Board of Directors
ASHSP Executive Committee
Biographies
I have been dedicated to the comprehensive practice of industrial hygiene and occupational health & safety for more than 10 years, and have been an avid supporter of the occupational hygiene profession in Alberta. I have served on the Board of Directors for the American Industrial Hygiene Association, Alberta Local Section for 6 years, with roles including Secretary, President-Elect, and President. I am currently employed with Canadian Natural Resources Limited as Corporate Industrial Hygiene Advisor for North American Operations, with responsibility for worker health protection in oil and gas exploration, construction and production including conventional, unconventional, thermal and oil sands assets. I also represent industry as Vice-Chair of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) Industrial Hygiene Committee. I am currently working with the ASHSP on the Occupational Hygiene Practice Review Committee.
Through my time in the industrial hygiene and safety professions, I have had the opportunity to mentor and help develop many early career professionals, sharing with them the value of pursuing continuing education and professional certifications. I am proud to have inspired and supported people in their pursuit of Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Registered Occupational Hygiene Technologist (ROHT), Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designations. I strongly believe it is time for a step-change in the protection of worker and public health in the province of Alberta, through a robust system of professional practice protection and title protection. Employers in this province should feel confident hiring professionals with well-defined and defensible skill sets proctored by an organization serving the best interests of workers and members of the public. Through the efforts of the ASHSP, the visibility of the occupational hygiene profession can be improved and the value created for Alberta’s workforce and citizens can be maximized. I welcome the opportunity to participate in this process and support the important work being undertaken by ASHSP.
With 15 years of experience in industries ranging from health care to industrial construction Catherine has developed a well-rounded, pragmatic approach to Health and Safety application. A passion for understanding and communicating the ‘why’ behind what we do as well as a desire to work with organizations seeking not only legislative compliance by managerial excellence drives Catherine to seek diverse and interesting clientele to create the most efficient and effective Health and Safety systems available.
Catherine looks forward to continuing work with ASHSP for scope and title protection for health and safety professionals in the Province of Alberta to further the Health and Safety profession and serve Albertans in supporting a safe and healthy future for all.
Dan is currently the Managing Partner with Tatonga Consulting Inc. Dan graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Saskatchewan (1989). As a Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.), Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), and Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC), Dan is committed to promoting risk management strategies for many different industries. Since 2009, and now as a business consultant with Tatonga, Dan shares his passion for safety excellence and strategic development with clients across Canada and North America.
Dan has supported the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) and has served as the Canadian National Communication Committee Chair & Chapter Chair for the Central Alberta Chapter and is currently residing on the CSSE Board as the Regional Vice President AB/NT/NU for the national organization. In addition to roles within the CSSE, Dan actively participates on other industry boards including the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA). Dan also believes in supporting the local community, and he is currently an active member of the Red Deer Steps for Life Committee (Threads of Life), Young Farm Workers Safety Workshop committee (Parachute Canada), and the Alberta Occupational Safety Auditors Association (AOSAA).
Individual Practice Manager. Daniel is responsible for APEGA’s individual competency systems and registrant management activities. In his role, Daniel is charged with managing the continuing professional development (CPD) reviews of licensed professionals, annual requirements of all licensed professionals including Good Standing policy and annual declaration, as well as other reviews that focus on individuals. Daniel is also responsible for the policies and procedures used in registrant management, which includes, resumptions, reinstatements, and reactivations for all current and former APEGA registrants to ensure continued ethical and competent practice of the professions in Alberta. Daniel has over 20 years of engineering experience focused in environment and public safety and he has worked in private industry, consulting companies, and municipal government prior to his role at APEGA. Daniel graduated from the University of Regina and attained his fellowship with Engineers Canada and his honorary fellowship with Geoscientists Canada through his volunteer work with APEGA.
My name is David Asekomhe, an engineer, a safety enthusiast, an agent of change and a visible minority.
I have a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with chemistry and master’s degree in corrosion control engineering and Environmental Engineering from the University of Manchester, England, UK.
I am a practising safety executive with over 15+ years professional experience and certifications in CRSP, CSP and IOSH.
I started my career with Exxon Mobil and worked in various other companies in the UK. In my last company in UK, I was a senior project manager and a board member for Scot Bader LTD and Scot Bader Community Fund Trustee Limited.
I moved to Calgary, Canada in 2013 and worked with ACM facility Safety Inc. I started my career in ACM as a senior Engineer and rose to the position of Senior Vice President in my 8 years with the organization.
I currently work for Davont Inc. and RskLess Inc. in Calgary as president of the organisation. My role as president is to ensure that the organization is profitable while making the world safer than yesterday with our solutions and services.
Outside of work, I volunteer in various charity organizations and non-governmental bodies. I am currently the president of Skyview Landing Condo Corporation, President of Etsako Association of Calgary (Local Association) and also the president of my Alma Mater Association in Canada.
My professional background and volunteer experience has equipped me with the skills needed to be an effective leader and collaborator. I am confident that my relevant skills and qualities would serve our association well and help us achieve our goals.
