Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Dr. Laura Hambley is an Organizational Psychologist with a profound impact on the future of work and leadership. Her educational background includes a Master’s in Counselling Psychology and a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Calgary. Dr. Laura’s expertise lies in understanding the intricate dynamics of virtual teams and remote work environments. Her research in these areas has garnered numerous awards, highlighting her role as a pioneer in anticipating and shaping the shift towards flexible and mobile work. Her work in developing the Distributed Work Profiler, a groundbreaking tool for assessing remote work personalities, exemplifies her innovative approach. This tool, featured in Scientific American, reflects her unique ability to blend academic insights with practical applications.

In her professional career, Dr. Laura Hambley has excelled in applying her extensive knowledge to real-world scenarios, particularly in leadership development and organizational transformation. She has conducted numerous leadership assessments, ranging from first-level management to executive positions, emphasizing development and succession planning. Her approach to creating personalized development plans considers individual learning styles and organizational goals, ensuring a comprehensive strategy for leadership growth. Dr. Laura’s experience extends to various organizational development initiatives, including conducting interviews, focus groups, and surveys to address complex organizational challenges. Her strategies for attracting and retaining talent, coupled with her expertise in conflict resolution and stress management, demonstrate her holistic approach to enhancing employee engagement and workplace dynamics. As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary, she continues to contribute to academic research, further reinforcing her credibility and influence in the fields of organizational leadership and the future of work.

Brad has 12 years of experience as a hydrogeologist and is a practicing member of APEGA. He has worked on projects dealing with a wide array of groundwater related issues, including groundwater licensing, dewatering, aquifer delineation, and various projects determining impacts to groundwater caused by industrial and commercial developments. As a consultant he has completed dozens of reports dealing with groundwater supply for new residential subdivision applications.

Daina’s practice primarily focuses on municipal law and administrative
law.
As Co-Chair of the firm’s Municipal Law Team, she is a trusted advisor for municipalities and related entities. She has appeared before all levels of courts in Alberta and the Supreme Court of
Canada. She regularly appears before and acts as counsel for administrative tribunals, including subdivision and development appeal boards and the Land and Property Rights Tribunal. Daina
also provides advice and guidance to regional governance bodies such as growth management
boards and regional services commissions.
Daina regularly writes and speaks on municipal law issues and has given presentations at a number of municipal association conferences, including Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, the Society of Local Government Managers (SLGM), the Local Government Administration Association and Alberta Municipal Supervisors.

Gwendolyn Stewart-Palmer has been a partner in Shores Jardine LLP since 2007. She has practiced at Shores Jardine LLP since October 2003 after working with the City of Edmonton Law Branch for 12 years. She has been practicing law for over 35 years, focusing in the areas of municipal law, employment/labour law and administrative law.

She provides advice to her municipal clients on all areas which affect municipalities, including bylaw and contract drafting, procedural advice to councils, and providing advice to subdivision and development appeal boards, assessment review boards and other council committees and boards.

She acts for employers, both unionized and non-unionized, and employees, providing general advice, as well as representing client interests at arbitrations. She has conducted several workplace harassment investigations.

She acts for several boards and tribunals providing general advice and advice during the course of hearings. She taught the Constitutional and Administrative law module for the Senior & Executive Managers’ Development Program and the Legal Environment module for the Management Development Program at the University of Alberta School of Business. She has presented at numerous seminars throughout Alberta. She is the author of Planning Law & Practice in Alberta (4th) and was the recipient of the inaugural Canadian Bar Association Municipal Law Award of Excellence in 2023.

Jeneane Grundberg, KC, ICD.D, brings unparalleled experience to her practice in the areas of municipal, planning and administrative law.
With more than 120 reported decisions on multiple aspects of municipal, planning and administrative law at all levels of the Alberta Courts, Jeneane leads legal teams on complex litigation as well as policy and bylaw development. Her work has been recognized as having important precedential value, helping inform future court decisions and municipal actions; she is often a consultant to the provincial government on planning and development matters.
Jeneane takes a strong client-focused approach to her practice, with clients that include municipalities, provincial departments, and subdivision and development appeal boards. “I love to advocate on behalf of my clients. It’s an honour to represent them,” says Jeneane, who has made more than 200 appearances in the Alberta Court of Appeal.

Lisa Ford is the REDS for Northeast Alberta, based in Cold Lake, and is an economic development leader with a Business Economics background and experience in banking, accounting, and business coaching. Previously, as General Manager of Community Futures Lakeland, she championed regional innovation and growth—leading initiatives like an award-winning procurement training series and the 2023 Power Up North Entrepreneur and Economic Development event. Currently, through her role as a REDS, Lisa fosters collaboration through regional roundtables that unite municipalities, educators, and government partners to expand funding and support across northeast Alberta. Her work reflects a deep commitment to community-driven progress, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable regional development.

Jennifer Hartigh is the REDS for the Highway 2 Central Corridor. Prior to joining Alberta’s Public Service, Jennifer served as a Business Supports Specialist with the City of Red Deer and as the Economic Development Officer for the Town of Blackfalds. Through these roles she came to appreciate that municipal economic development and planning are deeply interconnected and that by working together effectively, communities can achieve sustainable growth, attract investment, and improve quality of life.

Rob joined the County of Grande Prairie in January 2024, as GM Financial and Business Planning Services. He oversees a diverse group of talented individuals, in the Finance, Assessment, Procurement and Information Systems. He over 10 years of experience in government in various levels.

Rob previously served as the CAO at the Town of Placentia in Newfoundland and as the Director of Corporate Services for Mountain View County in Central Alberta. He has an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business, a BBA from Memorial University of Newfoundland, as well as his CPA designation. Besides his municipal experience he has held various senior roles in private industry.

He lives in Grande Prairie with his wife, two kids and his dog Cocoa Bean.