Council Members
The chair of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta is a Member of the Legislative Assembly, appointed by the Premier.
Council members represent the entire province based on six regions, in addition to a representative from the Alberta Medical Association and another from Alberta's universities. They are appointed by Order in Council.
Members
- Alana DeLong, Chair, Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta and MLA, Calgary-Bow
- Diana Anderson, North East Region
- Rosemarie Biggs, Edmonton and Area Region
- Dr. Al Cook, Alberta's universities
- Dr. John Guy Gokiert, Alberta Medical Association
- Sally Heinen, Northwestern Region
- Beverly Homeniuk, Edmonton and Area Region
- Simon Lee, Calgary and Area Region
- Vincent Leung, Calgary and Area Region
- Laurie Lyckman, South Region
- Jane Manning, Northwestern Region
- Laurie Morris, Edmonton and Area Region
- Dawn Parent, Central Region
- Gail Parks, Central Region
- Linda Scheibner, Calgary and Area Region
- Margaret Usherwood, Calgary and Area Region
Biographies
Alana DeLong
Chair, Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta and MLA, Calgary-Bow
Alana DeLong was elected to her third term on March 3, 2008, as a Member of the Legislative Assembly representing the Constituency of Calgary-Bow. In addition, Alana also serves as the Parlimentry Assistant to the Minister of Seniors and is currently a member of the Cabinet Policy Committe for Public Health and Safety.
Ms. DeLong has been a Member on each of the following Committees: Cabinet Policy Committee on Health; Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund; Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing. Alana serves as the Government Liaison of the Alberta Innovates–Health Solutions Committee. As well, she is Chair of the Calgary Caucus Sub-Committee on Business and the Economy. She is also assigned to the Pacific North West Economic Region Committee where she co-chaired the 2010 PNWER Calgary Summit Host Committee. Additionally, Ms. DeLong actively participates in all Cabinet Policy Committees.
Born in Nelson, British Columbia, Ms. Alana DeLong obtained her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in mathematics with a minor in theatre from the University of British Columbia. She then moved to Calgary, where she attended courses at the University of Calgary, Master’s in Computer Science Program.
Ms. DeLong has more than 20 years of experience in the field of information technology and has worked for many leading high-tech computer firms in Calgary, serving as President of Sterlingrock Systems Incorporated. Alana was also the first female computer mainframe salesman with Sperry Univac. She was also the first female marketing manager with Canadian General Electric.
An active member of her community, some of Ms. DeLong’s past contributions have been as President of Tuesday Nooners Toastmasters and as a singer with the Calgary Opera Chorus. She has campaigned extensively for the Red Cross Society, the Cancer Fund, the Heart and Stroke Fund, Flowers of Hope, and various municipal, national and provincial elections. She hosted a TV ski program and has been an actress with Theatre Calgary.
For more than 30 years, Ms. DeLong has called the community of Bowness home where she resides in a log home that she built for her family. Alana enjoys the outdoors and has hiked the province’s mountains and canoed most of the rivers in southern Alberta.
Alana DeLong is married to Dennis Beck. Together they have two grown children, Samantha and James.
Diana Anderson
North East Region
Diana Anderson has spent most of her career working to improve the quality of life for seniors and to dispel myths about aging.
Ms. Anderson was the president of the Alberta Council on Aging and chaired the policy advisory and health committees. She has also served on the Lakeland Health Authority board and on the steering committee to implement accommodation standards for supportive living facilities.
Ms. Anderson has developed outreach programs for long-term care residents, worked with pastoral care groups and taught post-graduate courses in gerontology. She currently leads a program that brings youth and seniors together.
Her community service was recognized with the awarding of an Alberta Centennial Medal.
Ms. Anderson became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2007.
Rosemarie Biggs
Edmonton and Area Region
Rosemarie Biggs was a community pharmacist when she started a home visit program for seniors. She used her prescription deliveries as an opportunity to discuss with seniors their medications and how to take them properly.
Her community and professional involvement includes serving as president of the Alberta Pharmaceutical Association in 1996. She was re-elected as the association’s president in 1998.
Mrs. Biggs has also spoken nationally and internationally, and has received several awards in recognition of her work. The awards include the Canadian Pharmacists' Association's Pharmacist Care of Older Persons Award and the Pride of Strathcona Award for her dedication to patients' well-being.
Ms. Biggs became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2007.
