Chris Lee (Board Chair)
Independent Corporate Director
Chris Lee was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in August 2019. Mr. Lee recently retired as the Vice-Chair and Deputy Chair of the Deloitte Board of Directors.
Formerly, Mr. Lee was the Managing Partner of the Prairie Region; co-chair of the firms Marketplace committee; the national Energy, Resources & Industrials industry leader; and, Director of Operations for the Calgary Financial Advisory practice.
Mr. Lee holds the distinction of being a former leader of the Deloitte & Touche LLP National Litigation Support Committee and the former President, Vice-President and executive member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators.
His community affiliations include being a Board Member of Alberta Blue Cross, Board Member of WinSport Canada and Makadiff Sports. He is co-founder and Board Member of Ignite Calgary, Global Business Forum planning committee member, and member of SAIT Business Advisory Council.
Formerly, Mr. Lee was a Board Member on the Calgary 2026 Bid Committee, Member of the Calgary Bid Exploration Committee and Board Member and Chair of Theatre Calgary/Theatre Calgary Endowment Foundation and Co-Chair of the Gold Medal Plate Committee.
Mr. Lee holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Manitoba, a Chartered Accountant designation for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba and a Chartered Business Valuator designation from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators.
Dawn Farrell (Chancellor)
President and Chief Executive Officer, Trans Mountain Corporation
Dawn Farrell was appointed Chancellor of Mount Royal University in July 2020 and was formally installed during convocation in November 2020. An accomplished leader Ms. Farrell is President and CEO, Trans Mountain Corporation. She's spent over 35 years in the energy business and held a variety of positions, including President and CEO of TransAlta. One of the largest investor-owned generation and energy marketing companies in Canada with operations in Canada, the US and Australia, TransAlta is a publicly listed company on the TSX and NYSE. As TransAlta CEO for more than nine years, Dawn led the transformation of the company to competitive power focused on low-cost, clean and reliable solutions for large commercial and industrial customers.
She is currently the Chair of the Board for The Chemours Company and Portland General Electric. She has held past board positions, including the Business Council of Canada, Alberta Business Council, Calgary Stampede, Conference Board of Canada, Mount Royal College/University Board of Governors and Foundation Board of Directors, Fording Coal Income Fund, New Relationship Trust and Vision Quest Windelectric. Dawn has contributed to electricity and environmental policy development in Alberta, British Columbia and federally in Canada. She is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a non-governmental, policy-oriented international forum, as well as a community champion for Momentum.
Ms. Farrell holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and Master of Arts (Economics) from the University of Calgary. She also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University. In 2019, she received an honorary doctorate of laws from Mount Royal.
Dr. Timothy Rahilly
President and Vice-Chancellor, Mount Royal University
Dr. Timothy Rahilly is the 10th President and first Vice-Chancellor of Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He provides inclusive and strategic leadership to Mount Royal, working with the campus community and its many community stakeholders to develop and achieve Mount Royal’s strategic goals and contribute to the vibrancy of the City of Calgary.
Dr. Rahilly believes that education is transformative and that Mount Royal plays a critical role in the economy by graduating work-ready students equipped with practical and critical-thinking skills. In addition, the University supports students in becoming engaged, responsible citizens who contribute to their communities. Originally trained as a psychologist, he emphasizes mental and physical well-being as part of that personal growth.
Dr. Rahilly promotes Mount Royal’s exemplary post-secondary undergraduate education by building and sustaining relationships at the local, provincial, national and international levels. He is also the lead ambassador for the University in seeking opportunities and raising funds from private and public sources.
A focus on student-centred learning is the hallmark of his career. Having worked in higher education for more than 25 years, Dr. Rahilly has served in both academic and administrative roles. Most recently he served as Vice-Provost, Students & International at Simon Fraser University and held an academic position in the Faculty of Education. He has also held positions at the University of British Columbia and McGill University. He has served on many non-profit boards, including the Canadian University Survey Consortium, Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (President) and the Katimavik Foundation.