Thank you for considering my candidacy for Secretary of ASHSP. I am excited about the opportunity to serve our association and look forward to discussing my qualifications with you further.
Jason Dent is an experienced Health, Safety and Environmental Professional with over 25 years in the profession. Jason is knowledgeable in the areas of occupational safety, occupational hygiene, and environmental consulting.
As a consultant Jason has a wide variety of experience in a multitude of industries, including Commercial, Educational, Manufacturing, Transportation, Oil & Gas Processing, Mining, Construction, Health Care and Hospitality. Jason has worked with and consulted for companies ranging in size from those with under ten employees to national and international brands that operate in multiple countries
With this wide range of experience Jason has gained a unique view of how organizations see and treat safety, and the struggles organizations experience as their safety programs influenced by changing industry trends, socio economic values and worker ideologies grow and evolve.
As a member of the Alberta Society of Health and Safety Professionals, Jason was part of the practice review committee that influenced the development of guidelines for standardizing and regulating the hygiene profession in Alberta. Jason looks forward to the evolution of the ASHSP and is excited to continue working on the regulation of the profession in the Province.
As an OHS Professional Jennifer Abrantes has close to fifteen years of direct safety experience in many industries. Ms. Abrantes has thorough knowledge and expertise in ensuring compliance with OH&S Legislation, industry best practices, auditing, and safety management program
development/implementation. Ms. Abrantes is committed to professional development; certified by the Board of Registered Safety Professionals (CRSP), has a Gold Seal Certification by the Canadian Construction Association, and is a National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO).
With four children and her son working within the Alberta Trades, she is passionate about ensuring health and safety at the job site and home. Ms. Abrantes believes in developing a positive safety culture; her beliefs and values are active in our community. She is the presiding Chairperson of the Threads of Life – Edmonton Steps for Life and the Edmonton Regional Safety Committee (ERSC).
When it comes to occupational health and safety, Lacy Thurman, CRST, NCSO, believes that connections are key. Thurman values creating meaningful and organic connections with those around her to help make profound changes in the way we look at occupational health and safety. As a Senior COR Audit Analyst with the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA), she enjoys connecting with auditors on a human level to understand their health and safety management systems and to provide advice and insight to help them.
Thurman has been practicing occupational health and safety for the better part of seven years and is always excited to learn new concepts and ideas, as well as to engage in conversation with her peers. Currently, she is a Co-Chair on the Engagement Committee for the Alberta Society of Health and Safety Professionals (ASHSP) and is also a volunteer with the Education Committee for the Edmonton Chapter of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE). Thurman enjoys traveling the world and laughing with others, especially her daughters.
Rory Gibson is an independent health and safety professional based in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Rory holds a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation and is a certified external auditor through Energy Safety Canada. Rory is a former safety professional with the Government of Alberta and has a broad professional experience implementing health and safety programs in a number of industries including upstream oil and gas, mining and transportation. Rory has held the position of ASHSP Board Secretary since the 2017.
Spencer Matthes is a Senior Industrial Hygienist with EHS Partnerships with over 10 years of occupational health and safety experience. Mr. Matthes’ educational background includes a Bachelor of Management (B.Mgt) degree in Human Resource Management and Labour Relations and a Master of Science (M.S) degree in Occupational Health and Safety, specializing in Environmental Management. He is also a Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH), a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and an Environmental Professional (EP). Mr. Matthes is also in the process of completing his second Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Risk and Safety Management.
Over his 20-year working career, Mr. Matthes has gained extensive experience and expertise in loss control, exposure assessment, risk management, and work process overview. He has completed work in a variety of industries and sectors including industrial and heavy civil construction, manufacturing, renewable energy, mining, oil and gas, residential and commercial building industry, and institutional settings in Western Canada.
Kim Kimpe is a certified Occupational Health Nurse working in the manufacturing industry in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Kim has been a Registered Nurse for almost 30 years with varied acute care roles from floor staff to management. She also spent some time working with the provincial nursing regulatory body (CRNA) and has been working in Occupational Health for the past almost 7 years. She has been involved with the board of the Alberta Occupational Health Nurses of Alberta (AOHNA) since 2018 and currently holds the position of Vice Chair. She is honored to have a seat on the ASHSP Board and looks forward to working with them to move Occupational Health and Safety professionals into a new future.
Alex Mercer is an Industrial Hygienist (CIH, ROH) and current Operations Manager for JADA Solutions (HSE) Inc., which is a health, safety, and environmental consulting firm out of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada. Prior to entering the field of Industrial Hygiene, Alex studied and worked as a molecular microbiologist specializing in human viruses, earning both a Bachelor of Science (Hons, Memorial University) and Master of Science (U of A) in the field. Alex is actively involved in a variety of organizations and initiatives outside of her consulting work. She is the acting Vice President of the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (CRBOH) and a contributing member of the AIHA Exposure and Control Banding Committee. Alex is pleased to join the ASHSP Board and looks forward to an effective and collaborative relationship working towards bettering the field of Occupational Health and Safety in this province.