Virtual Boardroom

Faculty

The Society is proud to have a team of distinguished Instructors. 

FOAJ instructors create an outstanding professional faculty.  Our instructors have a great deal of experience and knowledge in administrative justice.

 Instructor Bio's

Colin Baile
Colin is presently the Chairperson of both the Northwest Territories Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal and the Northwest Territories Liquor Licensing Board

Over the past several years, he has also held appointments as Deputy Chair, NWT Human Rights Commission, Rental Officer, Fair Practices, Deputy Clerk of the NWT Supreme Court, and Deputy Registrar of the NWT Court of Appeal. His experience with administrative tribunals in the north spans over twenty-five years.

In January 1997, Colin received the designation of Chartered Arbitrator. This was the first such title awarded to a resident of the Northwest Territories.

Part of Colin's practice has been training members of administrative tribunals in the administration of legislation, managing tribunal operations, development of procedural directives, conducting hearings, and decision writing.
 

Robert Breaker
Robert Breaker was born and raised on the Siksika Nation in traditional Blackfoot Territory within southern Alberta. With his B.Ed., Mr. Breaker began his career with 18 years as an educator in Alberta and Saskatchewan, fulfilling his roles of teacher, vice-principal, principal and education director.

With the establishment of his own consulting company, Breaker & Associates Consultants Ltd. (1992), he facilitated educational and management services for First Nations' communities throughout western Canada. From 1993 to 1996, he served as the Executive Director of the Yellowhead Tribal Council in Treaty 6 territory in Alberta. He served as a ‘Treaty 6 Bilateral Process' technician. Returning to Siksika Nation, he was elected Chief for the Siksika Nation. He actively participated in the Treaty 7 Bilateral Process. He held the education portfolio for the Treaty 7 Tribal Council, and served on the Chiefs' Summit of Alberta Steering Committee.

In 1998, Robert became the Aboriginal Leadership & Management Program Director at The Banff Centre and developed/delivered programs he designed for the professional development of Aboriginal leaders and managers within Canada. In December 2002, he was hired as the Tribal Manager for the 6,000 member Siksika Nation. In his role, Robert was responsible for managing an $85 million budget with more than 640 staff.

Robert is currently a private consultant in strategic and business planning, performance measurements, team building, board development and policy development. He is a certified facilitator, mediator and arbitrator. He currently serves on the Persons with Development Disabilities Appeal Panel within the Alberta Government. Robert currently serves on The Banff Centre Board of Governors, Sunrise Native Addictions Society Board of Directors and Auditor General of Canada First Nation Advisory Committee.

Leila Gosselin
Ms. Gosselin received her B.A. (Criminology with Distinction 1986), and LL.B. (1989), from the University of Alberta. She articled with The City of Calgary Law Department in 1989 and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1990. She received her Chartered Mediator status in January 2000.

Ms. Gosselin started her own firm in 1997 where she focused on employment/labour law and human rights complaints. Ms. Gosselin returned to The City of Calgary in 2000 where she continues to practice administrative law in the areas of: expropriation, assessment (property and business), oil and gas, planning and taxi and limousine regulation as well as municipal law issues.
Ms. Gosselin was lead counsel in the successful defense of the City of Calgary in the United Taxi Driver case where the Supreme Court of Canada's decision resulted in a major shift in the law regarding a municipality's authority; this case continues to be influential in Canadian municipal law.

Ms. Gosselin's passion, enthusiasm and natural teaching abilities have translated into a willingness to mentor junior lawyers and others and to volunteer with the CBA. She has been a Council member of National CBA for a number of years. She has also served as a member of the Legislation and Law Reform committee of the National CBA and is a member of the CBA Alberta Branch South Legislative Review Committee. She is currently (and has been for many years) a member of the CBA Council for the Alberta Branch.
In April 2000 Ms. Gosselin Co-Chaired the Alberta Provincial Round Table on Court Annexed Mediation which led to the formation of the Provincial Steering Committee on Court Annexed Mediation. She was then asked to be a member of that Provincial Steering Committee. The work of the Committee resulted in mediation being an integral aspect of the civil court and provisions for mediation were added to the rules of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta.

