Council Members

Mr. Marlin Styner - Chair

Marlin Styner of Red Deer has volunteered and worked within the disability community since 1981. He has been a member of several different committees that deal with disability issues such as the Canadian Paraplegic Association Advocacy Committee, the Provincial Barrier-Free Transportation Committee, the Spinal Cord Injury Collaboration Initiative, the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transportation (National) and the Alberta Disability Coalition. He has been an advocate for persons with disabilities and is a public speaker on such topics as injury prevention, motivation, universal design and barrier-free access, transition and living with a disability, and disability and travel.

Mr. Fred Horne – Deputy Chair

Fred Horne was elected to his first term as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Edmonton-Rutherford on March 3, 2008. In addition to his regular duties as MLA, Mr. Horne serves as chair of the Standing Committee on Health and is a member of the Cabinet Policy Committee on Health, and the Agenda and Priorities Committee.

Prior to serving with the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Mr. Horne worked as a health policy consultant for over 25 years, leading many initiatives to improve access and quality in Canadian public health care. He has worked extensively with provincial governments, regional health authorities, health professional bodies, and national and international research organizations.

Mr. Dan Bojarski

Dan Bojarski is from St. Brides, near St. Paul. He is a businessman who has demonstrated capacity and success for hiring employees who have a variety of disabilities. Dan likes to describe how these employees have also become his friends. As a result of his experiences, Dan promotes inclusive employment practices. He is an industrial engineering technologist and is a director of the St. Paul & District Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Bryce Clarke

Bryce Clarke of Ardrossan works as a police officer with the Edmonton Police Service and has done so for the past ten years. Bryce has become proficient at public speaking and conflict resolution through his work. He has been honorary chair of the Edmonton Rick Hanson Wheels in Motion event for the past two years. He is also involved in the University of Alberta’s Steadward Center F.E.S. program. As a quadriplegic, Bryce brings to the Council his experiences related to living with a disability in a rural area.

Mr. Mike Hambly

Mike Hambly of Calgary currently works with the Canadian Paraplegic Association in which his role is to decrease barriers for people with disabilities in the area of employment and to help individuals find work. He is a member of a number of committees, such as the Access Calgary Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee on Accessibility, and many other related disability committees. Mr. Hambly brings a unique perspective in both having a dual disability—being totally blind and a paraplegic—and working for a disability organization. He also has a guide dog that has been specifically trained to guide him in his manual wheelchair. He is self-employed through his business, Braille It, which converts information into Braille.

Dr. John Latter

Dr. John Latter is from Calgary and is currently a professor and head of the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Calgary in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences. Dr. Latter’s career includes many years of dedication and he has a special interest in the interests and needs of children and youth with physical disabilities.

Mr. Greg McMeekin

Greg McMeekin, born and raised in Calgary, was the first person with a severe physical disability to be integrated into the regular school system in Calgary. Through hard work and determination, Greg graduated from high school and went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Mass Communications from Carleton University. He has carried those values into his future aspirations and achievements.

Greg has worked with the City of Calgary Parks and Recreation - Recreational Services for the Disabled. He is a former member of the Accessible Housing Society of Calgary Board of Directors and is a member of the Calgary HandiBus Board of Directors, and also a member of the Calgary HandiBus Fund Development Committee. Greg is also a member of the Calgary Health Region Seating Clinic Advisory Committee. He is proud to be a member of organizations that work to enhance the lives of Calgarians with disabilities and considers it an honour and privilege to serve Albertans with disabilities.

Mr. Austin Mardon

Austin Mardon of Edmonton has been a member of several different committees over the years, including the Edmonton Public Library, the Alberta Disabilities Forum, the Edmonton Clubhouse Society, the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta (Edmonton Chapter) and the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta (Provincial Chapter). He lives with a mental illness and believes that the inclusion of people with mental illnesses in the community is important and can substantially improve the quality of life of persons who live with a severe mental illness. In October of 2007, Austin was invested with the Order of Canada for Mental Health Advocacy.

