Board of Governors

Dr. David Ross is SAIT's 16th president. Under Dr. Ross' leadership, SAIT has become Alberta's third-largest post-secondary institution. SAIT is known internationally for its action-based applied education, solution-focused research and enterprising collaborations with people and partners from around the globe.

Prior to joining SAIT in March 2013, Dr. Ross was President and CEO of Langara College, and Vice President Administration and CFO at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Dr. Ross brings more than 30 years of post-secondary experience across several provinces to SAIT.

President during SAIT’s centennial in 2016, he has now launched the first strategic plan of the institution’s second century, New World. New Thinking. The plan sets a transformational course for the future and is part of the institution’s proactive approach to rapidly changing job skill requirements.

Most recently, Dr, Ross chaired the Alberta Skills to Job Task Force as the province adapts to new economic realities and develops the next generation of talent. He also chaired the Canadian Bureau for International Education. Nationally, he has been a board participant for the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Polytechnics Canada and the Business Higher Education — Business Roundtable.

Currently, he is a board member of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CiCan), the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and sits on international boards for the League for Innovation, the Global Education Network and the Global Applied Education Network. In Calgary, his board experience includes Calgary Economic Development and the Calgary Homeless Foundation.

Dr. Ross holds a PhD from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Aquaculture (MAq) from Simon Fraser University, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) from Dalhousie University.

David Erickson was the President and Chief Executive Officer for the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) from 2009 until his retirement in 2019. Mr. Erickson previously served as the AESO’s Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) from 2003 to 2009.

Before joining the AESO, Mr. Erickson was the CFO for the former Transmission Administrator of Alberta (ESBI Alberta Ltd). During his time with the Transmission Administrator, he was responsible for executive leadership of the Finance, Human Resources, Legal, and Information Technology departments. Mr. Erickson also worked at TransCanada Energy in Calgary and Arthur Andersen in Calgary, Hong Kong and Kuwait Cit

Mr. Erickson has many years of executive leadership, international financial management and governance experience in the electricity and energy sectors. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant, has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Calgary and has received his ICD.D designation in 2014 from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Tonya Fleming is an experienced corporate lawyer and governance professional. She has acted as general counsel for three publicly traded companies and is currently senior corporate finance counsel to the Alberta Securities Commission, the regulatory agency responsible for administering the province's securities laws. She began her career practicing law with the national firm Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP where she specialized in mergers and acquisitions, securities law and corporate governance matters.

Ms. Fleming has extensive experience leading and managing all of the legal needs of public entities. In addition, with strong experience as a governance professional, she has a comprehensive understanding of the requirements and processes involved in effective board governance and oversight.

Ms. Fleming holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Laws and a Masters of Business Administration from Dalhousie University. She is a member of the Law Society of Alberta. In addition to serving on the SAIT Board of Governors, Ms. Fleming serves as a public member of counsel for the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta.

Cam Bailey was most recently Managing Director, Investment Banking at Altacorp Capital responsible for Oil Field Services, Midstream, and International Exploration and Development. He has had extensive experience as a founder, senior executive and board member, managing the Canadian and international operations of oil field services companies. In addition, Mr. Bailey has relevant experience as a senior executive of public exploration and production companies in North America and emerging markets. He was formerly the founder and CEO of an EandP company operating in South America and founder and Chairman of an oil field services company operating in Canada and the United States.

Susan V. R. Billington, QC is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary, and Executive Director of Student Legal Assistance (SLA). Susan joined the Faculty of Law in August 2019 to lead, teach and manage the clinical practice program at SLA. She also teaches ethics and professionalism.

Admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1986, Susan practiced law in both litigation and as a solicitor before she joined the Law Society of Alberta as Counsel in 1994. During her 20 years there, Susan developed policy and program initiatives for the legal profession including: Western Law Societies Conveyancing Project (Protocol); the Continuing Professional Development program; the Fee Mediation program; equality initiatives including the Equity Ombudsperson, the Justicia Project, and the Aboriginal Summer Student program; and access to justice initiatives including the Alternate Delivery of Legal Services Project and the Retention and Re-engagement Task Force. Susan fostered the development of the pro bono community legal clinics throughout the province including in Edmonton (ECLC), Red Deer (CACLC), Lethbridge (LLG) and Grande Prairie. In 2007 Susan was seconded from the Law Society for 2 years to be the founding Executive Director of Pro Bono Law Alberta (PBLA) an access to justice initiative celebrating the 100th anniversary legacy project of the Law Society of Alberta.

From 2014-2019, Susan practiced law with Billington Barristers in the areas of civil litigation and corporate/commercial litigation. Susan also led the management team at Billington Barristers with a focus on fostering excellence in the delivery of legal services.

Susan served as a Municipal Councillor for the Kananaskis Improvement District and an Appeal Panel member for the Real Estate Council of Alberta. Susan holds an LL.B and a BA from the University of Calgary. She holds memberships in the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association, the International Association of Facilitators, and the Calgary Bar Association.

Susan was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2008. She was awarded a Woman in Law Leadership Award in 2012 by the Association of Women Lawyers and in 2021 was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association for contributions to the Legal Profession

Melinda Park is a Partner at the law firm of Borden Ladner Gervais. 

She has held several senior management roles within the law firm including being the Former Chair of the Partnership Board, the firm's highest governing body, the first woman at BLG to hold the position. She Practises securities and corporate law with a focus on securities, corporate finance, and commercial transactions.

Ms Park holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Saskatchewan and a Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Administration from Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Some recognition that Ms Park has received is (i) a Recipient of the Calgary Influential Women in Business award in 2021; (ii) Named Women's Executive Network (WXN) Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award in 2017; (iii) Recognized since 2015 by The Best Lawyers in Canada

Ms Park is also an active member of the community as a Director of Luna Child Advocacy Centre and a member of the TSX Venture Exchange Local Advisory Committee.

Lara Murphy is the co-founder and director of business development and strategy of Calgary’s Ryan Murphy Construction Inc. (RMC), where she has managed numerous multi-million-dollar projects in corporate, commercial, health care and residential construction. RMC is the only female-owned commercial construction firm in the city, and it has been recognized nationally as one of the country’s fastest-growing companies, featured in publications such as Canadian Business, the Globe and Mail, MacLean’s Magazine, Report on Business, Alberta Venture, and Business In Calgary.

Murphy is a public speaker who has participated in numerous panels and regularly gives talks about leadership, entrepreneurship, the construction industry, and women in business. She is also passionate about giving back to her community: Murphy is currently Calgary YWCA’s board chair and a board member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. She has donated her time time to SAIT as a Women in Trades and Technology committee, a mentor to students as part of the Social Entrepreneur Capstone Project, Innovation and New Ventures advisory committee member at SAIT’s School of Business, and she recently emceed SAIT’s 2nd Annual International Women’s Day Conference and Celebration.

Peter May is a risk management leader and certified professional with a track record of improving performance, reducing risk, and maintaining a reputation in complex environments. Peter’s experience at an organizational leadership level and in a senior consulting role has been in the fields of health and safety, environmental management, emergency/crisis management, risk management, business continuity, and sustainability. Peter is currently the Practice Area Lead, Health & Safety for Trace Associates Inc.

Peter holds a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Environmental Design (Environmental Science specialty), and an Advanced Certificate in Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace. Peter is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), a Professional Biologist (PBiol), and an Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP).

In addition to his consulting practice and his role on the SAIT Board of Governors, Peter serves on the Board of Directors of the Folk Festival Society of Calgary as the Chair of the Risk Management Committee, and he acts as the Board Secretary for the Foothills Acoustic Music Institute. Peter is also Chair of the Practice Review Committee of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists.

Janet Annesley is Chief Sustainability Officer at Kiwetinohk Energy, a growing Canadian energy transition company based out of Calgary, Alberta.

