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
- Dave Quest, Chair, Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta and MLA, Strathcona
- Diana Anderson, North East Region
- Rosemarie Biggs, Edmonton and Area Region
- Diane Caleffi, Calgary and Area Region
- Dr. Al Cook, Alberta's universities
- Dr. Bill Forbes, Edmonton and Area Region
- Beverly Homeniuk, Edmonton and Area Region
- Laurie Lyckman, South Region
- Laurie Morris, Edmonton and Area Region
- Dawn Parent, Central Region
- Harjit S. Rai, Calgary and Area Region
Biographies
Dave Quest
Chair, Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta and MLA, Strathcona
Mr. Quest was elected to his first term as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Strathcona on March 3, 2008. In addition to his regular duties as an MLA Mr. Quest serves as a member of the following committees of the Legislative Assembly:
- Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund
- Standing Committee on Legislative Offices
- Standing Committee on Health
- Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing
- Select Special Auditor General Search Committee
Mr. Quest previously served as deputy chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and as a member of the Standing Committee on Private Bills.
Mr. Quest, carried Bill 46 the Stab Wound Gunshot and Mandatory Disclosure Act, 2009 and Bill 60 the Health Professions Amendment Act, 2009 through the Legislative process.
Prior to serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Mr. Quest was the general sales manager and shareholder of Petersen Pontiac and Beaverhill GMC dealerships.
Mr. Quest obtained a business diploma from NAIT in 1985 and served with the Better Business Bureau of Northern Alberta for 10 years, fulfilling various roles including director, chair and director of the Canadian council. As well, in 1997 he won a General Motors Dealer Award of Excellence.
Mr. Quest has been an active member of his community for nearly 30 years. During this time he fulfilled a variety of roles, including:
- Regional director of theElk Island provincial executive since 1998
- Involvement with Friends of the Games Fundraising Committee for the 2007 Western Canada Summer Games
- Coaching a Sherwood Park minor soccer team from 2002 to 2006.
Mr. Quest also has his private pilot’s licence and completed the Edmonton half marathon in 2007.
He and his wife, Fiona, live in Sherwood Park with their son Jack and two dogs.
[ Back to top ]
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.
[ Back to top ]
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.
[ Back to top ]
Diane Caleffi
Calgary and Area Region
Diane Caleffi began her career with the Calgary Police Service as an executive secretary in the Field Operations and Tactical Support sections and with Olympic Security for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. She now runs her own business providing executive and personal assistant services.
She has served as a member of Executive Women International, as a safety officer for Calgary West Little League and as a volunteer with the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter Turning Points Dinners.
Currently, Mrs. Caleffi is a board member with the Calgary Health Region. She is also an advisory member for the Manor at Garrison Woods.
Mrs. Caleffi became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2004.
[ Back to top ]
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.
[ Back to top ]
Dr. Bill Forbes
Edmonton and Area Region
Dr. Bill Forbes has worked in a variety of positions with seniors. Through his involvement with the Capital Health region, an education board and a variety of associations, he has met many older Albertans and understands their concerns.
Dr. Forbes has also served as president of three Canadian community colleges and has volunteered with numerous community, provincial and national not-for-profit associations.
Dr. Forbes became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2004.
[ Back to top ]
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.
[ Back to top ]
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.
[ Back to top ]
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.
[ Back to top ]
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.
[ Back to top ]
Harjit S. Rai
Calgary and Area Region
Harjit Rai is especially interested in assisting elderly people and believes seniors can be active and healthy community members. Mr. Rai is also a strong supporter of cross-cultural relations. He served as a director for the Calgary Multicultural Centre and as president of the Sikh Society of Calgary. He remains actively involved with Calgary’s Sikh Society and the Deshmesh Culture Centre.
Born and raised in India, Mr. Rai has worked in the general insurance, life insurance and real estate fields. He has been a real estate broker in Calgary for more than 20 years.
His commitment to the community was recognized with an Alberta Centennial Medal.
Mr. Rai became a member of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta in 2006.
[ Back to top ]
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.
