Jessica Burylo is a Regional Outreach Coordinator for Elections Canada’s Inspire Democracy portfolio, where she collaborates with community organizations in Western Canada to reduce electoral barriers for electors with disabilities, new Canadians, and Indigenous electors. She has developed her expertise in community engagement, through past positions in  the public service, municipal committees, heritage foundations, and museum management in Alberta.

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology with post-graduate studies in Heritage Resource Management. She is a graduate student at the University of Alberta where she focuses on the anthropology of disability in order to add learned experience to her lived experience as a person with a disability, working in advocacy.

Geoff is a Professional Engineer with over 25 years’ experience in the power industry. He holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Engineering from the University of Alberta. Geoff currently works in Project Development with EPCOR. For the last 12 years, Geoff has been responsible for the Rossdale Generating Station, a provincially designated historic resource.

Geoff is currently a director for the Edmonton Power Historic Foundation, which operates a museum in Leduc Country and whose mission is to preserve the history of electric power in Alberta. Previous volunteer roles include serving on the board of the Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way, leading Scouts, and coaching soccer.

Tim has spent much of his life in the Edmonton area and has deep-rooted family ties to the University of Alberta and various clubs from throughout Edmonton’s history. He has a passion for history, heritage, and architecture and enjoys travel that lets him explore these pursuits throughout cities around the world.

His more than two decades of experience in the accounting sector includes working for home builders and Edmonton area development companies. He is currently a partner at an accounting firm and enjoys the networking and relationship building opportunities the role brings.

Abbey is a born and raised Edmontonian with a significant interest in the heritage and historical integrity of our dynamic and beautiful city. A policy and information professional, Abbey works as a policy analyst for the Government of Alberta with over a decade of experience working in the public sector.

After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta, she pursued her Master’s degree in library and information studies at the University of Sheffield, England. Spending five years abroad fostered her deep appreciation for preserving and advocating for heritage and history in Edmonton. She is also passionate about storytelling and creating opportunities for community connections.

Jean-Louis is a former member of the board of the Council for the Advancement of African Canadians (CAAC), where he served on the governance policy committee. He is a founding member of Edmonton Beninese Association, and past vice-president and treasurer. He currently works as a senior compliance officer for the federal government, with 10 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry as a manager, supervisor, and specialist in quality assurance.

Prior to coming to Edmonton, he was a volunteer with Pastoral of Oratory Saint-Joseph (Montréal), working to help the homeless in the downtown streets. He served on the Social Issues committee of the board of Conseil Jeunesse de Montreal (CJM), an advisory council on youth issues for the City of Montreal.

Mercy practices personal injury law and civil litigation with an Alberta-wide law firm. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Kwame Nkrumah University in Ghana and a Master of Laws degree from York University in Ontario. Through her current profession and past work in various capacities within the telecommunications and oil and gas industries, she has engaged with individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds. She is familiar with corporate governance, policy review, and negotiations.

Mercy also enjoys volunteering and is dedicated to giving back to her community. She is interested in issues of history, diversity, inclusion, community engagement, and heritage preservation. She is always keen to learn about the unique cultures and identities of various communities. In her free time, Mercy enjoys music, travelling, board games, and sports.

Dr. Collins-Gonsalves holds a PhD in History and is the Managing Director of the Historical Research International Inc. She is Research Fellow and Canadian Representative of the Farquharson Institute of Public Affairs and has served as a Research Associate with the Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, and the Education Committee of the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia. She has previously served on the Yellowknife Heritage Committee (NWT) and as the Vice President of the Guyana Heritage Society and President of The History Society.

She is the author of three academic books of history and over thirty research projects, book chapters, academic articles, research and conference papers, and biographical profiles in total. Dr. Collins-Gonsalves has been a Contributing Author for the Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Biography (Oxford University Press). She is a member of the Rotary Club of Edmonton (RCOE) Downtown.

James is Cree/Métis and grew up in Treaty 8 Territory, near kapawe’nohk (Grouard) on the shores of the Lesser Slave Lake.

After moving to amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton) to attend the University of Alberta, he worked as a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School before returning to work in Indigenous education focusing on the links between Indigenous Knowledge and Science. He has extensive experience working with Indigenous nations and organizations in the areas of health, Indigenous knowledge, traditional medicine, education, and Indigenous rights.

He has served as Director of Research and Indigenous Health Sciences Coordinator at the University nistameyimakanak Blue Quills (UnBQ); and as Associate Director of Indigenous Student Services at McMaster University. He currently serves as Director of Innovation and Research with the Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre.

Adegoke was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He immigrated to Canada in 2019 and is a Chartered Insurance Professional with over 10 years of experience in the insurance industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and works with Aviva Insurance as a National Property Claims Adjuster, handling property claims across provinces in Canada. Adegoke’s expertise cut across Insurance Operations, Enterprise Risk Management, and Project Management.

His professional designations include The Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP), Canadian Risk Management Designation (CRM), Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP), and Project Management Professional (PMP). He is also a community builder and currently volunteers at Edmonton Food Bank & Africa Centre, He is the Facilities Director for The Nigerian Canadian Association of Edmonton (NCAE).

Since graduating from the University of Calgary and interning for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa in 2015, Kyle has accrued nearly a decade of progressive municipal planning experience, beginning in his hometown of Westlock, then the City of Lacombe, five years with Smoky Lake County, and most recently, Sturgeon County.

Kyle led a successful intermunicipal initiative to see 718km of kisiskâciwani-sîpiy (North Saskatchewan River) in Alberta designated under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System, contributing to conservation, stewardship, and celebration of the river’s exceptional values for future generations.

In 2024, Kyle was a co-recipient of a rare Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI) Award for Planning Excellence and the Alberta Minister’s Award for Municipal Excellence, also receiving an Alberta Heritage Award for Awareness and the King Charles III Coronation Medal for public service to Canada and Alberta. Kyle also serves on the Board of the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance and the Edmonton Historical Board (term 2024-26). He also volunteers with and is Membership Co-chair of the Edmonton Regional Search and Rescue Association (ERSARA).

Lauren is a public historian and life-long lover of museums and heritage. Her over two-decade career began after high school at the Canmore Museum’s NWMP Barracks site, a provincially designated historical resource. She is a settler, raised in Canmore, and has resided in Edmonton / amiskwacîwâskahikan since 2008. Lauren is passionate about the important role museums, heritage, and the non-profit sector play in community. She believes a strong heritage sector contributes to the overall health and wellbeing of society and the economy, as attractions for locals and tourists alike.

Lauren is the Strategic Services Director at the Alberta Museums Association, where she has worked since 2013. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Public History from Carleton University in Ottawa. She is an avid supporter of museums and heritage, trying to instill a love of both in her family with frequent visits to Edmonton’s rich heritage sites.