ALLAN MARTIN
As of June 2010 Allan will have completed 28 years as a member of the R.C.M.P. and is presently engaged as an Employee Wellness Advisor. He has completed all of the course requirements for the Certificate in Conflict Management from the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and is certified by "Cinergy Coaching" as a conflict coach.
During his 28 years with the RCMP Allan has worked in Grande Prairie, Rocky Mountain House, and Banff Detachments. Allan has also served as an instructor with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Academy, "Depot" Division and served in the Complaints and Administrative Investigations Support Service (Internal Affairs).
Over the years Allan has taken opportunities to expand his knowledge in the areas relevant to his work and to utilize the new skills in enhancing programs and services. Today Allan is assigned duties relating to employee wellness which he indicates will require the utilization of all his acquired skill in the early identification and intervention of wellness issues. This position is a pilot project within the organization and Allan hopes to create an improved workplace by early intervention of appropriate resources for employees.
DOUG HECKBERT
Doug has been a member of MRJC since 2005. He brings with him an extensive background in the area of corrections both from the perspective of a probation and parole officer. In addition, Doug was an instructor in the Correctional Services Program at MacEwan University. Doug's career has also provided him the opportunity to work with students from St. Paul, Slave Lake, Grande Cache, Peace River and Grouard. Doug has a special interest in Law, Cultural Influences, and Restorative Practices/ADR. Over his career Doug has had the opportunity to make numerous presentations at local, regional and national conferences, including Advancing Restorative Justice in Gatineau, 2002.
Doug has experience in consulting, research, curriculum development and video production. He filmed and edited the video "Connections" for the Restorative Justice Unit of Correctional Services Canada. Doug's career has also provided him the opportunity to develop skills in financial management, operations and marketing. Besides taking on a role with the Board for MRJC Doug will be taking on a new venture related to Aboriginal experiences for tourism clients.
JOHN SKONE
John has been a member of MRJC since 2005 and has previously served on the Board from 2000- 2003. John is an engineer by profession and is currently a Specialist Consultant providing services to the Construction Industry. He is a Charted Mediator through the ADR Institute of Canada and has a Certificate in Restorative Justice from AAMS. John is an active volunteer with the Alberta Justice – Provincial Claims Program, the Court of Queen's Bench Civil Mediation Program and MRJC's Community Mediation Program.
John served on the City of Edmonton Family and Community Support Services Advisory Committee and the City of Edmonton Community Services Advisory Board as well as being elected to the Provincial level of Family and Community Support Services.
John describes serving on the Board as providing an opportunity to contribute to advancement and satisfaction of MRJC's volunteer membership in areas of Social Need and Conflict Resolution. Ongoing changes and practices represent challenging new situations, and are basis for evaluation and adoption of responsible options and improvements.
JESSICA THOMSON
Jessica is currently working toward her Master of Arts in Sociology-Criminal Justice at the University of Alberta and holds the position of Criminology Placement Coordinator with the Sociology Department: University of Alberta. This position has provided Jessica the opportunity to facilitate and supervise the placement of Criminology students in practicums related to the criminal justice system as well as lead professional seminars on topics related to the criminal justice system. Jessica worked as a probation officer during which time she demonstrated flexibility in creating case plans for offenders which included innovative victim-offender projects.
In the summer of 2007 Jessica had the unique opportunity to volunteer with The Restorative Justice Office Pretoria, South Africa where she gained perspective on the roles and responsibilities within South Africa's Criminal Justice System and participated in Victim-Offender conferences and applied mediation skills to help maintain peace in tense situations.
Jessica volunteers with Parent Empowering Parents: U-Turn as a group facilitator working with teens on the issue of substance abuse. She is co-founder of Our Backyard Edmonton, and created a format for a grassroots youth conference, that brings awareness to the root causes of crime and aims to include the youth in a movement towards a safer Edmonton.
PAULA do CARMO
Paula immigrated to Canada from Portugal where she completed her formal training in family and community mediation. Since arriving in Canada she has applied for and had her credentials accepted by AAMS and is in the process of achieving Chartered Mediator status with ADR Institute of Canada. She is fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish. She has been a member and volunteer with MRJC since August 2009. She is also an active volunteer with Changing Together, A Centre for Immigrant Women, Candora Society and with her church.
She has experience working at the local national and international level. While in Portugal Paula was very active both as a mediator and in the planning and delivery of conferences and workshops for fellow mediators. Over the period of her work in Portugal she received training related to community mediation, family mediation, school mediation and restorative justice.
She has a special interest in the development of conflict resolution programs that can address the diverse needs of immigrant new to Canada.
TANIA SARKAR
Tania was appointed to Board in 2010 to fill a position that was vacant due to the resignation of a newly.
Tania Sarkar has been a Crown Prosecutor in Edmonton since 2001. She is a graduate of Queen's University and the University of Saskatchewan and is a member of the Law Societies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Prior to commencing her career with Alberta Justice, Tania articled in the area of criminal defense with Legal Aid Manitoba, prosecuted with Manitoba Justice, completed an internship in international human rights with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in New Delhi, India, acted as a consultant on Access to Justice with the Law Society of Saskatchewan, and taught courses in criminal law and legal writing. Tania's day-to-day work primarily involves dealing with very serious crimes in the context of an adversarial system; she is interested in promoting alternative methods of dispute resolution within the criminal justice system.
FARUQ VISHRAM
Faruq Vishram joined the MRJC Board in 2009. Faruq is a professional engineer registered in the Province of Alberta. Currently Faruq is the Associate Vice President and Project Manager of Black and Veatch Canada. Faruq was born in Kenya, educated in England and has lived in Edmonton for the past 31 years. Faruq is married with two children, he is an avid skier and loves kayaking, hiking and biking.
Faruq has held several voluntary positions within the Ismaili Community in Edmonton and in Canada, one of which is with the Conciliation and Arbitration Board. He is currently serving his seventh (7th) year on the National Conciliation and Arbitration Board for Canada (NCAB). As NCAB member, he oversees the work of the various Regional Boards in Canada which provide matrimonial and commercial dispute resolution services by way of formal Mediations and/or Arbitrations.
LANA BURNSTAD
Lana Burnstad joined the MRJC Board in 2008. Lana is a Senior Human Resources Manager at EPCOR Utilities with primary responsibilities in the areas of organizational design and talent planning. Prior to joining EPCOR, Lana was the Director of Human Resources for 8 Canadian shortline and regional railways across Canada where she was responsible for pension, benefits, recruitment and labour relations for 500 employees. Prior to that, Lana was responsible for the Management Development Program at Canadian National Railways. She was also a Sessional Professor, in the Faculty of Business at the University of Alberta.
Lana is graduate of the University of Alberta where she obtained both her Masters and undergraduate degrees. She completed her Certification in Conflict Management through the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and is currently a volunteer mediator at MRJC.
SCOTT BRATTLY
Scott Brattly joined the MRJC Board in 2009. Scott currently is the Director, Human Resources for Capital Power Corporation located in Edmonton. He has held a number of different HR – LR positions since leaving the practice of law back in 1995. Most notably he has worked in the public health industry, both in BC and Alberta, has acted on behalf of a healthcare union here in Alberta, and has spent time with EPCOR, Weyerhaeuser and Labatt Breweries Ltd. in Western Canada. In his leisure time, Scott likes to spend time with his family, wife Juanita and daughters Olivia and Sophia, and is active in a variety of sports.
