Hanif Ladha is the Managing Director at CLS Suites, which provides residential furnished short/long term corporate housing for individuals and families in Calgary and Edmonton. CLS Suites provides relocation services for people moving into Calgary from various industries such as oil & gas, film/movie industry, sports teams, and professionals such as lawyers & accountants. Hanif has years of management experience in the oil and gas industry, and held various senior leadership positions specializing in environmental management, stakeholder relations and regulatory compliance. As a passionate community volunteer and an advocate for education, arts, and youth, he also serves on the Board of Directors of Alberta Theater Projects. Hanif previously served in various volunteer positions as the Member for Settlement Portfolio on the Ismaili Council for Canada, FOCUS Humanitarian Canada, Chairman on the Ismaili Aga Khan Youth & Sports Board and the Aga Khan Education Board, and Aga Khan Foundation Canada. Hanif has an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business from Western University in London, Ontario and is a strong proponent of quality education for all students, he believes in supporting the underprivileged and those in need.

Tarjinder Bhullar is a strategic advisor and communications professional, driven by the goal of supporting individuals and organizations in sharing their stories and fostering a community in where everyone feels they belong, through respectful, equitable and inclusive practices. Tarjinder’s work experience has been focused on the non-profit and public sector, working with Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary, Immigrant Services Calgary, and The City of Calgary.

She currently serves as the director of the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation, determined to continue Manmeet’s lifelong commitment to serve others, advocate for causes and people that need a voice, and encourage young people to realize that they too can make a difference in today’s world, one step, one story at a time. She believes strongly that the role of a strong and sustainable public school education system cannot be underscored.

Tarjinder also serves as a Senator with the University of Calgary and director with the Women in Need Society.

Sean Pollock is a Managing Director in the Project Advisory & Finance group at RBC Capital Markets in Calgary. In his current role, Sean focuses on helping energy infrastructure projects structure and arrange financing across bank, bond and other financing markets. He has worked on projects in the renewables (solar, wind, hydro), LNG, pipeline, power, utilities and petrochemical sectors. Sean began his career with RBC Capital Markets in the Energy Investment Group in Calgary in 2007 after receiving a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University. He feels strongly about ensuring all students are given the best chance possible to succeed in school and in life and that a strong public education system is essential to a strong functioning society. In his free time Sean enjoys spending time with his wife and two young sons.

Uche Adiele is an experienced Finance & business professional with over 9 years of experience focused on business and financial analysis, financial and other kinds of modelling, feasibility studies, strategy and business planning.
Having worked with 2 of the Big-4 professional services firms (PwC & EY) and Johnson & Johnson, Uche currently works with Aurinia Pharmaceuticals in North America as a Financial Planning & Analysis Manager. In addition to this, he is an adjunct Lecturer at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) where he teaches various courses in the Business School.
Uche currently serves as a volunteer mentor with Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC), where he helps new immigrants to Canada on ways to transition into the work place, and he is a Volunteer mentor with Calgary Black Chambers where he mentors students on career and other life decisions. He is also a board member of Verona townhomes in Calgary.

Patricia is proudly serving her first term on the Board of Trustees serving Wards 6 & 7. Patricia brings a broad perspective to the role of Trustee. She is a former teacher, having taught in Edmonton and Calgary-area public schools. She is also an instructor at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education. Patricia holds a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) degree and a Masters of Education (Science) degree, both from the University of Alberta. Patricia is also an active community volunteer and CBE parent.

Patricia believes that a strong, inclusive public education system benefits everyone and that all children deserve access to excellent educational programming. Cities and communities are safer, more productive, and resilient when all students receive high-quality education and are wholly supported. Patricia looks forward to working collaboratively with her fellow trustees, parents, citizens of Calgary, and all stakeholders to continue to advance our world-class education system, the Calgary Board of Education.