Ms. Gosselin was a volunteer instructor and evaluator for the Legal Education Society of Alberta for the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED), the organization that provides the pre-call education for articling students.
Ms. Gosselin is an instructor for the Alberta Foundation of Administrative Justice which provides training for administrative tribunal members, their staff and advocates regarding all aspects of administrative law and interpretation of legislation.
Ms. Gosselin has acted as a principle for articling students for many years. She also mentors lawyers and has been recognized by The City of Calgary for her contributions in this area.
She has appeared before various administrative boards and tribunals. She has appeared at all levels of court, including 3 cases at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Ms. Gosselin is Board member of a non-profit organization, Get Real which provides direction and training for teens to enhance their self-esteem. Ms. Gosselin also offers pro bono services to another non-profit organization in Alberta.

Nancy Hack 
Nancy Hack is a Chartered Mediator and Registered Family Mediator. Nancy mediates for Alberta Justice Family Mediation Services, Alberta Justice Civil Mediation Program - Queen's Bench (Edmonton), the Edmonton Police Service, and has acted as a conciliator for the Albert Human Rights and Citizenship Commission. Overall, she has conducted well over 400 interest-based mediations, conciliations and facilitations involving a broad range of issues.

In her tribunal work, Nancy currently sits on Edmonton's Subdivision and Development Appeal Board and on the CGA Student Appeal Board.

In addition to the Foundation of Administrative Justice, Nancy is a member of the Mediation and Restorative Justice Centre (MRJC), the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society, and the Alberta Family Mediation Society.

Nancy is an instructor and coach for various mediation training programs. As well, she develops customized conflict management training programs for private clients and organizations. Nancy has been a guest lecturer at the University of Alberta School of Business, and at the U of A's Pharmacy Faculty. She is a conference presenter. Nancy also co-facilitates the Alberta Justice workshop, Focus on Communication in Separation, for parents who live apart.

Nancy is a former Chair of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFÉ - Edmonton); and was Secretary for the Board of Directors, Edmonton Community Mediation Society (now MRJC). She was a member of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and its Federal-Provincial Labour Relations Committee. From 1999 to 2005, Nancy, along with her sister, Barbara Bishop, was a regular volunteer "expert" on Help TV (ACCESS Television).

Patti Hannigan
Patti Hannigan has been a Wordsmith for the last six years, with a focus on teaching effective and elegant legal and business writing. Before her wordsmithing career, Ms. Hannigan was a policy analyst specializing in workplace-related laws. She focused on collective bargaining in the public sector and the private sector, employment standards, human rights, and the interaction of federal legislation and provincial legislation. This involved a great deal of research, thinking, writing, and consulting with government, employers, employees, and unions.

Armed with her law degree from the University of Victoria (plus a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta), Ms. Hannigan worked in Toronto at one of Bay Street's biggest law firms, Stikeman Elliott. Realizing that she preferred legal and policy analysis to corporate law, she then worked at the Ontario Ministry of Labour for seven years. Patti moved back to her native Alberta and investigated human rights complaints for Alberta's Human Rights Commission.

Having eight (yes, eight) siblings means Ms. Hannigan, the eldest child, practiced informal conflict resolution, mediation, and adjudication from an early age. Years of relationship-based sales experience before law school aided her transition to teaching people in a wide variety of occupations how to write clearly.

Dolores Herman
CHRP, PCM, CTAJ
Dolores Herman is a consultant who provides mediation, investigation and facilitation services through High Clouds Incorporated, a Canadian company providing seminar and dispute resolution services. For 19 years Dolores was a Union Representative for the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees and in 2001 took on successive roles within the Calgary Health Region/Alberta Health Services leaving the Director, Employee Relations position in late 2009 to pursue other opportunities. Dolores has been a speaker and instructor at the Alberta Labour Arbitration Conference and is an instructor for the Foundation of Administrative Justice.

