Teams category: Board of Directors

Gabriela Valenzuela was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in June 2026.

Gabriela is Clinical Manager of Psychological Assessment Services at Homewood Health and has worked extensively in both private practice and public sector settings.

With more than 20 years of experience as a registered psychologist, she brings significant expertise in mental health, psychological assessment, quality assurance, risk evaluation, and evidence-based practice. Throughout her career, she has worked across a variety of clinical and educational environments, including private practice, the Calgary Board of Education, and as a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary.

She holds a Master of Arts degree and has been a registered psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists since 2002. Since 2025, she has also been registered with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario.

Her governance experience as a board member with Minds Over Matter Mental Health Society, combined with her expertise in assessment, system navigation, and mental healthcare, brings valuable perspectives to the Health Quality Alberta’s work in advancing person-centred care, quality improvement, and equitable health services.

Dr. Jennifer Knopp-Sihota was appointed to Health Quality Alberta’s Board of Directors in June 2026.

Dr. Knopp-Sihota is professor and program director of the Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner program at Athabasca University. She also practises as a nurse practitioner, providing primary care to remote Indigenous communities across northern Alberta.

She brings more than 20 years of experience spanning clinical practice, health system leadership, research, quality improvement, and post-secondary education. Her expertise includes health services evaluation, implementation of evidence into practice, and collaboration with healthcare organizations, regulators, and government partners to improve quality and patient outcomes.
Dr. Knopp-Sihota has led numerous health services research and quality improvement initiatives focused on patient safety, healthcare quality, and system performance. Her work has contributed to advancing evidence-informed decision-making across the healthcare sector.

She holds a PhD in Nursing from the University of Alberta and is a licensed nurse practitioner.

In addition to her academic and clinical leadership roles, Dr. Knopp-Sihota serves as Chair of a national Canadian Institutes of Health Research peer-review committee and has held numerous governance and advisory positions supporting continuous improvement within Canada’s healthcare system.

Her combined expertise as a clinician, researcher, educator, and health system leader brings a strong evidence-informed perspective to Health Quality Alberta’s efforts to improve quality, safety, and health outcomes for Albertans.

Jordan Hokanson was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in June 2026.

Jordan is President and Chief Executive Officer of Hokanson Capital Inc., where he leads investment strategies across the real estate, energy, and agriculture sectors.
A seasoned business leader and investor, he brings extensive experience in corporate governance, private equity, and large-scale asset management, risk oversight, and strategic planning.
Throughout his career, he has guided complex investment portfolios and advised organizations navigating growth, change, and long-term sustainability.

Jordan has served on numerous boards in both the private and non-profit sectors and has been actively involved in community leadership. His governance experience includes leadership roles with the Alberta Cancer Foundation and Telus World of Science Edmonton.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alberta, a Bachelor of Arts from Western University, and a diploma in Petroleum Engineering Technology from NAIT.
His strong financial expertise, governance experience, and commitment to community service provide valuable oversight and strategic insight in support of the Health Quality Alberta mandate to advance quality across the provincial healthcare system.

Joy Abu was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in June 2026.

Joy is a registered nurse with Recovery Alberta, where she contributes extensive frontline expertise in risk assessment, crisis intervention, and multidisciplinary care coordination.

She brings more than 26 years of nursing experience and a deep commitment to person-centred care, quality, and safety in complex healthcare systems. She has practised across three countries and three continents, with broad clinical experience in psychiatric emergency, acute mental health and addiction, oncology, paediatrics, developmental disability, complex care, seniors care, community, and long-term care.

Throughout her career, Joy has been a strong advocate for patients and families, drawing on both global and local healthcare experience to advance compassionate, safe, and equitable care.

In addition to her registration with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta, Joy is a registered midwife and has completed professional development in dementia care, addictions, crisis prevention, abuse prevention, and suicide prevention.

Her breadth of clinical experience, commitment to quality improvement, and patient-centred approach bring a valuable perspective to Health Quality Alberta’s work to improve health outcomes and experiences for Albertans.

Angus Watt was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in June 2024 and has served as Chair since October 1, 2025.

Angus is a Senior Wealth Advisor, National Bank Financial, and Founding Partner of the Angus Watt Advisory Group.

A dedicated and passionate community builder, Angus has founded, led, or co-led dozens of major community initiatives, including the most recent Cross Cancer Institute fundraising campaign that raised over $30 million for this Edmonton facility.

In addition, Angus was past Treasurer for the Lieutenant Governor’s Circle of Mental Health, past board member of University of Alberta Senate, and past Co-Chair of the University of Alberta Senate Student Mental Health Endowment. He also served as Chair to The Support Network and The Support Network Foundation.

In 2023, Angus was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence and named a laureate of the Junior Achievement Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame. He is also a recipient of the Rotary Foundation’s Paul Harris Fellow recognition. In 2012, Angus received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and in 2023, he received the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Medal.

He holds a degree in Political Science from York University. In 2024, he received an honorary Doctor of the University degree from MacEwan University.

Angus’ extensive community leadership and long-standing career as a respected business leader bring valuable insight to Health Quality Alberta’s work to improve health outcomes and experiences for Albertans.

Rick Lundy was appointed to Health Quality Alberta Board in June 2024.

Rick has worked in the sport and recreation sector for more than 30 years, serving in senior leadership roles as a general manager and executive director. He also provides consulting services to non-profit organizations on governance, board policy development, bylaws, and leadership mentorship. In addition, he educates nurses on compassionate care and its role in enhancing the patient experience.

