hill Disc Golf Course in Muskoseepi Park. Today, I continue to organize disc golf competitions and deliver workshops in local schools. Disc golf contributes to:

  • Sustainability: courses are inexpensive for the city to build and maintain and are significantly supported by volunteers and donations

  • Livability: accessible recreation; free to play, open to people of all abilities

  • Connection: thousands of people have played disc golf in Grande Prairie, mostly playing with friends or neighbours. Many new friendships have begun at Grande Prairie Disc Golf Club events.

 

Community Organisation: Neighbourhood Association

Neighbourhood Associations have been an important City initiative. In 2015, I was part of the founding board for the Avondale Neighbourhood Association. Throughout the city, Neighbourhood Associations have contributed to:

  • Sustainability: provide volunteer labour and input to complement the work of City staff

  • Livability: important tool for Crime Prevention, facilitate community betterment projects

  • Connection: bring neighbours together to work and play

 

Strengthening Local Non-Profits

I have provided training and consultation to these and many other non-profit organisations.

The non-profit sector is vital to any community. Volunteers and donors complement the spending of taxpayer dollars in bettering our community. Many non-profits provide crucial social or economic services, others provide services that make our community nicer to live in. These organisations often provide government with valuable perspectives and information. Non-profits are also a great avenue for people to connect with one another and the causes they care about. These organisations are a vital part of our community

I'd love to learn from your experiences. Please join a GP Round Table discussion online or in person. Details are here.

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