Dr. Al Cook
Alberta's universities
Dr. Cook specializes in assistive device technology and is currently researching the use of robots to develop and reveal cognitive and language abilities in children who have severe disabilities.
He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Colorado and his masters in Bioengineering as well as his doctorate from the University of Wyoming.
In addition to being associated with the Assistive Device Service at the Glenrose Hospital, Dr. Cook has served as Co-Director of the Assistive Device Center at California State University.
Dr. Cook is a Professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at the University of Alberta. He was dean of Rehabilitation Medicine from 1994-2007. Dr. Cook serves on several committees for Alberta Health & Wellness and the local Capital Health Authority.
Dr. Cook became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2008.
Dr. John Guy Gokiert
Alberta Medical Association
Westlock, Alberta
Dr. Gokiert was born in southern Manitoba and moved to the Edmonton area with his family where he attended the University of Alberta. After medical school, he moved to Westlock, Alberta with his wife, Susan, where they had three children and where Dr. Gokiert ran a general practice until his retirement in 2009. During his career, Dr. Gokiert worked with the Alberta Medical Association (President in 1994-1995), the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Medical Protective Association.
Dr. Gokiert has always been interested in all aspects of medicine, particularly the care of the elderly. He was involved as president of the Medical Staff at both the acute care hospital and a long term care facility in Westlock as well as a Medical Examiner for the province. Dr. Gokiert was also a teacher for both Medical Students and Family Medicine residents at the University of Alberta.
Dr. Gokiert became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2010.
Sally Heinen
Northwestern Region
Sally Heinen is enthusiastic about promoting seniors to be active participants in all aspects of their communities. She has chaired and volunteered on the Community Services Board, which supported a Home Support Program for seniors, enabling them to live in their own homes as long as possible.
Mrs. Heinen’s love of children led her to spend the last twenty years in the school system, where she spent many hours volunteering with the students on special projects or with minor sports like hockey. She also chaired and volunteered with many Parent Advisory Councils – sometimes on three at a time.
Mrs. Heinen has developed an immense passion for seniors, mostly from her family members. She grew up watching her grandparents manoeuvre through retirement. And now, her parents are in their eighties and are still working and loving it. All of this has helped Mrs. Heinen to realize her belief that seniors continue to have an important role in our society.
Mrs. Heinen became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2011.
Beverly Homeniuk
Willingdon, Edmonton and Area Region
Beverly Homeniuk has served on several boards, committees and organizations at district, regional and provincial levels in the Vegreville region.
She has also been an outreach worker with the Vegreville Health Unit, where she developed and implemented visiting programs for the elderly and homebound. Most recently, she served in an administrative position with the provincial government where a large part of her role involved providing support and assistance to seniors.
In 1998, Mrs. Homeniuk was awarded the Northeast 4-H Region Award of Distinction for volunteer leadership, and her family received the Edmonton Northlands/Alberta Motor Association Farm Family Award in 2001.
Mrs. Homeniuk became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2007.
Simon Lee
Calgary and Area Region
Simon Lee is passionate about serving seniors. Mr. Lee’s desire to contribute to the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta stems from his experience with his grandmother, who passed away this last year. Mr. Lee believes that the province of Alberta contributed a great deal to enhance his grandmother’s quality of life.
Mr. Lee is a Chartered Accountant, and has experience in the housing and seniors' industry as the Finance Manager of the Calgary Housing Company, and as the Chief Administrative Officer of MCF Housing for Seniors.
Mr. Lee has also served on the Alberta Senior Citizens’ Housing Association board, which is the leading association for advocating seniors housing in Alberta.
Mr. Lee became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2011.
Vincent Leung
Calgary and Area Region
Vincent W. Leung is a Chartered Accountant and a passionate leader about seniors care and wellness in his community.
Mr. Leung was instrumental in the founding the Wing Kei Care Centre in Calgary—the first Chinese nursing home to provide culturally and dietary appropriate programming to its residents. Since the beginning of its operations in 2005, the Wing Kei Care Centre has won acclaims in meeting provincial and national standards.
During Mr. Leung’s term as a member of the Senate at the University of Calgary, he participated actively with local and international communities.
Mr. Leung was the recipient of the Alberta Centennial Award in 2005 and the International Achievement Award from the University of Calgary in 2006.
Mr. Leung became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2010.
Laurie Lyckman
South Region
Laurie Lyckman is very familiar with issues important to seniors, their caregivers and families. Now the director of care for a seniors lodge, she is keenly interested in how best to improve the quality of life of seniors and help them understand the options and opportunities available to them.
