ACSA 2024 Conference Speakers
Keynote speakers
Kevin Rempel is a 2014 Canadian Paralympic bronze medalist in sledge hockey and an inspiring speaker. Paralyzed at 23 in a dirt bike accident, Kevin fought to overcome his ensuing depression, learn how to walk again, and rebuild his health and career. Today, he shares his journey, helping leaders cultivate confidence, adopt healthy and consistent behaviours, and accept radical responsibility to successfully navigate change.
At ACSA’s 2024 Conference, Kevin will bridge the conversation from last year’s conference on psychological health and safety with this year’s focus on safety and business excellence.
Randy Spracklin is co-owner of Newfound Builders and star of HGTV Canada’s Rock Solid Builds. As a third-generation homebuilder, Randy brings his artistic flair, deep-rooted community values, and exceptional workmanship to his thriving business. With his talented team of masters and rookies, Randy tackles Newfoundland’s environment and industry challenges with creativity and excellence.
At ACSA’s 2024 Conference, Randy will share his insights on industry challenges and potential solutions, including on the critical issue of high injuries to first-year workers.
Breakout session hosts
Melissa Garland, Government of Alberta (Day #1) – Industry Learning from Serious Incidents: Road Construction Incident/Residential Roofing Fatality
Melissa Garland is a highly experienced professional with expertise in various public welfare sectors. She specializes in federal security, emergency preparedness, business continuity, risk and mitigation, disaster response, environmental and occupational health and safety.
As an investigation specialist in the Investigation Resolution Unit of Occupational Health and Safety with the Alberta Ministry of Jobs, Economy, and Trade, she plays a key role in workplace fatality investigations and prosecutions and oversees the creative sentencing program. Melissa is dedicated to promoting safety and ensuring the welfare of workers.
Tracy With, Y Station, (Day #1) – Modernizing of COR and SECOR: Engagement and Consultation
Tracy With, Partner, Chief of Evaluation & Research, has managed hundreds of assignments in her 25+ years in the industry, including extensive industry, stakeholder and employee engagement, and research. She leads Y Station’s support to ACSA.
This session will be facilitated by Tracy With and Nickela Anderson from Y Station Communications and Research. We are an Alberta-based firm with decades of experience in public engagement, research, evaluation and communications. We gather insights – connecting decision-makers and their communities. We are a firm committed to seeking opinions and perspectives, diving deeper in our discussions with stakeholders and leaders to inform critical decision-making. Y Station is supporting ACSA with stakeholder consultation for the COR Modernization project from 2024 to 2026.
Michael Fears, CIMA+, (Day #1) – Improving Safety by (Sort Of) Eliminating Rewards
Michael Fears has twenty years of occupational health and safety experience across a wide range of industries, including construction, oil and gas, education, and healthcare. He is a seasoned TapRooT investigator and has been a COR® auditor across several provinces. A recovering academic, he has studied and taught at universities and institutes in Calgary, Ottawa, and Moscow.
He has been a long-time contract instructor with the University of Calgary in the Occupational Health & Safety program and sits on an examination committee for the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals. Michael is based in Calgary, Alberta and is a senior safety manager with a national engineering firm.
Mark Greene, Government of Alberta, (Day #2) – Understanding Triggers and Controls for Workplace Violence/Harassment
Mark Greene is a published author, playwright, and lawyer. Since 2001, Mark has worked for Alberta Justice, where he is currently lead civil legal counsel for Occupational Health and Safety. He also provides advice to government departments on occupational health and safety issues. Mark has practiced in environmental law, transportation safety law, family law (family protection), and was legal counsel to the Law Enforcement Review Board.
Mark has taught at the University of Alberta, including the Occupational Health and Safety Law, the OHS Human Rights, Violence and Harassment in the Workplace, and Professional Ethics.
Gordon Walsh, Energy Safety Canada, (Day #2) – Working Safely in Confined Spaces: A Case Study
Gordon Walsh has over 20 years of experience in health and safety, currently serving as a principal consultant at Energy Safety Canada (ESC). Before starting a career in safety, Gordon worked in various industries including excavation, construction, and underground mining.
The 1992 Westray Mine disaster in Nova Scotia, where Gordon assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts, profoundly shaped his understanding of workplace safety. Over the past four years, he has focused on Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) and Safety Differently, collaborating with industry experts to advance these concepts. Gordon is an experienced safety instructor and conference presenter, and serves on the Construction Safety Research Alliance (CSRA) Safety Culture research project.
Christopher Spasoff, F2 Legal Counsel, (Day #2) – Demonstrating Due Diligence in Case of an Incident
Christopher Spasoff is one of a handful of lawyers with experience on both sides of the OH&S regulatory regime, as both an OH&S Crown Prosecutor and OH&S Defence Lawyer. Sought for his practical, easy-to understand advice and common-sense approach to problem solving, he left the Crown in 2014 to establish F2 Legal Counsel, which is the first and only law firm in Western Canada exclusively dedicated to the practice of occupational health and safety law.
As an advisor to employers on a variety of OH&S issues, former sessional instructor with the University of Alberta, and host of the weekly “Friday Morning Muster” webinar series on everything and anything OH&S related, he is passionate about sharing
Heidi Jamieson, Alberta Construction Safety Association, (Day #1) – Contractor Management Simplified: A 3-Step Approach to Safer Worksites, (Day #2) – Working Safely in Confined Spaces: A Case Study
Heidi Jamieson got her early start in health and safety from environmental work in oil and gas before spending most of her career in the construction industry. As a very passionate health and safety leader, Heidi understands risk management. She has brought that passion to thousands of others through her current role as Manager of Course Design and Delivery with the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA).
“I look forward to sharing my knowledge about risk management, specifically the process involved with contractor management, from selecting, implementing, monitoring and evaluating and its importance to workplace safety,” Heidi says.
Outside of work, Heidi enjoys quiet moments with her family, their dogs and her horses.
Brooke Ducharme, Government of Alberta, (Day #1) – Industry Learning from Serious Incidents: Road Construction Incident/Residential Roofing Fatality
Brooke Ducharme is a seasoned health and safety professional with technical expertise in public welfare legislation, emergency management, investigations and criminal justice. As an investigations manager and lead investigator for Occupational Health and Safety with the Alberta Ministry of Jobs, Economy, and Trade, she is responsible for managing OHS reportable incident investigations and prosecutions.
Brooke is a committed public servant focused on providing thorough OHS investigations, enforcing legislation and enhancing health and safety for Albertans.
Philip Stack, University of Alberta, (Day #2) – Embedding Safety Culture: A Case Study
Philip Stack recently retired as Director, Health, Safety & Environment at the University of Alberta and now serves as special advisor to the associate vice-president of Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment.