Dave Brand is a certified professional coach and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner specializing in executive leadership and team transition coaching. Dave is also an emergency manager, civil engineer, and public sector administrator with over 20 years of experience working with government agencies of all levels. Dave has multiple certifications in heavy urban search & rescue disciplines, first response and all-hazards incident management, and Dave oversees multiple departments that include community services, enforcement, fire-rescue, and search and rescue personnel, as well as acting as team lead for the Alberta Central Region All-Hazards Incident Management Team. Dave is passionate about changing the perspective, viewing challenges that face emergency responders and incident management personnel as opportunities to elevate relationships and team performance through increased empathy, authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, and community engagement. In the spirit of building relationships, Dave loves to teach, learn, speak, and share with colleagues across disciplines but also appreciates the solitude and natural splendour of hiking in the Rocky Mountains close to home.

Carolyn is a special project lead with Emergency/Disaster Management at Alberta Health Services (AHS). In her role, Carolyn develops emergency response plans that are utilized across AHS’ hospitals, clinics, and corporate sites. Carolyn is also AHS’ CBRN/HazMat First Receiver Program coordinator. During high-impact events, including the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires and the COVID-19 response, Carolyn was deployed to support AHS’ major incident response. Her roles included; planning section chief, liaison officer, and project manager for Operations Public Health Branch. Prior to her current role, Carolyn worked as an advanced care paramedic and firefighter. She is a graduate of Charles Sturt University’s Masters in Emergency Management program. Carolyn is a long-standing member IAEM and holds her Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) certification. She also serves on the IAEM-Canada Core Competency Working Group, and the IAEM-USA Healthcare Caucus.

Michelle is a Business Continuity and Emergency Management Advisor for a petrochemical business company and a volunteer intern to Richard Serino, 8th Deputy Administrator of FEMA. Michelle is an avid writer and has contributed articles to Haznet and Homeland Security Today magazine. Michelle was the 2019 Recipient of the Tom Bardes Memorial Fund Scholarship Award (Awarded by DRIE). Currently, she holds her professional designation as a Professional Human Ecologist (PHEc.)

As Director & Co-Founder, Synergize Business Solutions, Sarah has 15 years of business experience with proven expertise in economic development, business development, stakeholder engagement and customer relationship management – leveraged in her current role at Synergize, which offers strategic planning, business development, and team training services to the private and public sectors. Sarah is also an IAP2 -International Association for Public Participation member.
Sarah began her career in municipal economic development before moving into corporate development for private enterprise. Her recent work as Director of Corporate Development with a clean technology start-up saw the company through to its final stages of commercialization. Her continuing education has further provided a certificate of Entrepreneurship with the Canadian Environmental Technology Advancement Corporation (CETAC- West) and is currently pursuing Foundations in Public Participation Training.

Grayson Cockett is a Healthcare Disaster Manager, member of Canada Taskforce 2, and host of the ‘Emergency Preparedness in Canada’ (EPIC) Podcast. Grayson has a background in emergency response program development, event management, education delivery, and response activities with both the Canadian Armed Forces internationally and Emergency Medical Services within Alberta. Grayson is passionate about building preparedness through distributed leadership, and by leveraging existing capacities and partnerships towards a common goal of a more prepared Canada.