Panelists

Teresa Woo-Paw, Alberta Employment and Immigration
Teresa Woo-Paw is the MLA for Calgary-Mackay. In addition to her duties as MLA, she currently serves as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Employment and Immigration. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Calgary and has dedicated her career to promoting active civic engagement and volunteerism, social inclusion, cross-cultural understanding and antidiscrimination awareness. Teresa has worked as a private consultant providing diversity training and program facilitation and instruction with the Cultural Diversity Institute, the Calgary health region, United Way Calgary, the Red Cross, Calgary board of education, the Calgary Immigrant Women′s Association and the Calgary Immigrant Aid Society. Additionally, she served as the trustee and chair of the Calgary board of education from 1995 to 1999. Her community service has earned her an Immigrant of Distinction Award, YWCA′s Woman of Distinction Award, the Queen′s Jubilee Award for Multiculturalism and Community Services and the Canada 125th Commemorative Award for Community Services. Teresa lives in Calgary with her husband, rick, and has three children: Jadine, Jason and Cordelia.

Greg Weadick, Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
Greg Weadick is MLA for Lethbridge-West. In addition to his duties as MLA, he currently serves as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology. Greg earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Lethbridge and has worked as a certified irrigation design consultant. He is currently president of Frontier Irrigation Ltd. and co-owner of Yardworks and Tileworks in Lethbridge. Greg began his political career in 1991 as a member of Lethbridge City Council, where he served for nine years. As a long time Rotarian and volunteer in Lethbridge he helped found the Lethbridge Rotary Dragonboat Festival, the Lethbridge Youth Foundation and 5th on 5th Youth Services. For the City of Lethbridge, he has served as chairman of the Economic Development, Agriculture & Tourism Committee and as a member of the Downtown LA Board. He has served on the Lethbridge & District Exhibition Board and the Lethbridge Senior Friendly Committee and the police commission. As a businessman Mr. Weadick has long been associated with the Lethbridge and District Chamber of Commerce, including several years as a director. He and his wife, Joanne, also a former alderman, have two children, Josh and Lauren, both attending the University of Lethbridge.

Dr. Roger Gibbins, Canada West Foundation
Dr. Roger Gibbins has been President and CEO of Canada West Foundation since 1998. Roger has an ongoing appointment as a Faculty Professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary, where he started his academic career in 1973 and served as department head from 1987 to 1996. Roger has authored, co-authored or edited 22 books and more than 140 articles and book chapters, most dealing with western Canadian themes and issues. In 1998 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and was the President of the Canadian Political Science Association from 1999 to 2000. In 2007, Roger was presented with the Alberta Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Administration by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. Roger was born in Prince George, British Columbia, and received his undergraduate degree from UBC and his doctorate in political science from Stanford University in California.

Mayor Linda Bruce, City of Airdrie
Mayor Linda Bruce was elected to Council in 1995 and served as Deputy-Mayor from October 2003 to 2004 at which time she was elected to Mayor. Linda and her husband enjoy skiing, sailing and fishing with their three sons. She has a strong interest in sustainable community development and is an advocate for the City of Airdrie.

Mayor Truper McBride, Town of Cochrane
Mayor Truper McBride was elected to Council in 2001 and served as a Councillor until 2007 at which time he was elected to Mayor. Truper earned his BA in Economics from the University of Calgary and has numerous IT certifications as well as a Project Management Certificate from Mount Royal. He is involved with various committees in the region including the Calgary Regional Partnership Executive Committee, the Affordable Housing Committee, and the Intermunicipal Committees of the M.D. of Big Horn and Rocky View County. In addition to his work as Mayor of Cochrane, he also works with Long View Systems as a Project Manager.

Mayor Les Rempel, Town of High River
Mayor Les Rempel won a by-election in 2003 and served one year on town council. He was first elected mayor in 2004 and re-elected in 2007. Les was raised in Swift Current, SK, and moved to High River in 1978. By occupation, his is a custom home builder and land developer. He is an active member of in his church and a long time Rotarian. He enjoys Golf and Fastball and coaches minor ball in the community. He lives in High River with his wife Linda and they have three children: Karen, Jeff and Josh.

Councillor Beth Kish, Town of Okotoks
Beth feels that Okotoks is the most wonderful place to live and is honoured to be on Town Council to help ensure that Okotoks, through good planning and development, maintains all of the wonderful character and charm it has today. Beth's community volunteer efforts include Member, Director and then President of the Okotoks and District Chamber of Commerce, Member of the United Way Okotoks Partnership, Municipal Planning Commission, and several other task teams such as Downtown Revitalization, Centennial Committee and School Parent Councils. Beth and her husband Rob have lived in Okotoks for the past 20 years. They have two children and have been very involved in the community. Beth has had an interior design business in Okotoks for 14 years.