Dr. Rahilly was named one of 20 Compelling Calgarians by the Calgary Herald (January 2020) and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (September 2022). He has won numerous awards for teaching and leadership. He is enthusiastic, open and inquisitive — traits he brings to his work on behalf of Mount Royal and its students.
He holds a PhD in Educational and Counselling Psychology from McGill University, a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology and Counselling from McGill University and a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Education) from Concordia University.
Sherri Evers (Public Member)
Senior Vice-President, Sustainability, Commercial Development and Product Solutions, Imperial Oil Limited
Sherri Evers was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in December 2022.
Ms. Evers is the Senior Vice-President, Sustainability, Commercial Development and Product Solutions at Imperial. In her role, Ms. Evers oversees the development and execution of the company’s sustainability strategy, Imperial’s downstream business, external affairs and commercial development. She is also one of the Steering Committee members of the Pathways Alliance.
Ms. Evers has worked for Imperial in a range of positions, beginning in 1998 including sales, logistics, pricing and analysis. Ms. Evers managed the marine business for Canada in 2006 and moved into the role of Canada pricing and logistics manager a few years later. In 2012, Ms. Evers began a series of global assignments with ExxonMobil Corporation in Fairfax, VA and in Houston, TX as manager of business planning center of excellence, the integrated business team lead for the Midwest northeast U.S. fuels business, and then as the Americas exchange and analysis manager for the third-party terminal and pipeline business. In 2018, Ms. Evers returned to Canada as the Eastern Canada fuels manager for the Downstream and was appointed Vice-President, Commercial and Corporate Development in 2021.
Ms. Evers is an active committee member with the United Way of Calgary.
Ms. Evers is Canadian and holds a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Marketing and General Business.
Brenden Hunter (Public Member)
Partner, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Brenden Hunter was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in September 2020. A partner with the multinational law firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Mr. Hunter’s career in private practice focuses on assisting energy companies in regulatory and judicial proceedings. His project experience includes acting for and advising applicants on high-voltage and distribution electrical transmission facilities, renewable energy projects, telecommunications facilities, and midstream projects. He also advises and assists regulated utilities with their rate-related applications, including rate design and tariff applications.
Mr. Hunter is a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation, one of Alberta's largest Cree First Nations. His great-great-grandfather Onchaminahos or “Little Hunter” was a signatory to Treaty 6. With significant experience engaging with First Nations and other Indigenous groups, Mr. Hunter also advises on Indigenous consultations and partnerships.
He holds a B.A. (with distinction) from the University of Alberta, and a J.D. from the University of Victoria law school.
Pamela Karlenzig (Non-Academic Staff Member)
Program Coordinator, Faculty of Continuing Education, Mount Royal University
Pamela Karlenzig was nominated by the Mount Royal Staff Association to serve on the Mount Royal University Board of Governors for a term starting in July 2023 .
Ms. Karlenzig has worked in the Faculty of Continuing Education since 2012. Currently she is a Program Coordinator, working within a team to administer a portfolio of in-class and online programs for adult learners. The position encompasses the entirety of the student experience, from initial inquiries, to admission, to program completion and graduation. Ms. Karlenzig also has experience in coordinating experiential learning, managing curriculum development, and stakeholder engagement. The Faculty’s credit-free, revenue-generating mandate is unique on campus and offers many opportunities for collaboration between both internal and external stakeholders
Volunteerism and community are very important to Ms. Karlenzig. Not only has she been a Director-at-Large for the MRSA, she has also volunteered for the MRSA PD Days Committee since 2019, which provides personal and professional development opportunities for MRSA staff. She has also been part of the MRU Sustainable Committee since 2015, a group dedicated to ecologically sound, socially just, and environmentally viable principles on campus. Ms. Karlenzig has organized several terrarium workshops for both students and staff, but is most proud of the work on the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (ASSHE) where MRU achieved a Silver rating. She is continually inspired by the community spirit found across campus.
Carrie Lonardelli (Public Member)
Chief Financial Officer, Bonnetts Energy Corp.
Carrie Lonardelli was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in August 2019. As Chief Financial Officer with Bonnetts Energy Corp, she has been responsible for the overall financial strategy and direction of Bonnetts since 2014.