Dolores was a Member on the Alberta Labour Relations Board and participated in their hearings and the decision making process. Dolores also served as Board Member, Vice-President and President on the condominium corporation boards in which she has lived, and as a result developed an understanding of the condominium industry and the ability to facilitate and chair meetings with disparate groups to reach consensus. Dolores served on the Calgary Kiwanis Music Festival Board of Directors as Member, Past President and President during a period of significant change and provided leadership at the Board level through strategic planning, the chairing of meetings and the implementation of change management processes to facilitate transition.

Dolores is a certified member of the Human Resources Institute of Alberta and a member of the Alberta Arbitration & Mediation Society; the ADR Institute of Canada Inc.; the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators, Australia; the Foundation of Administrative Justice; the Human Resources Association of Calgary; the Canadian Industrial Relations Association - Southern Alberta Chapter; and the Canadian Condominium Institute, South Alberta Chapter. Currently Dolores sits on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Family Services Society and is a member of the Human Resources Committee. Dolores is also a member of the Northmount Kiwanis Club and volunteers her time to the Club's various projects.

Dolores is a graduate of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators of Australia Practitioner's Certificate in Mediation, the Canadian National Labour Mediator Training Program and the Foundation of Administrative Justice Certificate Program. She is currently completing the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society Certificate in Conflict Management. Also, Dolores is a Qualified Personality Dimensions Facilitator. Dolores applies Personality Dimensions in workshops that are an interactive human relations and communication process/model that enhance the basic values of self-esteem, dignity and self-worth.

Deborah Howes
B.A., LL.B., FCCI, C. Arb., C. Med., CTAJ
Deborah M. Howes is a Chartered Arbitrator and Chartered Mediator with the ADR Institute of Canada. She is the Executive Director of the Foundation of Administrative Justice, a not-for-profit society providing administrative tribunal training in western and northern Canada. She is also the President of High Clouds Incorporated, a Canadian company providing seminars and dispute resolution services. Ms. Howes holds Certificates in Arbitration and Conflict Management from the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society, and Bachelor Degrees in Law and Arts.

In 2007 she was appointed as a part-time member on the Public Service Labour Relations Board.
Previously, Ms. Howes was a Vice Chair with the Alberta Labour Relations Board for eleven years and before then practiced law with the Edmonton firm of Duncan & Craig. Ms. Howes, as well as doing consensual appointments, is a roster arbitrator and mediator on a variety of provincial, national and international rosters.

She is the co-author and editor of Labour Relations Legislation: Practitioner's Manual and Condominium Management 100 - 300. Ms. Howes was an advisor for Alberta Human
Resources and Employment on Let's Talk - a workplace guide to resolving disputes using an interest based model. In 1998, Ms. Howes co- founded the Foundation of Administrative Justice. She has written a number of publications, training programs and articles.

Deborah Howes instructs for many organizations, including the Foundation of Administrative Justice, the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society (AAMS), the University of Lethbridge, and the Canadian Condominium Institute (CCI). She is a past member of the Advisory Board to the University of Calgary Arbitration and Policy Conference and has presented at the Conference as workshop instructor and conference panelist. Deborah is a past national director for the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals and served as the National Training Committee chair. Ms. Howes served as the CCI National President and Chair and as president and chair of CCI North Alberta Chapter. Since 2000, Deborah Howes has been a member of the Minister's Advisory Committee on the Condominium Property Act. In 2005 & 2006 Deborah with AAMS and Robert Breaker developed and delivered training for the Siksika Nation for the nation's Aiskapimohkiiks Tribunal.