Originally from Edmonton, Patricia and her husband Paul have lived in Calgary for almost 25 years and raised their three children (and cats) here. She is an avid sports mom, reader, and gardener. In her downtime, Patricia enjoys travelling and being outdoors in our beautiful city or unwinding at the lake.

Joy Is the Chief Executive Officer of the Alex Community Health Centre, as well as a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary in the Cumming School of Medicine.  She is passionate about advocating for the things that matter most to her, including access to healthcare, a strong public education system, and a strong social sector that is focused on the wellness of all. She spends her career challenging the status quo and loves connecting and working with others who feel the same way.

Joy was elected as a Trustee with the Calgary Board of Education in 2010 and served as Board Chair from 2014-2017.  Following public service, Joy worked for the United Way as the Director of Government Relations, working with local non-profits to advocate for good public policy.  Joy is Vice-Chair of the Board for the Canadian Association of Community Health Centres, serves as a member on the City of Calgary’s Social and Wellbeing Advisory Committee and the Family, Community and Social Services Committee, and Co-Chairs the Calgary Social Policy Collaborative.

Matt Boudreau is currently a Business Development Partner with Sun Life Financial. He has spent the past 16 years in the Financial Service Industry, the past 9 of those years have been in leading teams (1-40 people) and this drives out his passion for complex problem solving, coaching, and developing others. He grew up in New Brunswick, has a Finance and General Business degree from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, and he and his family have chosen Calgary as home for the past 15 years.

Prior to Matt’s banking career he spent 5 years as a teacher in both the public school system in New Brunswick as well as privately in South Korea. He has a passion for education, travel, helping those less fortunate, and bringing the best to the local Calgary community. He has extensive experience in non-profit fundraising and a desire to continuously improve the lives of all those in his community.

Matt is also the co-owner of Five’21 Roasters – a local coffee roasting company which uses much of its’ profits to put back into the community in Calgary through various giving campaigns. Allowing him to align his business acumen and personal/business financial planning to better navigate complex problem solving.

Gerry Burger-Martindale has been a member of EducationMatters Student Awards Selection Committee and Grants Committee since 2009. Gerry actively participates in various EducationMatter functions and events held by schools who have been provided with grants and student awards. She was previously involved in school activities during her daughter’s 13 years within the Calgary Board of Education (CBE). Her positions range from President and Key Communicator within school councils, to leading a city-wide parent advocacy group (that work closely with CBE and Alberta Education), to organizing several Municipal Trustee election forums. She has over 30 years’ experience at the Calgary Public Library and is currently the Central Library’s Senior Transition Lead. In 2001, her passion in education and literacy led her to volunteer within a high school library in South Africa, and in 2007 she and her family worked on an elementary school library project in Tanzania. This is Gerry’s 10th year volunteering with EducationMatters, and she continues to play an active role in advocating the vision and mission of this organization.

Bio coming soon!

Mike Shaikh is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants. He is a Director of various private, public and not-for-profit organizations including a Board Member for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation as well as a past Chair of Calgary Police Commission. As an entrepreneur and businessman, Mike is aligned with the goals of EducationMatters in ensuring students succeed in school and are ready for adult life.

Susan is currently serving as a publicly elected Trustee with the CBE, representing the 180,000 Calgarians who live in Ward 8 and Ward 9, in south-central Calgary.

With a BA (Political Science) and an MBA, both from the University of Alberta, Susan has over 20 years of experience with policy analysis, strategic planning, community engagement and fund development. She previously worked at the Government of Alberta, the City of Calgary, and as a consultant in the private and not-for-profit sectors.

A long-time community volunteer, she has served as the Chair of the school council at her children’s school, a Board member with the Marda Loop Communities Association, the President of the Cougar Ridge Residents Association, a member of an Investment Committee with the United Way of Calgary & Area, an accredited Leader with La Leche League Canada, a Board member with the Friends of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village society, and the Vice-Chair of the Edmonton Transit System Advisory Board.

Susan and her husband, Stephen, have three lovely children who all attend CBE schools—one in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary.