Edmonton Opera Board of Directors

2012/13 Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Members

Robert Bessette
John Cameron
Bill Campbell
Richard Cook
Craig Corbett
Jeffrey Jansen
Bertrand Malo
Melanie Nakatsui
Robert Rock
Katie Soles
Stella Varvis

Kyle Murray

Board chair

Kyle Murray is the director of the School of Retailing and an associate professor of marketing in the School of Business at the University of Alberta. He speaks regularly on human decision making and consumer marketing in Canada, the United States and Europe. Kyle is a senior research fellow at the Institute for Online Consumer Studies and currently serves on the boards of the Edmonton Opera, the Alberta School of Retailing and Leger Marketing. He lives in Edmonton with his wife, two daughters and a fractious cat. Currently, he is on sabbatical leave, visiting the Dublin Institute of Technology until November 2012, followed by a trip to Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, until July 2013.

Joanne Beaton

Past chair

Joanne Beaton is the vice-president of national operations support for TELUS. She has extensive experience in customer service, credit operations, call centre marketing and sales, information systems and project management. Exercising her belief in supporting the local community and economy to its fullest, she is a part of the NAIT Presidential Advisory Committee and the Leger Marketing Advisory Board, a member of the board of directors for the Edmonton Community Foundation, the past national chair of TELUS Connections, the past chair and director of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, as well as the past board chair for the Edmonton Opera.

Irving Kipnes

Vice chair

Irving Kipnes founded Liquor Depot in 1993 and served as its managing director and chief executive officer throughout its first 11 years. Irving is also the president and managing director of Delcon Development Group, which he founded in 1962. He is active in many charitable endeavours and has served on the board of directors for several charitable and community organizations, including the University Hospital Foundation, co-chair of the University Hospital Foundation Campaign for Prostate Health, the Campaign Cabinet of the Alberta Heart Institute and the Campaign Cabinet of the Capital Care Foundation. Irving was inducted into the Alberta Business Hall of Fame on May 13, 2009. He was also granted an honourary doctorate of law by the University of Alberta on June 8, 2009.

Ken Keenleyside

Board treasurer

Currently the treasurer and director of finance for Delcon Group of Companies, Ken Keenleyside is responsible for the groupís cash management and investment, and negotiating of project financing as required. With a bachelor of commerce, finance major from the University of Alberta, Ken has worked in commercial banking for 35 years, the last 24 years with HSBC Bank Canada. He was part of the board of directors for the Goodwill Industries of Alberta, as well as a member of the Finance and Audit committee for six years; he has chaired the committee for the past three years. Ken has also volunteered for the United Way and Junior Achievement.

Robert Bessette

Board member

Robert Bessette and his wife Michelle have deep roots in Edmonton, and are active with a number of local organizations, charities and initiatives. From 2005 to 2010, Robert was part of the fundraising committee for the Support Network, and became a board member of the University Hospital Foundation in 2010. Since 1997, he has been an investment advisor with RBC Dominion Securities, when he graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor of commerce, and became a vice-president of the firm in 2009. In 2004, he founded Bessette Wealth Management of RBC Dominion Securities. He and Michelle have four children.

Bill Campbell

Board member

As the current human resource director for Safewayís operations in Alberta, Bill Campbell started his career bagging groceries and stocking shelves during high school and university. He received his bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Alberta in 1984 and took his first HR position with Safeway in Calgary. He continued to work across Western Canada in a variety of HR-related roles for Safeway, and returned in 2000 to Calgary, where he currently lives with his wife and daughter.

Richard Cook

Board member

Richard Cook has spent much of his professional career at Grant MacEwan University (formerly College), and currently works as the dean of university advancement at the institution. First and foremost a fundraiser in that position, he is also responsible for the overall financial management of the department, policy development in fundraising, university endowment management, and advising on charitable receipting and valuations of gifts. In addition, he has been a professional clarinetist in Edmonton and Toronto, as well as being associated with a number of fine arts associations in Edmonton, Canada and internationally.

Julie Conlin

Board member

Julie is the director of Real Estate Services for TELUS Communications with an extensive background in business administration and management. Her pursuit of education and experience through volunteerism, community involvement and board membership has been ongoing for many years with various local and national not-for-profit organizations. Beyond volunteerism, Julie is enthusiastic about distance running, skiing, bicycle touring, hiking, continuous learning and travel.

Craig Corbett

Board member

Currently, Craig Corbett serves as the vice-president of legal, general counsel and corporate secretary for Liquor Stores N.A. Ltd. He has worked in various legal capacities in both Edmonton and Calgary, as well as overseas in the United Kingdom. His responsibilities with Liquor Stores N.A. Ltd. include acting as lead counsel on business acquisitions in Canada and the United States, as well as a variety of legal, business and operational matters in the two countries. He has also acted as counsel for underwriters and issuers in both Canada and the United Kingdom.

Laura Fitzgerald

Board member

Laura Fitzgerald is a professional consultant for multi-national pharmaceutical and medical device companies. She is a business leader who has successfully engaged and developed strong business relationships and multi stakeholder partnerships at the most senior levels of leadership in public, private and not-for-profit markets. She currently sits on the boards of the Edmonton Opera and the Society for Safe and Caring Communities of Alberta.