Deborah Howes is a member of the Law Society of Alberta; Canadian Industrial Relations Associations (North and South Alberta), Alberta Arbitration & Mediation Society; ADR Institute of Canada Inc.; Conflict Resolution Network, Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals; Foundation of Administrative Justice and Canadian Condominium Institute.
 

As an Arbitrator Bob received appointments to serve as an Arbitrator from the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board, the Saskatchewan Educational Relations Board, the Saskatchewan Administer of Labour, Labour Canada and directly from the parties involved in disputes. Bob has served as a Sole Arbitrator or as the Chair of Boards of Arbitrations in rights and interest Arbitrations involving ATU, AUPE, CAW, CEP, COPE, CUPE, GSU, Graphic Communications International Union, HSAS, IANAW, IBEW, IWA, OPEIU, RWDSU, Regina Professional Fire Fighters Association, Regina Police Association, Saskatoon Police Association, Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation, SEIU West, SGEU, SUN, UFCW, USW, United Association of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, University of Regina Faculty Association, University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association, AGPro Grain Inc, Bombardier, Cameco, Canada Safeway, DirectWest, Extendicare (Canada) Inc., First Nations University of Canada, Government of Alberta, Government of Saskatchewan, Hotel Saskatchewan, International Mill Service Inc., International Minerals Corp, ISM, Landmark Inn, Lumus Courier, Molson Breweries, Northwest Daycare Centre Inc., POW City Mechanical, Prince Albert Co-operative Association, Regina Board of Police Commissioners, Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners, Regina Public Library, Saskatoon Public Library, Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations representing both Hospitals and Nursing Homes, Saskatchewan Minerals, Saskatchewan School Boards Association, SaskEnergy, SaskPower, SaskTel, SGI, Sherwood Co-op, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, Viterra, West Fair Foods Ltd., Weyerhaeuser, Yorkton Credit Union, Various Municipalities including Canora, Kamsack, Regina, Saskatoon, Tisdale and Yorkton, Various School Divisions and Boards of Education within the Province.

Apart from his professional career, Bob has long been involved in amateur sport. Bob is a Director and Past President of the University Regina Rams Football Club and was President of Sask Sport Inc., a federation of Provincial Sport Governing Bodies. For his dedication to amateur sport Bob was named Canadian Junior Football League Executive of the Year in 1998 and in 2005 received a Saskatchewan Centennial Leadership Award.

Wallace provides skills based training in conflict resolution and prevention. She is an instructor with the Foundation of Administrative Justice, teaching various topics in the Foundation's training programs for members and staff of administrative tribunals and for those who appear before tribunals, including labour arbitration boards. Wallace's past law practice with Wallace Meschishnick Clackson Zawada included administrative law, industrial relations, employment law, human rights, and civil litigation, including commercial litigation cases. Wallace is currently President of the ADR Institute of Saskatchewan Inc. and is the Regional Representative on the Board of the ADR Institute of Canada Inc.

Wallace has been actively involved in the Canadian Bar Association throughout all her years of practice. She was President of the Saskatchewan Branch in 2004-2005. She is currently a member of the National International Development Committee. She is past Chair of the Canadian Legal Conference Steering Committee. Wallace has also been Chair of the National Continuing Legal Education Committee (1999-2001) and Chair of National Sections Council (1996-97). She was an original member of the Administrative and Labour Law Section (Saskatchewan) in 1984, was Chair of that Section for three years and was Chair of the National Administrative Law Section (1994-95). She has spent many years as a member of Provincial and/or National Council.

Wallace holds an LL.B. with Great Distinction (University of Saskatchewan 1983) and was the gold medallist in her law class. Anne was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1999. In 2003, she was awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for her contribution to the legal community, the development of the law and the administration of justice in Canada. In 2004, Saskatchewan Business Magazine named her one of Saskatchewan's Women of Influence. In February 2006, she was awarded the Canadian Bar Association's National Douglas Miller Award for outstanding dedication and team spirit.