Janet has extensive experience in senior public and private sector management in a career spanning 20 years. She most recently served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Human Resources at Husky Energy. Janet was also previously Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.

Janet holds an MBA from Queen’s University, she is a fellow with the Public Policy Forum and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and sits on the board of Calgary’s Green Line LRT project.

Janet is also an active volunteer with the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Clean Prosperity.

Ryan is a Senior Client Service Partner, Assurance Services for Ernst and Young Canada, responsible for leading a number of the company’s largest multi-national audit teams servicing one of the largest clients in the business industry.

Ryan is a skilled leader with a focus on tax planning, forensics, valuations, cyber and working capital management, and has worked and developed relationships with clients across a broad and diverse industry spectrum.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Business, Joint Honors in Finance and Economics from St. Francis Xavier University. He is also a Chartered Accountant Professional Designation from the Institute of Chartered Accounts of Alberta.

Ryan is currently the co-chair of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Campaign to Accelerate and a key member of the Alberta Chapter’s Advisory Board.

Sanjeev Kad is the owner and Managing Director several Boston Pizza franchises in Calgary with over 30+ years in the hospitality sector. Sanjeev is an active community volunteer who has served on several not-for-profit boards including the Strathcona Community Association.

Sanjeev is an avid cricketer and a founding member of the Finnish Cricket Association as well as an International Cricket Official. He is an active community volunteer who speaks five languages, has visited 40 countries and has lived on 3 continents.

Sanjeev holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Hospitality from Finland’s HELIA Institute, and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Delhi.

Dawson Thomas is the Vice President of Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Students’ Association and a first year student studying in Hospitality Management.

Dawson is an experienced leader and advocate with a focus on Exclusivity, Diversity and Inclusion, serving on the SAIT Pride Committee and National Indigenous Advisory Council. A confident communicator and a dedicated volunteer Dawson’s experience and skills will help on his journey as a representative on the Board.

With Dawson’s passion for community involvement he is committed to ensuring students views are represented on the Board.

Attending SAIT as a student in the Bachelors of Business Administration Program Aaron devotes much of time to helping others. Aaron is a youth event coordinator who helps to raise funds which sends children to summer camps as well as provides well-earned scholarships for those most in need. Aaron also teaches music theory and application to children who have limited financial resources and serves as part of the kitchen crew with youth groups at the Mustard Seed.

Aaron is also the Executive Vice President of Enactus SAIT who coordinated with a team of 27 to create and programs/projects to address the 17 global issues of the UN.

Stephen Barry is a member of the teaching faculty at SAIT. He currently instructs a variety of Math, Biology and Physics courses in the Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Business Administration Degrees.

Nominated by his students on a number of occasions for Instructor Excellence Awards, Stephen has also received a Doctoral Training Award from the National Canadian Research Training Program from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, The McConnell Entrance Scholarship from McGill University, and the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship from the Government of Alberta.

Prior to joining the faculty team at SAIT, Stephen was an instructor at Grant MacEwan University (Olds College Campus) and Columbia College (Calgary). Prior to this, he worked as a technical writer/editor for numerous biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, in Montreal.

Stephen holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Virology and a Bachelor of Science from McGill University. Born and raised in Calgary, he is dedicated to the successful integration of science within society. Stephen is fluent in French and English.

Since joining SAIT in 2007 as an instructor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism, Matt has gone on to complete his Master of Education and most recently, Microsoft Certified Educator.

In his current role as an Educational Developer, he provides institutional leadership for teaching and learning. Working closely with SAIT’s faculty members allows for support of academic excellence and student success through roles in educational consolation, coaching, and the facilitation of professional development. Prior to SAIT, Matt worked in leadership positions with distinguished companies such as Disney and Fairmont Hotels.

Matt remains active in his community as a volunteer at Calgary’s Habitat for Humanity Restore and the Calgary Minor Soccer Association. In his free time, Matt plays soccer himself and has a passion for exploring the trails on his downhill mountain bike with his wife and two teenage children.