Before joining Bonnetts, Ms. Lonardelli owned and operated an enterprise that provided CFO services to owner-managed businesses in Calgary. Prior to this, she was the Vice-President of Finance for Phoenix Technology for eight years and spent seven years with KPMG in Winnipeg and Calgary. She is a Director on the Source Energy Services Board.
Ms. Lonardelli serves on the board of Open to Grow, an organization providing microcredit loans and empowering women to build businesses in Guatemala. She is also on the Board (Audit Committee Chair) of Source Energy Services, a public company specializing in oilfield logistics, and is the Advisory Board Chair for Make a Wish Canada Southern Alberta. Ms. Lonardelli is a Past Committee member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and was on the Advisory Board for the Children’s Wish of Canada Alberta Chapter.
Ms. Lonardelli holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and has a Chartered Accountant designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba.
Dr. Jacqueline Musabende (Academic Staff Member)
Associate Professor, Bissett School of Business, Mount Royal University
Dr. Jacqueline Musabende was nominated by the Mount Royal Faculty Association to serve on the Board of Governors at Mount Royal University for a second term starting in July 2023. Dr. Musabende is an Associate Professor of International Business in the Bissett School of Business.
Passionate about teaching and learning, Dr. Musabende’s pedagogy focuses on nurturing innovation and building entrepreneurship ecosystems as tools that instill economic growth, create business opportunities and help businesses identify international opportunities. Her research interests include public financial management, international institutions and emerging markets, international development, experiential learning in higher education, and information technology.
Dr. Musabende has extensive global professional experience, having worked for organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, in addition to working for international banks (BNP Paribas and La Société Générale) and multinational corporations.
She is a board member, and currently the chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Decolonization (DEI&D) committee, of the Association for Nonprofit and Social Economy Research (ANSER).
In partnership with the UN Canada Association, she established the How2BeU© program that connects universities and communities/businesses in Calgary through students’ initiatives to address UN Sustainable Development Goals.
She holds a PhD degree in International Business and a master’s degree in Geographical and Spatial Information Systems. She also has a project management designation (PMP®) and is bilingual.
Joseph Nguyen (Student Member)
President, Students' Association of Mount Royal University
Joseph Nguyen was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in May 2021. He is the President of the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University’s Representation Executive Council. As President, Mr. Nguyen is representing the student voice for non-academic affairs, academic affairs and external affairs.
Mentored by a previous SAMRU President, Andrew Nguyen, Mr. Nguyen was encouraged to run for VP Student Affairs and now President. Mr. Nguyen served as a student leader throughout his high school years and has sat on boards of non-profit organizations as an executive member. Mr. Nguyen has also been engaged with board work as an executive member of Mount Royal’s Education Undergraduate Society.
Mr. Nguyen attends Mount Royal University undertaking his Bachelor of Education, Elementary. He believes in the importance of being a role model to future generations and is committed to actively giving back, both at the University and in the broader community. He serves as a mentor to students within the schools and churches with which he volunteers. Mr. Nguyen also serves as a tutor for Free Mind to further practice his passion for building up the next generation(s). When he is not at MRU, he is developing his own tutoring company, focused on ESL learners, to help students with barriers to access quality education at a low cost — he lives and breathes paying it forward to the next generation. In addition, he volunteers with a variety of organizations that directly support toddlers, children and youth.
Thomas P. O’Leary, K.C. (Public Member)
Partner, Blue Rock Law LLP
Thomas P. O’Leary was appointed to the Mount Royal Board of Governors in December 2019. He is a partner of Blue Rock Law LLP, a law firm he co-founded in 2023 after practising for nearly 30 years with a large multinational business law firm.
Mr. O’Leary is a senior litigation lawyer consistently recognized in Alberta and nationally for his expertise representing clients in commercial and energy related disputes. His advocacy practice involves a broad spectrum of commercial disputes including energy and environmental litigation, class action defence, construction related disputes as well as professional liability and discipline matters. He has represented many of the largest players in Canada's energy and financial sectors and has appeared at all levels of court in Alberta, the Federal Court of Canada, the Newfoundland Court of Appeal, as well as before numerous administrative tribunals and regulators. Mr. O’Leary has also acted as counsel in well over 100 mediations and arbitrations.
