Meet the Panel

As Leader of the governing United Conservative Party, she was sworn in as the 19th Premier of Alberta on October 11, 2022. She represents the riding of Brooks-Medicine Hat in the Legislative Assembly.

Ms. Smith has had a lifelong interest in Alberta public policy and finding the right balance between free enterprise and individual freedom, and the role of government. She was previously MLA for Highwood and leader of the Official Opposition.

Before re-entering politics, Ms. Smith worked extensively in the media and in business, most recently as President of the Alberta Enterprise Group. Before that, she was a radio host with Corus Entertainment for 6 years.

Danielle Smith holds degrees in both Economics and English from the University of Calgary.

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Rebecca Schulz was first elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary-Shaw on April 16, 2019 and was re-elected on May 29, 2023. She was sworn in as Minister of Environment and Protected Areas on June 9, 2023, previously serving as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister of Children’s Services.

A communications professional with a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University, Minister Schulz previously worked for the Government of Saskatchewan, as well as the University of Calgary.

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Andrew has spent twenty nine years in Capital Markets and Private Equity, focused on all aspects of the energy industry including upstream E&P, oilfield services and midstream processing. As a Managing Director at FirstEnergy Capital, he worked with financial institutions across Canada, the US and Europe and energy companies operating domestically and around the world. 

Andrew is currently the Chairman of Winsport, Vice Chairman (Prairies) of the Fraser Institute, and a Director at the Calgary Police Youth Foundation. He graduated from the University of Calgary with a BA in History (Distinction)(1991) and an MBA in Finance (Distinction)(1995).

Brandon Lunty was elected to Alberta’s Legislature in May 2023, representing the riding of Leduc-Beaumont. Brandon currently sits on the Public Accounts and Families and Community Legislative Committees as well as the Alberta First Cabinet Policy Committee.

Prior to being elected, Brandon worked as a civil servant for the province working on an array of files related to intergovernmental relations, energy security, affordable housing, workforce development and education policy.

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The Honourable Bruce McDonald served as a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta from 2009-2023 after serving as a Judge on the Provincial Court and Court of Queen’s Bench.  He was also the Chair of the 2022 Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Alberta.  

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Mr. McDonald is a fourth- generation Albertan who received his LLB in 1972 from the University of Toronto.  He has been very active in community and civic matters over the years, receiving the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005

Mr. van Dijken was first elected in 2015. Before that, he operated his family’s grain farm in Dapp, Alberta. He and his spouse, Barb, were named Outstanding Young Farmers of Alberta in 2001.

Mr. Glennn pursued public office to help ensure the survival and growth of rural Alberta communities and to ensure the needs and priorities of families are always being put first.

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Ms. Garner-Skiba has spent her life with one foot in agriculture and one foot in industry.  Raised at Rocking Heart Ranch she spent her childhood on the back of a horse and working alongside her dad as his “hired man” and working in Waterton Lakes National Park.

She has spent the last 20+ years in various senior and executive leadership positions in a variety of industries including non-profit, hospitality, construction, and agriculture and sitting on various boards that ranged in topics from the arts, conservation, to business. She is the Past President of the Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association and was the President of the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce in 2015-2016. Her passion is building community and people to ensure the ag industry is strong and growing!

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Trevor Tombe is a Professor of Economics at the University of Calgary and Director of Fiscal and Economic Policy at The School of Public Policy. He is a Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and the MEI, a Fellow at the Public Policy Forum, and co-director of Finances of the Nation. 

His research focuses on trade, fiscal federalism, and public finance, and he has published widely, including co-authoring the leading textbooks Public Finance in Canada and Macroeconomics. He also contributes regularly to public policy conversations through media, op-eds, and articles. Dr. Tombe holds a PhD and MA in Economics from the University of Toronto and a BBA in Finance from Simon Fraser University.

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Sumita Anand is the Vice President of Business Development at Above and Beyond Care Services, based in Airdrie, Alberta. She has built a strong reputation for advancing disability services through strategic partnerships, system navigation, and sustainable program design. Her work emphasizes quality care, inclusion, and outcomes that truly reflect the voices and needs of people with disabilities and their families.

With over a decade of experience in business strategy, community engagement, and disability advocacy, Sumita brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial vision and social impact. She is a strong voice for equity, workforce development, and public–private collaboration —making her a key contributor to conversations about the future of inclusive support systems in Alberta.

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Mr. Legge is the President of the Business Council of Alberta. He has worked with the founders since Day 1 of the organization to create something new and unique—an organization of business leaders advocating for shared prosperity and a better life for Albertans.

Mr. Legge spent over two decades building and leading high-performance teams and organizations in business, public policy, and economic development. Previously, he was the President and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, a Director at the Haskayne School of Business, and Vice President & Chief Economist at Calgary Economic Development.

Dr. Osakuande is a family and emergency doctor in Didsbury, Alberta and a clinical lecturer at the University of Calgary. He is also the Section Chief for Didsbury Hospital.

Educated and trained in Nigeria and practicing in Canada for over a decade, he provides mentoring and support for international medical doctors interested in working in rural Alberta. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for contributions to the healthcare and disability sector.

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Mr. Fagerheim is President and Chief Executive Officer of Whitecap Resources Inc., a position he has held since 2009, when he founded the company.  He was appointed to the board of The Fraser Institute in January, 2020. He has worked in both the Canadian upstream and downstream segments of the energy industry. 

Mr. Fagerheim is an active member in the community in both volunteer and charity roles and has a passion for combining academics with athletics. He is a past director of the Hockey Canada Foundation, was Chairman of the Foundation from 2010 to 2014, was a member of the Order of Hockey Canada executive committee, and served as Chairman of the Edge School for Athletes in Calgary.

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Michael Binnion is the President and founding shareholder of Questerre Energy, a publicly traded Canadian energy company advancing natural gas projects in Quebec, including the Utica shale. 

He is also the Executive Director of the Modern Miracle Network, a national coalition of energy advocates working to promote Canadian resource leadership through grassroots and executive engagement. Additionally, Mr. Binnion chairs the Sage Roots Foundation, focused on ending on-reserve poverty through entrepreneurship and environmental stewardship.

Dr. Benny Xu is a registered acupuncturist and a Calgarian with over 30 years of experience in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. He is a third-generation practitioner and has received the Alberta Centennial Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for contributions to healthcare and community service. 

He has led provincial research projects focused on mental health, chronic conditions, and disabilities. Dr. Xu has served on the Premier’s Council on Charities and Civil Society and the Alberta Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Council.

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Tara Sawyer lives and works on her family farm near Acme, and was recently elected as an MLA in the by-election for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills.

She most recently served as Chair of Grain Growers of Canada and was previously the Chair of Alberta Grains and Alberta Barley. She has represented Canada on trade missions to Asia, Africa, and the Gulf, and is a respected voice on agriculture policy, market access, and sustainability.