Alberta Association on Gerontology (AAG) Board
Please find out more about the members of the Alberta Association on Gerontology Board below:
Board Members 2023 - 2024
- Sharon Anderson - President
- Lynne Mansell - Past President
- Jocelyn Rempel - Vice President
- Jill Chambers - Executive Secretary
- French Lau - Treasurer
- VACANT - Goal 1: Governance Chair
- Marlene Raasok - Goal 2: Policy Chair
- VACANT - Goal 3: Membership Chair
- Kathleen Hunter- Scholarships Lead
- Antonio Miguel Chan - Member at Large
- Beth Mansell - Member at Large
- Catarina Versaevel - Member at Large
- Heather Tomlinson - Member at Large
- Jackline Kwiatkowski - Member at Large
- Lydia Shiao - Member at Large
Sharon Anderson
President
Sharon Anderson is a Family Gerontologist who brings a wealth of practical, academic and research experience to the AAG Board. She is also a family caregiver. Sharon completed her PhD with Dr. Norah Keating in Research on Aging, Policies and Practice in the Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta after finishing her Master of Science in Health Promotion at the University of Alberta, and Master of Education in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, University of Calgary. Sharon enhanced her knowledge of social support and participatory community-engaged research as a research assistant and then Associate in the Social Support Research Program at the University of Alberta. Sharon also cared for her mother from 2009 to 2017. She currently works as a research coordinator for Dr. Jasneet Parmar at the University of Alberta.
Lynne Mansell
Past President
Lynne is currently serving as Past President of AAG and is a recipient of the Mary Morrison Davis Award. She is semi-retired and serves on the board of the Edmonton Lifelong Learning Association. Lynne has a BSc in Pharmacy and a master’s in health services administration. She spent most of her career in senior’s health and continuing care positions. Recent board positions include the Brain Care Centre of Edmonton and the Primary and Integrated Health Innovation Network as Chair of the Patient Advisory Committee. Her interests include patient-oriented research, healthy aging policy, travel, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Jocelyn Rempel
Vice President
Jocelyn Rempel is an experienced Gerontological Nurse and has been teaching at Mount Royal University since 2006. Her nursing experience includes acute care (general medicine), pediatrics, and oncology, but was drawn to the older population. She has experience as a Geriatric Nurse Consultant and is a medical member for the Office of the Commissioner of Review Tribunals (OCRT) for Canada Pension Plan/Old Age Security. Jocelyn is driven by a strong desire to promote better care for older people and has become a noteworthy leader in her field. She has spearheaded the development of the gerontological content in the Nursing Program at Mount Royal University and has established many partnerships with her vast community network.
Jill Chambers
Executive Secretary
In 2018 Jill founded The Financial Concierge. She left a tenured position as a financial advisor, to address her dream of being able to use her skills, education, and experience to help older adults in Calgary age in place and maintain financial independence.
French Lau
Treasurer
French Lau is currently the Controller for Lifestyle Options Retirement Communities, a private operator of several senior retirement facilities in Edmonton and surrounding area. He is an advocate for alleviating pressure in the health care system by moving seniors out of acute care and back into the community and their home. French is a seasoned accounting professional with over ten years of experience in both public practice and industry. Prior to joining Lifestyle Options, he was the Manager of Financial Reporting for a crane and heavy haul services company. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree with Distinction from the University of Alberta and received his Chartered Accountant designation while working at PwC.
Currently Vacant
Goal 1: Governance Chair
....
Marlene Raasok
Goal 2: Policy Chair
Marlene Raasok has had a career focused on enhancing services for older adults, starting with her thesis for her Master of Health Services Administration from the University of Alberta, followed by policy and planning roles with the Department of Hospitals and Medical Care and then operational leadership roles with Extendicare, Carewest, and the Calgary Health Region. Leadership roles in post-secondary education followed these operational responsibilities with initiatives to enhance the preparation of graduates for working effectively with older adults. Marlene helped set up the collaborative structure for the Research Institute for Aging while Executive Dean for Health, Life Sciences and Community Services at Conestoga College in Kitchener. She is now retired and lives in Airdrie, AB. She is an active volunteer with local and provincial initiatives related to innovation for healthy living and aging through community engagement and organizational collaboration and currently serves as Chair, Good Samaritan Society.
Currently Vacant
Goal 3: Membership Chair
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Kathleen Hunter
Scholarship Lead
Kathleen F. Hunter (Professor, University of Alberta, Faculty of Nursing) holds specialization in gerontological and continence nursing. In addition to teaching and research, she is an NP at a continence clinic. A long-time member of AAG, Kathleen assumed the AAG Scholarship Lead role in Fall 2021, is a member of the AAG Futures Policy Forum Stakeholders Collaborative Committee and is delighted to have joined the AAG Board in June 2022. She has interests in addressing ageism in health care and society and improving access to health and social services for older Albertans.
