Calgary Chamber Announces 2023 Board of Directors

Calgary, January 17, 2023 – The Calgary Chamber is pleased to announce the appointment of Julia Irwin, Dr. Misheck Mwaba and Greg Peterson to the Board of Directors, serving for a three-year term. The Chamber is also pleased to welcome Jason Hatcher as our new Vice-Chair and incoming Board Chair in 2024.

"We are thrilled to welcome these leaders to the Board, as their unique backgrounds will be instrumental in advancing the Chamber and our vision of a successful business community in the city," says Desiree Bombenon, Chair of the Board. "I want to thank our outgoing board members Brent Cooper, Jenn Lofgren and Cheryl Hacking for their meaningful contributions and dedication to the Chamber. "

"We are very excited to welcome our new board members who represent important segments of our economy and will support our initiatives to advance the Chamber's work in Calgary's business community," says Deborah Yedlin, President and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. "I look forward to working with our new board members as we continue to grow the Chamber's impact in the city."

Julia Irwin, CPHR, MHRM

Julia Irwin is the Director of people and culture at Viridian. She has over 10 years of diverse human resources experience building strong leadership and creating HR processes and policies that support a company’s vision. Her background has been centered on introducing new initiatives to focus leadership on people and driving business goals. Ms. Irwin holds a Master's in Human Resources Management from Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr. Misheck Mwaba

Dr. Misheck Mwaba is the President and CEO of Bow Valley College. Dr. Mwaba is a strong advocate for academic excellence in teaching and learning, as well as in research and innovation. Before joining Bow Valley College, he was the Dean of Media, Trades, and Technology at Niagara College in Ontario. His professional experiences include designing experimental facilities and managing research and development projects at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and teaching at several post-secondary. Dr. Mwaba currently sits on the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), which funds visionaries, explorers, and innovators searching for the scientific and technical breakthroughs that will benefit Canada.

Greg Peterson

Greg Peterson is a Senior Partner at Gowling WLG and head of the firm's Corporate Finance, M&A and Private Equity Group in the firm's Calgary office. He is also the national co-leader of the firm's Governance, Activism & Investigations Group. Recognized as leader in his field by Chambers Canada and Legal 500, Mr. Peterson focuses his practice on complex public and private corporate and commercial matters. In November 2022, Mr. Peterson was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of the time he spent playing CFL football with the Calgary Stampeders and more recently, giving back to the sport through his community involvement. He currently is the president of the Greater Calgary Amateur Football Association and the president of the Calgary Spring Football Association.

Jason Hatcher

Jason Hatcher is the Managing Principal of Navigator and leads the Western Canadian operations. He specializes in strategic communications, media relations, issues management, and government relations. Before joining Navigator, Mr. Hatcher was the co-founder and president of a successful public relations firm in Calgary, emerging as one of Canada’s leading professionals in the field of strategic communications. In his role as Managing Principal of Navigator’s Western Canadian operations, Mr. Hatcher leads business development for the region while also managing a team in three offices (Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver). He works with clients in the telecommunications, technology, health, agriculture, finance and energy sectors to enhance their public profiles through communication, stakeholder consultation, and government advocacy strategies.

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 2023 will be:

• Desiree Bombenon, Board Chair; President and CEO, SureCall
• Jason Hatcher, Vice Chair and incoming Board Chair; Managing Principal, Navigator
• Connor Curran, Co-owner, Local Laundry
• Darren Engels, Founder and Chief Engagement Officer, Tailwind Associates Inc.
• Neeraj Gupta, Chief Strategy Officer, Attabotics
• Kelsey Hahn, CEO and Co-Founder, Monark Inc.
• Anne Harding, Founder, Forum Community Relations Inc.
• Julia Irwin, Director, Viridian Family Office
• Ken Keelor, CEO, Calgary Co-op
• Dr. Misheck Mwaba, President and CEO, Bow Valley College
• Lara Murphy, Co-Founder, Ryan Murphy Construction
• Greg Peterson, Partner Head, Calgary Corporate Finance, M&A and Private Equity Group, Gowling WLG
• Mike Shaw, Senior Vice President & General Manager, ATCO Energy Solutions
• Scott Wenger, Director of Government Relations, Suncor
  
  
  

About the Calgary Chamber of Commerce

The Calgary Chamber exists to help businesses thrive. As the convenor and catalyst for a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous business community, the Chamber works to build strength and resilience among its members and position Calgary as a magnet for talent, diversification, and opportunity. As an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization, we build on our 131-year history to serve and advocate for businesses of all sizes, in all sectors, and across the city.

For media inquiries, please contact Shannon Hazlett, Senior Public Relations Advisor, at media@calgarychamber.com.