Leadership

Gord joined Civida in 2022. He came to Civida from Strathcona County where he spent six years in the role of Associate Commissioner, Community Services Division. In this role Gord was responsible for a wide variety of areas including Family and Community Services, Fire, Police, Transit, and Recreation, Parks and Culture. Gord also worked very closely with their local housing organization, the Heartland Housing Foundation, on significant capital building projects. Prior to this, in his work with the Government of Alberta, Gord was a Chief Executive Officer with four different Board governed Child and Family Services Authorities, including the Edmonton Region. He also served as Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) responsible for the child and family services system in the province, and was an ADM responsible for Advanced Education. Gord also had the privilege of being the Chief Strategy Officer with the Ministry of Human Services, responsible for a wide array corporate services in a very large Ministry.

Contact: [email protected]

Zack joined Civida in February 2016. He manages the Accounting & Finance, Banking & Risk Management, Procurement, Information Technology and Project Management Office departments. He holds a CPA accounting designation and acquired his MBA from the Edinburgh School of Business. He also acquired the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors-Rotman School of Management. Zack has worked in diverse industries such as banking, utilities, petrochemicals and telecommunications.

Zack has in-depth experience in full cycle accounting, cost accounting, pension investment accounting, human resource management, product margin analysis, manufacturing process efficiencies, benchmarking studies, systems implementations and policy development.

He was previously on the board of the Greater Edmonton Foundation, an organization that provides housing for 3,500 seniors. He currently serves on the boards of the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Associates of Caritas.

Contact: [email protected]

Bree joined Civida in 2022, and brings over two decades of public service leadership. She has held Director and Executive Director positions with the government of Alberta in the Ministries of Seniors and Housing (as Executive Director of Policy, Planning and Legislative Services), Children’s Services, Human Services and Innovation and Advanced Education. Bree’s most recent role was as the Director of Family and Community Services with the County of Strathcona where she and her team worked closely with social sector partners to create multiple community-level changes and initiatives. Bree has extensive experience in strategic planning, community engagement, social policy and evaluation, and is passionate about engaging system leaders, citizens and staff teams to create solutions for the challenges we are facing as a community with a particular focus on changing conditions for those living on the margins.

Bree has a degree in political science, a master of science in human ecology and is a social sciences doctoral candidate with Royal Roads University. As part of her doctoral work, she is currently studying how system relationships and leadership approaches influence affordable housing outcomes within Canadian municipalities.

Contact: [email protected]

Lindsay joined Civida in 2022, as Director, Capital Development & Asset Management, and moved into the role of Vice President of Property Portfolio Management in November 2022. Lindsay brings 18 years of experience in Project Management, successfully executing a diverse portfolio of projects from a new air terminal building in Fort McMurray to a renewal initiative for a 1,500-bed student residence tower complex, as well as many new capital builds (student residences and learning and research facilities) and deferred maintenance projects (mechanical, electrical, roof renewals). Lindsay spent the last six years in a leadership role in the Project Management Office at the University of Alberta, responsible for initial scoping of projects, aligning funding for the initiatives, design, procurement and construction while proactively identifying opportunities and mitigating risks.

Lindsay has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Alberta. She enjoys learning and being curious and is currently completing her MBA.

In her free time, Lindsay enjoys time with her two boys, be it travelling to new places or adventures in the mountains or a bike or run in the river valley.

Contact: [email protected]

Stacey joined Civida in 2016. In 2023, she transferred to a new role as Director, Housing. Stacey is a board member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Canada Executive Committee with a focus on developing the standard of professionalism in the Canadian housing sector.

She spent two years in Fort McMurray where she served on the Sub-division and Development Appeals Board, and worked in managing operations for the Fort McMurray Public School District. Prior to that, Stacey emigrated from the UK in 2013 following 14 years working in the social housing sector for Newcastle City Council and Your Homes Newcastle (arms-length management organization). Her roles ranged from frontline housing management services, adaptations and relocation services, to capital investment where the primary focus was in investing capital funding to benefit the housing stock and local communities.

She is a strong believer that safe, affordable housing is the foundation to a stable and successful life and has advocated that approach for many years.