Throughout his career, Rick has served on 21 different boards and has held the position of president on eight of them. Most recently, he served as president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Calgary (MADD) for three years.

Along with his wife, Rose, Rick is the founder of Minds Over Matter Mental Health Society and Open Arms Patient Advocacy Society. Open Arms was established in 2007 following an adverse medical event that nearly claimed Rose’s life. The organization supports patients and families affected by adverse medical events, helps individuals navigate the healthcare system, and works with government and healthcare organizations to advance systemic improvements. The Minds Over Matter Mental Health Society, established in 2015, works with seniors, children and youth, cultural groups, and organizations to promote mental health through prevention, education, and community engagement.

Rick has been recognized for his community service with several honours, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee award. In 2023, he was nominated for Calgarian of the year.

His educational background includes studies in Business Management at SAIT and Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Calgary.

Rick’s governance experience, community leadership, and commitment to patient advocacy bring a valuable perspective to Health Quality Alberta’s work to improve healthcare quality and safety across Alberta.

Clifford A. LeMoal was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in June 2024.

Cliff is a practising Advanced Care Paramedic with more than 40 years experience . His work across a variety of healthcare settings has provided opportunities to collaborate with diverse healthcare professionals and develop a deep understanding of the unique challenges within those environments.

He has extensive knowledge of health regulation and professional practice, gained in part through his role as Chair of the College of Paramedics Continuing Competence Committee. He also served on the committee responsible for developing the national regulatory licensing examination for paramedics in Canada.

Cliff is an accomplished public speaker and publisher of technical manuals and medical textbooks. He is also an adult educator of 20 years, specializing in pre-hospital care and emergency care. His expertise includes mentorship, team leadership, and project management, and he is a recipient of the Federal Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Award.
In addition to his Diploma in Paramedicine, Cliff holds a Master of Arts in Learning and Technology from Royal Roads University.

Cliff’s frontline healthcare experience, leadership background, and knowledge of health regulation bring valuable perspective to Health Quality Alberta’s work to improve quality, safety, and health outcomes for Albertans.

Emmanuel (Ema) Gye was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in June 2024.

Ema is a family and lifestyle medicine physician and a Clinical Associate Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.

He brings more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience across three continents, including Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Since 2010, he has lived and worked in Alberta, contributing to a range of healthcare organizations. His governance experience includes board and committee roles with the Primary Care Alliance of Alberta, the Coalition for Primary Health Care of Alberta, and the Section of Family Medicine of the Alberta Medical Association.

Ema co-founded the Jinkai Initiative, an organization dedicated to supporting the resettlement of internally displaced persons and fostering economic growth in Nigerian communities. His community service has been recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.

He earned his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree in 1995. He is certified in family medicine by the Canadian College of Family Physicians. He also holds a Chartered Director (C.Dir.) Designation from McMaster University.

Ema’s healthcare leadership, primary care expertise, and governance experience bring valuable perspective to Health Quality Alberta’s work to improve health outcomes and experiences for Albertans.

Carlyn Volume-Smith was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in April 2021.

Carlyn is a licensed clinical pharmacist with more than two decades of experience in pharmaceutical policy and health benefits administration.

Over her career, she has led complex scientific advisory processes supporting Government of Alberta sponsored drug programs. She has also managed departments responsible for adjudicating more than $2 billion annually in extended health, travel, dental, and drug claims while working with a private health benefits provider. During her tenure within Alberta Health, Carlyn established strategic relationships across provincial and federal government departments, including specialty drug programs, Alberta Health Services-Pharmacy Services, and academic and research communities, to support evidence-informed and outcome-based drug program policy.

Carlyn has worked extensively with healthcare professionals, allied health providers, vendor associations, professional associations, regulatory colleges, and the public to inform and improve government-sponsored drug and supplementary health benefit programs. She also served on several pan-Canadian committees, including the Provincial Advisory Group for the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review, the Provincial-Territorial Working Group on Rare Diseases, and the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group on Pharmaceuticals.

Carlyn is a member of the executive team at the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan, a not-for-profit organization that provides health and disability benefits to more than 60,000 employees in Alberta’s public education sector and their families.

She holds a B.Sc. in Pharmacy, a Master of Science in Health Promotion, and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Alberta. Her doctoral thesis was a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the impact of drug policy changes on healthcare providers and patients.

Carlyn’s expertise in pharmaceutical policy, health benefits administration, and system collaboration brings a valuable perspective to Health Quality Alberta’s work to improve healthcare quality and outcomes across the province.

Pamela Hawranik was appointed to the Health Quality Alberta Board in July 2021 and currently serves as Vice Chair.

Pamela is Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University and has worked extensively in clinical, academic, and senior leadership roles in healthcare and post-secondary education.

Her experience includes roles in community health, in tertiary care hospitals, and health policy. She has held leadership positions as Associate Dean in the Faculty of Nursing and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Manitoba, inaugural Dean for the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Athabasca University, interim Associate Vice President Research, and interim Dean for the Faculty of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University.

Pamela also brings extensive governance experience, having served as a board member and president of numerous national and provincial organizations, including long-term care facilities, community non-profit organizations, and post-secondary institutions. Her research has focused on evaluating the effectiveness of community services that support informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment.

She has received numerous awards recognizing her contributions to research and community service, including the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Canadian Nurses Association Centennial Award.

Pamela holds a PhD in Health Policy and Evaluation from the Faculty of Medicine, and a Master of Nursing and Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Manitoba.

Pamela’s extensive experience in healthcare, higher education, research, and governance is a valuable asset to Health Quality Alberta’s efforts to advance person-centred care, patient safety, and health service quality.