Mrs. Lyckman also helps fundraise for several health foundations and has been an executive member of the Lodge Activity Coordinators Association of Alberta for 13 years.
In 2005, Mrs. Lyckman received an Alberta Centennial Medal for her contributions to the community.
Mrs. Lyckman became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2006.
Jane Manning
Northwestern Region
Jane Manning is a Registered Nurse and a board member of the Wapiti Community Dorm Society, which manages the Rotary House Emergency Shelter in Grande Prairie.
Ms. Manning is also a member of the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta Continuing Competence Committee, the Alberta Secretariat for Action on Homelessness, and the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Northwest Region Board.
Until she retired in 2007, Ms. Manning also held the position of Vice-President of Regional Health Services for the Peace Country Health Region.
Ms. Manning became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2011.
Laurie Morris
Edmonton and Area Region
Laurie Morris is a clinical social worker employed at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton, and works primarily in the area of geriatrics. She has extensive contact with seniors, their caregivers and families. An area of interest and clinical focus for Laurie is dementia and capacity assessment.
Over the years, Laurie has been involved in a volunteer capacity with her professional association, with community social service agencies/organizations, with school parent advisory councils, and with sports/recreation events and associations.
Laurie became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2009.
Dawn Parent
Central Region
Dawn Parent has worked with several organizations, boards and commissions. She has also been a Lacombe town councillor for the past 17 years and has served on the Lacombe Foundation Board. Her work with seniors and housing authority boards and experiences caring for aging parents sparked her interest in working with seniors.
After retiring from her account manager position with a national bank, Mrs. Parent entered the real estate sales business, where she continues to work. She is also a board member with the Persons with Development Disabilities Central Region Board and the Alberta College of Medical Lab Technologists board.
Mrs. Parent became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2005.
Gail Parks
Central Region
Gail Parks is proud to serve seniors, through her work, on the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta.
For the past 40 years Mrs. Parks has been a voice for seniors through her work and volunteer efforts in politics. Working as a constituency assistant for provincial and federal members led her to seek her own elected position on the City of Red Deer City Council. Mrs. Parks has served in municipal government for 12 years. She began this journey as a volunteer in campaign offices, then moved to campaign manager. All her roles have been very rewarding, and the most important of all was learning to speak for those who could not speak for themselves.
Mrs. Parks has been a canvasser for the Canadian Diabetes Association, Heart & Stroke Foundation & Canadian Cancer Society for a number of years. This volunteer work is important to her as these diseases have touched her family.
Mrs. Parks sees that many of the issues facing today’s seniors were the same issues her parents faced. With an abiding respect for a resource that is valuable and treasured, she is pleased to have this opportunity to be involved in helping seniors.
Mrs. Parks became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2011.
Linda Scheibner
Calgary and Area Region
Linda Scheibner has a genuine respect and interest in the issues that arise for seniors in the province, and she looks forward to being able to provide another voice for Alberta's rural and urban senior's populations. Mrs. Scheibner has served on many different boards and committees within the hamlet of Gem and the County of Newell, such as: Gem FCSS, the Gem library board, 4H, Newell Further Education Council and the Gem Community Association.
Mrs. Scheibner completed a Community and Youth Leadership program at Lethbridge College, and is very active in her community. She and her husband own and operate a farm and feedlot, where she enjoys the benefits and challenges that are associated with farming and the rural way of life.
Mrs. Scheibner became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2010.
Margaret Usherwood
Calgary and Area Region
Margaret Usherwood began her career as a Registered Nurse, specializing in Intensive Care at a major urban hospital. She completed studies in Marketing at Ryerson University in Toronto while working as a clinical researcher in the pharmaceutical industry. Mrs. Usherwood has held the position of Senior Product Manager for medical capital equipment companies, and has also been published in medical journals.
Mrs. Usherwood has a number of years of experience working with seniors in the province, in home care and seniors housing. As a partner in U2 Consulting, she provided market research and consulting for elder service and seniors housing markets. Mrs. Usherwood also has a Gerontology Certificate from the University of Calgary.
Mrs. Unsherwood is the Client Service Manager at Carewest, and volunteers her time on many boards that focus on seniors, including the Seniors Housing Forum, the Alberta Association for Gerontology and the Women In Aging Society.
Mrs. Usherwood became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2011.
Regional Map
The regional structure was developed by the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta to maximize its resources and the location of council members. A 
detailed map with community names is also available.