Peggy Garritty

Board member

In addition to being a board member with the Edmonton Opera, Peggy Garritty is involved with the boards of the Mental Health Foundation and Children’s Wish Foundation. She is also a founding board member of the St. Albert Community Foundation and a former member of the St. Albert Rotary. With an extensive career in the communications business, Peggy has a wide range of experience, including managing a communications department within the provincial government, running her own communications business, and advising provincial and municipal leaders. Currently, she is the senior vice-president of communications and corporate responsibility for ATB Financial.

Jeffrey Jansen

Board member

Jeffrey Jansen is both a private business owner and a senior consultant for PC Corp. He has developed a keen ability to review current approaches and provide solutions to maximize the benefits of technology, as well as the planning and development of long-term business strategies. He has a long history of a love for the arts, with an educational background in art, art history and music history, as well as formal studies in French, German and Italian opera.

Bertrand Malo

Board member

Bertrand Malo began his law career in Quebec and Ontario prior to becoming a Crown Prosecutor for Alberta in 2008. His love for the arts commenced early in life with extensive training and professional experience in acting, voice and opera. His singing strengths have been nationally recognized by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). In addition to his work on the board of directors for the Edmonton Opera, he is also a member of the Catholic parish board of St. Joachim in Edmonton.

Lynn Mandel

Board member

Lynn Mandel has extensive experience in the arts through her training in ballet, her years as an owner and operator of two Royal Academy Ballet Schools, as an instructor, and her many years of dedicated volunteer work for various local not-for-profit organizations. She currently sits on the board of directors for the Edmonton Opera, the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation and the Telus Community Foundation.

Francis Price

Board member

As a partner with Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP, Francis Price acts as an arbitrator and mediator in various fields of disputes and relationships. He lectures in his areas of practice across Alberta, Canada and internationally, and has been recognized for his work both professionally and in the community. He was awarded the Canadian Petroleum Law Foundation Fellowship in 1974, and both the Law Society’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Community and the University of Alberta’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011. He is also involved in the legal community’s annual fundraising play, is part of Toastmasters International, and participates in various cultural, church, charitable and sporting organizations.

Robert Rock

Board member

Robert Rock is a manager with Advanced Education and Technology, with over 28 years of experience in the provincial public sector. His expertise in Aboriginal, disability, language and consultation issues has been sought throughout the department and by other ministries and stakeholders. He has been awarded the Premier’s Award of Excellence for his work in these areas. He has received the honour of an eagle feather by Alberta Treaty First Nations and a Métis sash from the Métis Nation of Alberta and Alberta Métis Settlements. He is currently enjoying his 24th season as a member of the Edmonton Opera Chorus with the last 14 seasons serving as one of two chorus stewards with the company.

Katie Soles

Board member

The president of Soles & Company, Katie Soles has worked extensively across Canada and the United States, enabling municipal and provincial organizations to fulfill their vision and mandate, as well as leading consultation and stakeholder engagement processes, often on controversial projects. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 1977 with a bachelor of physical education and leisure studies with distinction, completing her master’s of organizational behaviour in 1991 from University Associates, California. In addition to being on the board of the Edmonton Opera, she is involved with the iHuman advisory committee, the Rotary Club of Edmonton South, and is a founding member of the Broad Perspectives Sustainable Communities.

Stella Varvis

Board member

Stella Varvis graduated with her bachelor of laws from the University of Alberta in 2001, along with completing a bachelor of arts with honours in political science. She currently works as legal counsel for the Court of Queen’s Bench in Edmonton. In addition to being a member of the Edmonton Opera board of directors, she has also been involved with the Alberta Law Conference, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada, the Rotary Club of Edmonton Urban Spirits Chapter, Law Day with the Canadian Bar Association and the University of Alberta Model Parliament.

Duane Vienneau

Board member

Over the past 24 years, Duane Vienneau has played key roles in several national and international sporting events, including working with Northlands Park, Edmonton Rush Lacrosse Club and the 2010 Grey Cup Festival. Currently, he is the vice-president of marketing and brand management with the Edmonton Eskimos. His involvement on boards and volunteer committees encompasses sporting events as well as Edmonton Events International – Edmonton Tourism and Edmonton Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the board of directors for Jubilee of Alberta, North and South.

Melanie Nakatsui

Board member

Melanie was born and raised in Edmonton, and has been involved with many local organizations. Currently, she is the chair of Fashion with Compassion, supporting Sorrentino’s Compassion House, along with sitting on the Honens Piano Laureate Circle committee. She is involved with The Works International Visual Arts Society (VP of Community Programs), Chrysalis: An Alberta Society for Citizens with Disabilities, and the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation (Lois Hole Hospital for Women’s Harvest Gala Committee). Some of her past activities include being a past president of the Junior League of Edmonton, a community member of the City of Edmonton’s Next Gen committee, and a member of the Light It Up Campaign for the Art Gallery of Alberta.

John Cameron

Board member

John Cameron is CEO of KELLERDENALI Construction and the president of John Cameron Entertainment. In both roles he has found ways to be regularly involved in volunteer activities and charities, including being part of the Stollery Radiothons and the Sourdough River Raft Race. He has also been a part of the following boards: the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern Alberta, Global Family – India, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Edmonton Construction Association and Alberta Construction Safety Association.