Ms. Diane Ridley

Diane Ridley of Thorsby brings a cross-disability perspective to the Premier's Council and a wide range of experience with issues that affect persons with disabilities living in rural areas, such as transportation and isolation. She has served on several different boards at the municipal level and has extensive experience with numerous government programs including Handicapped Children's Services (currently called "Family Support for Children with Disabilities"), Alberta Aids to Daily Living, and Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH). Diane also has a personal commitment to advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities as her daughter, now a young adult, has had a disability since birth.

Mr. Brad Robertson

Brad Robertson of Calgary has been a strong advocate of people with disabilities through the Disability Action Hall for the past seven years. Brad has a developmental disability-pervasive developmental disorder and an obsessive compulsive disorder. He has been a client advocate for the Calgary Society of Persons with Disabilities and has also been involved with Boy Scouts as a Beaver leader for the past 17 years. He has worked as a self-employed courier in Calgary for the past six years and a courier for a reproduction company in Calgary for nine years. Brad is a very thoughtful person, with a great memory and is very committed to the improvement of services for all Albertans with disabilities.

Ms. Amber Skoog

Amber Skoog of Stirling, near Lethbridge, lives with reduced vision. Amber has a Nursing Assistant Certificate, a Phlebotomy Certificate and a Business Administration Certificate. She has considerable work experience with seniors and persons with disabilities. She currently works as an alternate format editor and educational assistant with the Lethbridge College. Amber is a good listener, has very good communication skills and is knowledgeable and dedicated to assisting those with disabilities.

Mrs. Kuen Tang

Kuen Tang of Edmonton currently works as a client services coordinator with the Canadian Paraplegic Association. Kuen also creates logos, letterers graphic novels, and works with wood. She has previously taught computer skills to people with disabilities and at-risk youth at the Ability Society of Alberta.

Kuen brings to the Council her experiences volunteering at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, where she demonstrated life-management skills during Spinal Cord Injury Week and Children's Wheelchair Camp. Kuen has been recognized for her ground-breaking graduation from the University of Alberta, earning a Bachelor of Elementary Education. She continues to demonstrate that it is possible for a person with quadriplegia to achieve great success.

Ms. Pamela Wagner

Pamela Wagner is from Medicine Hat. She is currently the associate executive director of the REDI Enterprises Society, a non-profit organization that specializes in employment for adults with disabilities and other Albertans who require employment assistance, as well as support to individuals to live and participate as community members. Pamela has many years of progressive responsibilities in the field and has a passion for work in this area. She sits on the Canadian Council of Rehabilitation and Work, among other volunteer responsibilities.

Ms. Tammy Winder

Tammy Winder of Lethbridge brings a parent’s perspective to disabilities as she has a daughter with severe hearing loss combined with developmental and medical challenges. Tammy has worked for over 20 years with a people who have a wide range of cultural backgrounds and disabling conditions, such as mental health illnesses, depressive and anxiety disorders, visual and hearing impairments, and developmental disabilities. Tammy is well known for being a strong advocate for people who require services, and has provided her counselling expertise in the areas of finances, employment, education, crisis intervention, and life and social skills. Tammy currently works as an outreach worker with Chinook Health Seniors Mental Health Outreach.

Ms. Carmen Wyton

Carmen Wyton of St. Albert is currently the president and CEO of Special Olympics Alberta. Carmen has also been the president and executive director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society (Alberta Division), the director of development for the Arthritis Society (Alberta and NWT Division), the managing director of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the executive director of the Southeast Edmonton Seniors Association. Carmen is well known and respected for her knowledge of and commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities. She is recognized for her ability to develop relationships with all stakeholders and applying innovative programming to meet the needs of organizations and clients. She is also well known nationally for the many talents she brings to the Council. As Carmen herself has MS, she also brings to the Council the perspective of having a progressive disability.