The Catalyst Group
The Catalyst Group is a diverse group of community leaders with a breadth and depth of experience.
They are generously donating their time to advise and support Recover’s work.
Allan Undheim
Vice President, Community Building and Investment, United Way Capital Region of Alberta
As Vice President with the United Way, Allan Undheim is responsible for the stewardship of investments, and also provides leadership to a number of collaborative initiatives addressing complex community issues. He has spent almost 30 years working in the social services sector in a variety of roles. From front-line service delivery through to strategic leadership, he has held positions at the local, regional, and national levels throughout his career.
United Way is keenly interested in working collaboratively with others to better understand the issues that face those most vulnerable in our region, as well as strategize together with others effective approaches that may have a significant impact on those issues. The Catalyst group has provided him with valuable insights and experiences in both areas. He continues to be inspired by community’s problem-solving efforts and ingenuity, and has learned a great deal so far through his participation. He says that if we can collectively learn from the prototypes and bring a few of these great ideas to scale, we will have done something truly special as a group.
Cheryl Whiskeyjack
Executive Director, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society
As Executive Director of Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, Cheryl Whiskeyjack’s job is to help urban Aboriginal peoples live in two worlds at once: the City of Edmonton, with its particular laws and norms, and the Aboriginal world of ceremonies and beliefs that has existed on this land for millennia.
Cheryl proudly serves as a board member of the Canadian Accreditation Council of Human Services and the Align Association of Community Services. She has contributed to the work of EndPovertyEdmonton since its inception and currently acts as co-chair of the Stewardship Round Table. She also sits at the table for the National Advisory Council on Poverty. She acts as a mentor for the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations Executive Director Mentorship program and represents Bent Arrow through C5, a collaborative partnership of five non-profits using innovative engagement in vulnerable neighbourhoods. Cheryl is proud of the strong partnerships she has maintained across sectors and believes that ending poverty requires a diversity of voices to ensure better systems and communities for all of us.
Craig Kuziemsky
Associate Vice-President, Research, & Interim Dean, School of Business, MacEwan University
Dr. Kuziemsky’s research is in health systems management, specifically the design and evaluation of innovative approaches for the management of collaborative care delivery and health system transformation. He has worked extensively with community groups on new approaches for healthcare delivery and he is excited about working with the Catalyst group to engage in new collaborations to make Edmonton a better place for everyone.
Prior to joining MacEwan in, Dr. Kuziemsky spent 12 years at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa where he held academic and administrative positions including the University Research Chair in Healthcare Innovation. He has a PhD in Health Information Science from the University of Victoria as well as two undergraduate degrees from the University of Alberta.
Gail Stepanik-Keber
Business Advisor (formerly with Servus Credit Union)
Gail’s professional experience includes thirty years working at a leadership level, twenty one years of which are with Alberta’s Servus Credit Union in Edmonton. She led a diverse portfolio at Servus including purpose, data science, digital banking, innovation, marketing, communications and corporate social responsibility as Chief Brand, Digital Banking and CSR Officer, and Purpose and Innovation Officer for Canada’s second largest member-owned financial cooperative. She has served as a board member for Edmonton Global, Edmonton International Airport, NorQuest College, Alberta Central Credit Unions.
Jacqueline Cardinal
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Naheyawin
Jacquelyn Cardinal is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Naheyawin, as well as Co-President and Director of Social Awareness Group. Jacquelyn was nominated for Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40 class of 2018, and received an Esquao Award for Achievement in Business and a SHEInnovates Award from the UN Women's Global Innovation Coalition for Change.
In early 2019, her first play, Lake of the Strangers, co-written with her brother and co-produced with Fringe Theatre, premiered and received the Sterling Award for Outstanding New Play. When she isn't using ancient tools to solve contemporary problems, she is learning all she can about emergent technologies and exploring her love for film.
Holly Regel
Director, Social Impact Partnerships, ATB Financial
Holly is an award-winning communicator and strategist, She has over 18 years experience in community investment and public relations. Through her current role, she builds partnerships to execute on ATB's Greater Good strategy to uplift the wellbeing of Albertans.
Holly is a firm believer that we are stronger together, and is excited to work alongside other innovative and forward-thinking people to be a force for positive change as part of RECOVER’s Catalyst Group.
Jan Fox
Executive Director, REACH Edmonton
Jan has served as the Executive Director of REACH Edmonton Council for Safe Communities where she has been privileged to lead a team of professionals dedicated to making Edmonton a safer community. REACH is a coordinating council that works closely with social agencies, businesses and citizens to invest in our community to make our city an even safer place to live, work and play. Jan takes pride in being a part of this innovative initiative that works collaboratively with many partners to improve the lives of many vulnerable Edmontonians.
