Our DWW Staff
Edmonton
Calgary
Grande Prairie
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Kim Palichuk is the Executive Legal Counsel to the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Alberta. In her role, Kim provides legal and strategic advice that impacts the operations of the Provincial Court.
She has practiced law since 1998, and has significant litigation experience in private practice, as well as within both the federal and provincial government.
Kim is a lifelong pet owner, and currently shares her home with her husband and three dogs, two of whom are rescue animals.
She has been previously involved in animal welfare and rescue organizations as a volunteer and fundraiser and is an enthusiastic, longtime certified Pilates Instructor.
VICE PRESIDENT
Jeremy McConnell has always had an urge to work collaboratively with others for the good of the many. His first major experience in this was joining the Rotary club of Edmonton in 2009. It really opened his eyes to what philanthropy is and how working as an organized unit can help grow the resources needed by so many charitable organizations. The same year, through UCC, Jeremy met Dogs with Wings when they were chosen to construct the new facility. It took exactly 1 second to fall in love with the dogs and the cause of helping children. Since then, Kristi and Jeremy have made it a point of putting all our support they can into DWW. Jeremy feels strongly that working to help others is about pulling up the bootstraps and helping with everything you can. Physically, mentally, and monetarily.
On a personal side, Jeremy lives with Kristi, his wife, Kaitlyn his daughter and their two furbabies Kai and Kea in Spruce Grove. They set down roots there in 2006 and love the “just outside the city” living it has to offer. They often can be found in Waikoloa on the Big Island of Hawaii. In some ways they feel just at home there as they do here. Such a welcoming community. Jeremy has a keen interest in Saltwater husbandry and has more recently taken on Masters Swim training.
TREASURER
Janice Kent has been very involved in her community since 1998 with many different Boards, including not-for-profit organizations such as Change for Children Association, Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank, Edmonton Police Foundation, Grandview Heights Band Council and our very own Dogs with Wings Board.
Janice is a CA and CPA and has worked in the industry for over twenty-five years. She is now the President and Owner of her own business, Janice L. Kent Professional Corporation.
SECRETARY
Neil Gordon’s formal employment title is The Very Rev. Neil S. Gordon, and has retired as a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada after 35 years of service, having served in 5 parishes within the city of Edmonton. Neil has also been involved with other volunteer organizations and community leagues throughout that time. He was born and raised on a family farm outside Ponoka and did his schooling at the University of Alberta and University of Toronto.
Neil married to Susan Bercov, a Queen's Bench justice and has two sons living in Edmonton. He has been blessed to have had dogs as a part of his life since he was a child. On the farm, Neil found that they were very useful animals and great companions at work and he has witnessed how dogs have enriched and helped in the lives of the thousands of people who have been in his parishes. Neil looks forward to being part of an organization that seeks to train dogs for special service work where they will enrich the lives of their companions.
DIRECTOR
Teresa Boudreault has been in the Peace Region for the past ten years, living on a certified organic quarter section with her husband and labs Ruckus and Polo.
Teresa has provided services to her local community through Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) for the last nine years.
She is also a recipient of a Passionate Heart Award, as well as the Governor General’s Award for Volunteering.
DIRECTOR
Craig is a technology and venture technology lawyer with the law firm Kingsgate Legal, and is a member of the Alberta and California bars. He is an active supporter of the local start-up community and several local charities and non-profit organizations. Craig is a tireless booster of the Edmonton area and its sports teams, and can be found enjoying Edmonton’s River Valley, golf courses, tennis courts, ski trails and cycling paths. His favourite activity is starting the day with a long walk with his wife and their dogs Max and Phoenix.
DIRECTOR
Garett Eisenbraun is a lawyer with 25 years’ experience in labour, employment, human rights and commercial law matters. He is presently General Counsel for a national engineering and construction firm. During his years in private practice, Garett acted as counsel for many large public institutions and appeared before numerous administrative tribunals, as well as all levels of court. He also has extensive experience in negotiating and drafting all manner of commercial agreements.
Garett also brings significant experience in Human Resources to Dogs with Wings. In addition to his legal training, Garett is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources and certified as a Senior Certified Human Resources Practitioner by the American Society for Human Resources Management.
Garett has a strong history of community involvement and personal development, including teaching as an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, and as a Sessional Instructor at MacEwan University’s Faculty of Business. He has also been involved in animal-based charities for many years. He is proud to be associated with DWW.
