Board of Directors | Travel Alberta

Members of the Board of Directors, appointed by the Government of Alberta, are recruited from qualified applicants who collectively have the full range of competencies, experience or personal attributes required to provide effective governance of Travel Alberta.

Linda A. Southern-Heathcott

Chair

Ms. Southern-Heathcott is President & Chief Executive Officer of Spruce Meadows Ltd., an internationally recognized equestrian facility in Calgary, Alberta, and Executive Chair & Chief Executive Officer of AKITA Drilling. As a former professional equestrian rider, Ms. Southern-Heathcott was a member of the Canadian Equestrian Team for nine years and competed in the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Neil Yeates

Vice-Chair

Neil Yeates is a semi-retired Federal and Provincial Deputy Minister whose career spanned more than 30 years in the Government of Canada and in the Government of Saskatchewan. Graduating from Queen’s University, Neil began his career as a policy analyst with the Saskatchewan Department of Health eventually serving as the Associate Deputy Minister.

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Juanita Marois

Member

Juanita Marois is the CEO at Métis Crossing, and a proud citizen of Alberta’s Métis Nation. Juanita considers herself privileged to lead the exciting expansion of not only Alberta’s, but also Canada’s, first major Métis cultural destination. In March, at the 2023 International Indigenous Tourism Conference in Winnipeg, Métis Crossing won the “Leading in Sustainability” award from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.

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M. Ryan Robb

Member

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Kiren Singh CFA, ICD.D

Member

Kiren is a senior executive with more than 30 years of experience in the global energy industry with extensive experience in international corporate finance, global capital markets activities and financial risk management in private and publicly traded companies in Canada and the USA.

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Gail Stepanik-Keber ICD.D

Member

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Terri Beaupre

Member

Terri Beaupre, with extensive experience in board governance, financial management and information technology, served as the Managing Partner of Vieworx Geophoto Inc., a leading provider of surveying and construction services.

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M. Ryan Robb

Member

Ryan is currently the Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Partnerships for Riversdale Resources. In this role, he oversees the External Affairs teams, with a particular interest in developing mutually beneficial projects with rightsholders and stakeholders. Prior to joining Riversdale Resources, Ryan’s work included being the CEO for the Stoney Tribal Administration, as well as the CEO for Treaty 7 Management Corporation. Ryan has also been a member of Suncor’s Stakeholder & Aboriginal Relations group, where he worked to better engage Aboriginal people in Energy Development. In addition, he was the lead corporate support for Suncor’s Aboriginal Employee’s Network. Following his graduation from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, with a Bachelor of Economics degree, Ryan was hired by a Calgary company working in the oil and gas sector to manage and grow their western division. Ryan’s background and interests reflect his passion and ability for negotiating complex multi-stakeholder agreements within the context of contemporary business practices and his deep personal respect for traditional Indigenous teachings and protocols. Ryan serves on several boards and advisory committees helping organizations to recognize and include Indigenous interests and contributions. Some of these (both current and formerly) include: Travel Alberta, Energy Futures Lab, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta & NWT, Alberta Strategic Tourism Council, Institute on Governance, and the Banff Centre – Indigenous Program Council. In 2009, Ryan was honoured with the Blackfoot name “Niinistakaa” by Chief Reg Crowshoe, Piikani Nation. Ninistakaa means “the one the Chiefs depend on/Chiefs’ Warrior”. In 2011, he was further honoured with a Headdress for his service to the Treaty 7 Nations.

Gail Stepanik-Keber ICD.D

Member

Gail Stepanik-Keber is a board member, business advisor, coach and entrepreneur. Gail’s purpose is to inspire individuals and businesses to have more oomph and impact in their life and work. Gail is a board member of Travel Alberta , WJS Canada, Fort Edmonton Management Company, Cashco Financial and Edmonton Community Foundation. Gail has served on the boards of Edmonton Airports, NorQuest College, and Credit Union Central of Alberta. She was a founding board member of the Livia Stoyke Foundation, Edmonton’s River City Shakespeare Festival, and NorQuest’s 1000 Women. Gail volunteers as the Program Co-Chair for the Institute of Corporate Directors Edmonton and the Chair of International Women’s Forum Edmonton. She also sits on the Business Advisory Council for the School of Business, University of Alberta. After returning from a career in Malaysia as the managing director of a marketing communications company in the late 90s, Gail was introduced to the cooperative business model as a c-suite executive member of Servus Credit Union. For 21 years, she incubated, developed and led the functions of marketing, communications, CSR, digital banking, product development, data science, innovation and purpose. This eventually led to being Servus’s Purpose and Innovation Officer which fueled her to set up her own business rooted in this impactful strategic work. She is the founder and Chief Purpose Enthusiast (CPE) of Triniti Solutions Inc in which she is a purpose consultant to businesses and a purpose coach to individuals. She is also a writer and speaker on purpose and how focusing on your purpose can be life-changing, or at least bring new meaning to your life. Gail has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta and a master’s degree in leadership from Royal Roads University. Gail lives with her husband, daughter, and many furry and feathery friends on a farm on Treaty Six Territory in Parkland County, Alberta.