Jesse Murphy
Community Relations Advisor, Capital Power
Jesse has spent the last 10 years with Capital Power, managing community investment and corporate sustainability activities. He is proud to be a born and raised Edmontonian and a graduate of both the University of Alberta and MacEwan University. Jesse is passionate about partnerships and is always eager to find innovative ways to create shared value.
Jesse is excited to learn about and apply innovative approaches to improving Edmonton’s communities. He looks forward to sharing his expertise to help Recover’s prototype projects succeed and make positive change in the community.
JoAnn Kirkland
Director, Partnership and Stakeholder Development, Edmonton Police Service
JoAnn Kirkland has enjoyed her career in both the public and private sectors with previous employers including Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, and the University of Alberta. JoAnn is currently leading the Partnership and Stakeholder Development Branch at the Edmonton Police Service, focused on engaging with and building relationships with community stakeholders. JoAnn is passionate about the City of Edmonton and has sat on various boards and committees that make a positive impact, including the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, and the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association.
Leo Wong
Associate Dean, Alberta School of Business — Undergraduate Office, University of Alberta
Dr. Wong grew up in Edmonton, and has prior experience with developing and running social enterprises that relate to youth development and volunteerism. He graduated from the University of Alberta with a PhD in Consumer Behaviour, focusing on the intersection between socially and economically-motivated consumer practices. He is the Associate Dean of the Undergraduate program at the Alberta School of Business, fostering a generation of socially-responsible future business leaders. His former role at MacEwan University was as the Founding Director of the Social Innovation Institute.
Dr. Wong joined the Catalyst group to help scale up social innovations in Edmonton that improve urban wellbeing, as well as explore ways to improve collaboration across sectors and systems.
Lindsay Whittaker
Director, Cross Ministry and Community Partnership Initiatives, Government of Alberta
Lindsay Whittaker strives to establish and grow strong working relationships that support and benefit those around her, and is currently working for the Government of Alberta in Community and Social Services. A strong advocate for individuals who experience systemic inequities, she strives within her policy work as part of the Alberta Public Service to make a measurable difference in the lives of Albertans experiencing challenges. Her professional interests focus on justice, mental health and addictions challenges within the broader social services system.
She wishes to carry the ‘wellness framework’ and learnings from the Catalyst group back to her colleagues within the public service and start challenging them to think differently about what wellness means for all Albertans.
Norma Spicer
Elder, Metis Nation of Alberta
Norma Spicer has a passion for Métis history, culture and customs developed from hearing stories of her ancestors on her mother's side. A descendent of Jean Baptiste Lagimodière and Marie Anne Gaboury (the first white woman to settle in Western Canada) through their daughter Josepthe, Spicer's family history includes those who fought alongside Louis Riel during the Métis Resistance.
Formerly with the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) in a variety of positions, Norma remains a member of its Cultural Team, and conducts prayers and blessings for MNA events and ceremonies. Recently, she prepared a research paper on the Métis History of Fort Edmonton and Surrounding Areas for the Fort Edmonton Management Company and sits as a member of its Indigenous Expansion Committee.
Rob Smyth
Deputy City Manager, City of Edmonton
Rob is the Deputy City Manager for the Citizen Services department. As a long time and proud civil servant, Rob has a passion for work that improves the quality of life for all Edmontonians, including the most vulnerable members of our community.
Rob is a strong supporter of RECOVER because it is outcome based and focused on ’doing’. The Wellness Framework is a great guiding tool that sets the criteria for prototyping, which allows the team to move quickly to find quality results.
Tina Thomas
CEO, Edmonton Community Foundation
Tina Thomas is the Chief Executive Officer at the Edmonton Community Foundation, the largest non-governmental funder in Edmonton, distributing over $30M into the community annually. Prior to ECF she spent over 13 years at Edmonton Public Library, after 14 years in the private sector. She has experience in a broad base of business disciplines including product and solution marketing, strategy, market analysis, and business development. Tina was the main champion and leader behind EPL’s award-winning rebranding project that helped transform the perception of EPL.
She is a 2018 American Library Association Spectrum Scholar. In 2013, she was named Capital Communicator of the Year by the International Association of Business Communicators, Edmonton Chapter. In 2011, she was honored as a Library Journal Mover and Shaker as well as one of the Top 40 under 40 by Avenue Magazine. She is an American Library Association Councillor at Large, member of the Canadian Federation of Library Associations Intellectual Freedom Committee and Board Member of the Edmonton Screen Industries Office.