Antonio Miguel Cruz
Member at Large
Antonio Miguel Cruz is a distinguished academic with a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of digital technologies for healthy ageing. As an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy within the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare and rehabilitation. Additionally, Dr. Miguel Cruz serves as an affiliate researcher at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Research & Innovation Department where he actively contributes to groundbreaking research initiatives. His commitment to advancing the field extends further as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Miguel Cruz’ impressive academic journey commenced with the completion of a BSc degree in Nuclear Engineering at the Nuclear Science Institute in Havana, Cuba. He further pursued his passion for research and obtained both MSc and PhD degrees in Bioengineering from the Technological University, Havana, Cuba. His early career began at the Technological University, Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Havana, Cuba, where he served as the chair of the Bioengineering Centre. Having amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience, Dr. Miguel Cruz later assumed the roles of Full Professor and Chair, Biomedical Engineering Program, Universidad del Rosario, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bogotá, Colombia. This multifaceted academic background has shaped his unique perspective on the intersection of technology and healthcare.
Dr. Miguel Cruz’s research primarily focuses on exploring the impact of technologies used in community and healthcare settings on healthy aging, with a particular emphasis on the well-being of older adults and their caregivers. As the director of the PEAR Lab and a network investigator of AGE-WELL NCE, Canada’s technology and aging network, he actively collaborates with researchers and industry professionals to drive innovation and improve the lives of individuals within the aging population. Dr. Miguel Cruz’ contributions to the field have been widely recognized, and he continues to make significant strides in advancing knowledge and promoting healthy aging practices.
Beth Mansell
Member at Large
Beth Mansell was the 2020 AAG Edmonton Chapter Student Award recipient when she was pursuing her Master of Public Health with a focus on health policy and management at the University of Alberta. She brings a wealth of experience in the Seniors Serving Sector. Currently, Beth is the Provincial Social Prescribing Project Manager with Healthy Aging Alberta. She was Strategic Project and Operations Manager at Sage Seniors Association in Edmonton and has served as the Co-Chair of the Age-Friendly Community in Edmonton.
Catarina Versaevel
Member at Large
Ms. Versaevel has senior strategic experience in the health care and social services fields at the local, provincial, and national levels as well as executive-level experience in the Alberta government departments of Community Development and Social Services. Catarina has developed numerous background and policy papers and managed major high-level policy initiatives for the Government of Alberta, including a strategy for primary health care reform; a coordinated provincial policy and approach for services to seniors; the development and review of health information protection legislation and the development of an accountability framework for Alberta’s health system. Some of Ms. Versaevel’s achievements include Alberta’s inaugural Director of the provincial Day Care program. She co-led the development of the pan-Canadian health information protection guidelines with Health Canada on behalf of Alberta and was responsible for the leadership and implementation of the Butterfly Model of Care in Canada. Ms. Versaevel currently provides leadership and consulting services to care homes and organizations serving older Albertans and Canadians.
Heather is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) with Alberta Health Services. She has considerable experience working across the continuum of care including acute care, long-term care, and community rehabilitation. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology (Concordia University), and a Master of Science (Applied) in Communication Sciences and Disorders (McGill University). She obtained a post-graduate certificate in Gerontological Studies from Mount Royal College (now Mount Royal University). She is a passionate lifelong learner, and to that end, she is a currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership through Royal Roads University and will be completing her thesis in a long-term care setting.
Throughout her career, she has been a strong advocate for seniors and has been involved in projects to improve the experiences of seniors in hospital settings and long-term care. Heather’s main areas of interest include helping to improve the quality of care for seniors who live in long-term care, and helping to improve communicative access for adults who are living with aphasia, a common language disorder after stroke. She is a co-founder of the Calgary Aphasia Centre, who is dedicated to raising awareness about aphasia. As well, Heather regularly provides training for health care professionals who work with adults living with aphasia.
Jackline Kwiatkowski
Member at Large
Jackline is a Registered Nurse and works as a Case Manager at St. Michael's Long Term Care Centre in Edmonton where she has been employed for the last seven years. She is involved in a number of quality improvement programs within the site, such as implementation of the PainChek pain assessment tool. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 2009 and obtained CNA certification in Gerontology in 2021. Her interests include dementia, person-centered and caregiver-centered care. She also enjoys travelling with her family.
Lydia Shiao
Member at Large
Lydia Shiao’s career is focused on enhancing health services and promoting autonomy for adults living in the community. Lydia is a part of the AHS team that is responsible for the quality, education, and practice development of case management at designated supportive living sites. She collaborates closely with various stakeholders to support the independence and quality of life of older adults at the designated supportive living sites. Lydia also participates in and leads quality improvement projects that support research and promote best practice among staff and service providers. Lydia is also experienced in conducting quality assurance reviews that facilitate positive outcomes for patient safety from her tenure as a clinical safety lead.