In the community, he served as a director on the board of the Calgary Stampede from 2010 to 2020. Mr. O’Leary has been extensively involved in youth sports, coaching both minor hockey and baseball, and with various other professional and community organizations.
He holds a Law degree from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario. He was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1991 and was appointed to Queen's Counsel (now King's Counsel) in 2022.
Shannon Pestun (Alumni Member)
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pestun Consulting Inc.
Co-Founder, The Finance Cafe
Shannon Pestun was appointed to the Mount Royal Board of Governors in September 2019 nominated by the MRU Alumni Association. Originating from the Métis homeland and Treaty 1 territory, Ms. Pestun resides in Treaty 7 territory and is a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta.
Ms. Pestun is the Senior Advisor to the Diversity Institute for Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and the 50-30 Challenge where she supports the development of research and strategies that advance gender equity and diversity in leadership and helps organizations accelerate diversity strategies already underway. She is also the CEO of Pestun Consulting, Co-founder of The Finance Cafe and a board member at NPower Canada.
Prior to this, Ms. Pestun worked in the financial services sector where she became known for her advocacy around women's financial inclusion and empowerment and her role in setting the stage for gender equality in Canada's banking and financial services. She was later appointed to serve on Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy expert panel. Her commitment to building an inclusive economy has made her a sought-after finance consultant and trusted voice for educators, government, industry and media.
Ms. Pestun is committed to bolstering Indigenous economic prosperity, driving economic growth and bringing an Indigenous-centered approach to her work. In 2020, she created the Gifting Circle Bursary for Indigenous women entrepreneurs raising over $150,000 in support of advancing Indigenous women’s entrepreneurship in Canada.
Dr. Kari Roberts (Academic Staff Member)
Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Mount Royal University
Dr. Kari Roberts, nominated by the General Faculties Council (GFC), was appointed to serve on the Board of Governors at Mount Royal University in July 2023. Dr. Roberts is Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies at Mount Royal University. She is also a Coordinator of the North American and Arctic Defense and Security Network (NAADSN), and a Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI).
Dr. Roberts' research concerns Russian foreign policy toward the United States specifically and the West more broadly, and she also studies Russia’s interests in the Arctic, and the implications for Canada and NATO. Dr. Roberts teaches political science and international relations courses, including American Government and Politics, International Organizations, Foreign Policies of the Major Powers, and a number of courses in Policy Studies. Dr. Roberts has also supervised MRU’s Model UN students for over a decade.
Dr. Roberts joined the Policy Studies Department in 2009. Prior to coming to MRU, she was a Senior Policy Analyst with the Canada West Foundation, and served on the Board of Directors for Child and Youth Friendly Calgary (now Youth Central).
Dr. Roberts earned her BA (Hons) and MA in Political Studies from the University of Manitoba and her PhD in Political Science from the University of Calgary. Dr. Roberts is the recipient of several awards at MRU, including the 2023 Distinguished Faculty Award, the 2023 Faculty of Arts Outstanding Service Award, and the 2014 Faculty of Arts Outstanding Teaching Award.
David Routledge (Alumni Member)
Vice-President and Head of Western Canada Office, Oxford Properties Group
David Routledge was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in September 2019, nominated by the MRU Alumni Association.
Mr. Routledge has 35 years of experience in real estate investment, management and development. He currently oversees Oxford Properties’ 6 million square foot mixed-use property construction and management portfolio in Calgary and Vancouver. Under Mr. Routledge’s leadership, the Western Region’s team of 150 employees supported the successful development of seven office projects totaling 4 million square feet.
Mr. Routledge holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary and attended the general studies program at Mount Royal University. He also completed the ICD.D program through the Institute of Corporate Directors, a program committed to excellence in the boardroom, with the desire to stay current, to be a more effective director and best in-class governance and leadership capacity.