Stacey has a bachelor of arts (Hons.) in housing, has completed a post graduate diploma in social sciences, and has an Institute of Leadership and Management certification. She is a qualified post-compulsory education teacher, has NCSO designation and has CIH Chartered designation. She is a regular volunteer with Edmonton social agencies, a basketball (and dog) mum.

Contact: [email protected]

Mira joined Civida in 2019. She is a certified project management professional with over 12 years of experience in the information technology field in areas of application development, business analysis, change management and project management. She specializes in business transformations and system implementation projects and believes in delivering quality service to clients. Mira strategically works towards a vision, manages ambiguity and views programs and projects holistically.

Contact: [email protected]

Lindsay joined Civida in 2020 as Director, Human Resources. She is responsible for leading a team of professionals that provide counsel and advice in the areas of Human Resources, and Health and Safety.

Lindsay has been in human resources for 13 years in generalist and senior leadership capacities. She brings experience in labour relations, HR strategy, employee development, workforce planning and employee wellness. Lindsay is passionate about developing programs focused on building skill capacity through training, development, coaching and mentorship.

Lindsay has a bachelor’s degree from Memorial University. She also has a Canadian Professional Human Resource designation and is currently completing her MBA.

Contact: [email protected]

Lara joined Civida in 2020 as Director, Procurement. She oversees a team of professionals who lead our organizations public procurement processes enabling the purchase of goods, services and construction that support our corporate commitment to providing our customers with safe and affordable housing. Lara earned a masters degree in health policy and business administration from the University of Alberta. Lara has considerable experience — 20 years of progressive management and strategic leadership roles in procurement, policy, quality and change management initiatives, many of those years were at Alberta Health Services with her most recent procurement role as Executive Director Procurement & Cost Management Services at Alberta Infrastructure.

Contact: [email protected]

Nicole joined Civida in 2022 as Director, Policy and Strategic Planning. She has a strong background in policy development and knowledge mobilization from her time at the Government of Alberta and Strathcona County. Prior to joining Civida, she coordinated many strategic and capital planning activities within a community services division comprised of several lines of business, approximately 800 staff and an operating budget of over $120 million. In late 2019, Nicole returned from Berlin, Germany where she completed her master’s degree in Business Psychology.

Contact: [email protected]

Gina joined Civida in 2020 as the Manger, Accounting and is now Interim Director, Financial Services. She oversees the monthly and yearly reporting, forecasting, budgeting, accounting and various other financial functions within the organization that helps to support the other departments.

She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with a background in audit, finance, HR and strategic planning. She worked in external audit and obtained her CPA at EY before moving over to be the Controller at a privately-owned risk management company where she headed the finance and operations side of the business.

Gina lives in Edmonton and enjoys running, playing frisbee with her Australian Shepherd and taking frequent trips to hike and ski in Fernie, BC.

Contact: [email protected]

Erin joined Civida in 2023 as Director, Customer Experience, following a 26-year career in child intervention, mainly with the Government of Alberta. Erin was most recently in the role of Associate Director with the Edmonton Children Services Region, where she was responsible for four regional offices that support child intervention services under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act. Prior to this, Erin was the Associate Director responsible for one urban and two rural offices providing Child Intervention, Family Supports to Children with Disabilities, Child and Youth Supports, Métis Liaison Services and Contract Management to Métis children, families and communities. In this role Erin worked in collaborative partnerships with the eight Métis Settlements, the Métis Settlement General Council and many Alberta First Nations. Erin has extensive experience working with families facing socioeconomic barriers including housing.

Erin is a registered social worker and possesses a bachelor of arts degree with a double major in psychology and sociology and a bachelor of social work from the University of Calgary.

Contact: [email protected]

Doris joined Civida in 2023, as the Director of Planning and Project Delivery. Having spent 15 years in capital and strategic planning within the education sector, Doris has executed many successful projects including the consolidation of six administration buildings into one centralized and modernized 230,000 square foot building. As a recipient of Edify’s 2022 Top 40 Under 40, Doris is committed to supporting her community through innovation solutions.

Doris has a bachelor of arts from the University of Alberta, and has completed the following post-graduate diplomas: project management, leadership, business administration, applied land use planning and business analysis. Doris enjoys all opportunities to expand her knowledge.

In her spare time, Doris loves spending time with her family at the lake.

Contact: [email protected]