DIRECTOR
Dale Wishewan was born and raised in Waskatenau, Alberta. As a boy, he dreamed of becoming a Major League Baseball Player. He pursued this dream, even getting a baseball scholarship to Portland State University in Oregon.
As it turned out, baseball was not to be his destiny. Torn between academics and sport, Dale realized it was going to be a stretch to make the Majors, so he devoted himself to his studies. After graduating from university with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, he worked in international technical sales for a company called Edmonton Exchanger. Dale credits Henry Gusse, the Founder of Edmonton Exchanger, with the basis of his business knowledge, and focus on business ethics.
By 1999, Dale had invested well in the stock market just when the junior mining sector was booming, and was looking for business opportunities. Dale recognized that Canadians were in search of healthy alternatives in the fast food market. While traveling in the U.S., Dale noticed a number of smoothie bars popping up in California and various other parts of the U.S. Over the next few months, Dale spent many evenings and weekends in his kitchen developing the recipes and the overall plan for Booster Juice. Just like that, a new Canadian franchise phenomenon was born. It is important to note that Dale didn’t have any restaurant experience prior to opening Booster Juice and he opened fifteen stores in the first year.
The question – would Canadians buy a cold drink in February? And would they be willing to pay a premium price for a cold product? The answers turned out to be ‘yes’. The first Booster Juice opened in Sherwood Park, Alberta, in November 1999. The timing was excellent, capitalizing on a trend to healthier eating, in a niche market with little competition. The store was highly successful, with customers willing to purchase healthy, yet cold beverages, at a relatively high price point during a cold Canadian winter.
The second Booster Juice opened in Edmonton, in April 2000, and a third in Red Deer, that May. There are now 400 Booster Juice franchise locations worldwide, including the U.S., Mexico and the UAE.
Dale Wishewan has been recognized for his entrepreneurial skills as “Entrepreneur of the Year” 2005, by the Food Service and Hospitality Industry; Ernst & Young’s “Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year” for the Prairie Region in 2005, and as a Canada’s “Top 40 under 40” Entrepreneur in 2004, 2013 Ernst & Young’s Prairie Entrepreneur of the Year, Past Chair of the Faculty of Business at McEwan University. He credits his success to his passion for health and sport, plus living the Booster Juice brand. He is very active, including curling and golf and keeps busy with a varied business portfolio including his ownership stake in the Vegas Golden Knights. Dale is married to wife Samantha, has three children and multiple dogs and horses as part of the family.
DIRECTOR
Building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and creating a culture of compassion and philanthropy in the community is Miranda’s passion. This philosophy was exemplified in her previous roles as CEO of the Edmonton Humane Society and CEO of the Glenrose Foundation. Miranda has an extensive background in communications and business operations management that spans two decades. Her credentials include a public relations diploma from MacEwan University, a BA (Sociology) from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the University of Liverpool. She also holds a post-graduate certificate in non-profit management from Harvard University, as well as, a strategy certificate from Queen’s University. Advancement is at the core of Miranda’s vision. She has a proven track record for driving results in the social sector. Her ability to transform organizations and advance social causes led to her being named Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 (class of 2015) and led to two honourable mentions in Distinctive Women magazine for Women for Humane Canada, the national leadership philanthropy group Miranda co-founded in 2016.
DIRECTOR
Gina is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with a background in audit, finance, HR and strategic planning. She worked in audit at EY and Grant Thornton before moving over to be the Controller at a privately owned risk management company where she headed the finance and operations side of the business. Currently she works at Capital Region Housing as the Accounting Manager. Volunteering has always been a big part of her life. Gina volunteered as an adult foster for Dogs with Wings. Gina lives in Edmonton with her cat and new puppy.
DIRECTOR
Tom Sutherland brings to the organization his 30 years of experience as a Conservation Officer and as a senior manager with Alberta Environment and Parks. Included with this experience was a one-year term as the Province’s Chief Conservation Officer and as a Recovery Coordinator for the 2013 flooding in High River. He also spent 10 years as the Alberta Government’s representative on the Board of Directors for Eagle Point Blue Rapids Provincial Park near Drayton Valley.
Tom has volunteered with Dogs with Wings as a boarding home and as a puppy raiser, allowing him to understand the goals that Dogs with Wings strives to achieve on a grass roots level.
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CONTACT US
11343 174 Street NW
Edmonton AB T5S 0B7