Shannon Ryhorchuk (Public Member)
Corporate Director and Alumni Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Shannon Ryhorchuk was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in June 2018. Ms. Ryhorchuk recently retired as a Partner with the firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers where she specialized in providing audit and assurance services.
Ms. Ryhorchuk holds the distinction of being the former leader of PwC' Canada's National Independence Office and member of PwC's Global Network Independence leadership team. She is also the former Managing Partner of the Calgary Assurance Practice.
Ms. Ryhorchuk's community affiliations include sitting on the board of WINS (Women in Need Society) and the board of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. She previously was a board member of the United Way of Calgary and Area.
Ms. Ryhorchuk was recognized for her contributions to the community and the profession by being awarded her Fellowship CPA as well as a Distinguished Service Award for her volunteer roles.
Ms. Ryhorchuk holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan and is a Chartered Public Accountant and Chartered Accountant. She has completed the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program, earning her ICD.D designation.
Rob Schaefer (Public Member)
Rob Schaefer was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in August 2022. Mr. Schaefer is a leader with over 30 years of experience in the energy industry in Canada, the United States, Europe and Bermuda and retired in 2020 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Ascendant Group and its subsidiary, the Bermuda Electric Light Company.
From 2016 to 2017, he served as Corporate Strategy Executive with Maxim Power Corp. where he led the strategic repositioning of Maxim's business in Canada, the United States and France. Previously, Mr. Schaefer held executive roles leading the commercial, trading, marketing and business development units of TransAlta Corporation and leading business development/marketing units with Enmax Corp and Mirant Corporation.
Mr. Schaefer sits on the board of directors of directors of the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank. His past board involvement includes Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp. I, II and III, Bermuda Electric Light Company, and TransAlta Cogeneration LP.
Mr Schaefer holds Chartered Professional Accountant / Chartered Accountant designations and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary.
Anisa Tilston (Student Member)
Vice-President, Student Affairs, Students' Association of Mount Royal University
Anisa Tilston was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in April 2023. She is the Vice-President Student Affairs of the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University’s (SAMRU) Representation Executive Council. In this role, Ms. Tilston represents students in various committees including the Dating, Domestic, and Sexual Violence (DDSV) Education and Prevention Committee, New Student Orientation (NSO) Steering Committee and the Calgary Regional Post-Secondary Mental Health coordinating committee.
Ms. Tilston has engaged in a variety of extracurricular activities including painting, performing in the Central Memorial High School Choir and studying sports medicine. After completing hundreds of hours of community service as a trainer, Ms Tilston continued her commitment to community service by volunteering with Healthy Campus Alberta, the Access and Inclusion Center of MRU and SAMRU.
Ms. Tilston attends Mount Royal University undertaking her Bachelor of the Arts, Sociology. She is passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion, believing that all communities benefit from diversity. Of particular interest, is promoting disability rights, she hopes to apply her education to reducing the barriers faced by this community.
Salimah Walji-Shivji (Public Member)
Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, AgeCare – Communities of Care & Wellness
Salimah Walji-Shivji was appointed to the Mount Royal University Board of Governors in September 2020. Ms. Walji-Shivji is Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel at AgeCare, Communities of Care and Wellness. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary where she teaches a course she wrote: Social Work & The Law.
Previously, she was with the former Calgary Health Region (joining in 2003) and Alberta Health Services. Her roles included Legal Counsel, Associate General Counsel and General Counsel. She is also a registered social worker.
She has received Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 Award, the Women in Law Leadership Award and the Canadian Corporate Counsel Community Builder Award. Ms. Walji-Shivji is Past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association National Health Law Section.
She spends countless hours volunteering in the Ismaili Muslim (Aga Khan) community and has held seats with the FOCUS Canada Humanitarian Assistance Board, the South Calgary Primary Care Network, the United Way and the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter.
Ms. Walji-Shivji holds Ministerial Appointment to the Human Rights Commission. Ms. Walji-Shivji holds a Bachelor of Social Work and Masters in Clinical Social Work, both from the University of Calgary, as well as a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba.