Biographies

Appointed to the Board in 2024

Tim Bardsley is a recently retired lawyer who practised in Calgary. His 45 years at the bar contained a specialization in Municipal and Planning Law during which he made numerous appearances before Municipal Boards, SDAB, Municipal Counsels, Provincial Boards and all three levels of Alberta Courts. Additionally, he was twice elected as a member of Calgary City Council for Ward 7, during which he sat on multiple City of Calgary Committees, Boards and organizations.

Appointed to the Board in 2019

Kristi is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) and Full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP). She holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and a Masters Degree in Environmental Design (Community Planning) from the University of Calgary. She has also achieved a certificate in Urban Design from Simon Fraser University. Kristi is the Principal owner of a successful urban planning and design company. With over twenty-five years of solid urban and rural planning experience, her career’s primary focus has been in the creation of new vibrant communities and in service to land development clients undertaking residential, commercial and industrial projects. Kristi has also undertaken work, and held planning positions, for several municipalities. As a result, she has a rich experience and knowledge of municipal land development and policy matters, as well as private sector land use planning approvals paths. In 2005, Kristi received an Alberta Centennial Medal for “Outstanding Contribution” to her community.

Kristi spends her spare time owning and caring for competitive sport horses that her two adult daughters have shown across North America and Europe.

Appointed to the Board in 2024

Tara Brown holds an engineering degree from the University of Calgary and is registered as a Professional Engineer.  She has previous work experience in the oil and gas industry and now works with emerging green technology companies and partnerships with Indigenous Nations.  Tara has continuously volunteered for over 25 years with community associations, school associations and non-profit societies, with a focus on urban planning, financial and legal aspects.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Brent Foden first served as a Board Member with Calgary’s SDAB in 2019, and is currently in his third term. As a Director with Altus Group, Brent represents commercial property owners before Composite Assessment Review Boards across the province of Alberta. Brent completed his Bachelor of Commerce, specializing in Real Estate and Housing, and has also completed the Post Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Valuation (PGCV) from UBC, and most recently completed his MBA from the University of Calgary. Furthermore, as an Associate Broker, Brent is licensed to trade in Residential, Commercial, and Rural Real Estate in the Province of Alberta.

Appointed to the Board in 2024

Paul has been involved in the commercial real estate industry for over 20 years with experience in Canadian and US markets and has held executive-level positions with national institutional real estate firms. He holds a Master of Science in Real Estate from the University of San Diego, a BA from the University of British Columbia, and is a LEED Accredited Professional.  He is a past member of the Calgary Planning Commission, and is currently the President of Western Vertical, a Calgary-based real estate development advisory firm specialized in mixed-use and multifamily projects, serving clients across western Canada.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

David boasts a 20-year career in Calgary's real estate community, initially contributing to numerous western Canadian projects in sales and marketing for developers. Evolving into a more traditional real estate role, he has adeptly navigated Calgary's dynamic real estate landscape, specializing in residential, commercial, and investment properties.

David owns his own real estate brokerage and leads with exemplary standards in professionalism, ethics, and client service, earning him a stellar reputation in the region. In 2022, he received The CREB REALTOR® of the Year – T.W.H. (Bill) Saunders Memorial Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the real estate profession and philanthropic endeavors.

Beyond real estate, David actively participates in community initiatives. He currently chairs the Calgary Folk Festival Society and is Chair-Elect of the CREB Realtor Foundation.

Appointed to the Board in 2020

Former Manager of Current Planning and Development with 29 years of experience working for the City of Leduc and is currently retired. Professional career included the positions of Senior Development Authority and Senior Planning Technician appearing before the City of Leduc Subdivision and Development Appeal Board and presenting land use bylaw amendments to City Council. Has extensive experience in local government, urban land use planning and development, policy analysis and project planning.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Timothy Hughes is an independent barrister and arbitrator in Calgary, Alberta. Qualified to practice law in New York, California, Alberta, and Ontario, Tim provides counsel services to clients and law firms in all aspects of cross-border commercial dispute resolution. He also serves as an arbitrator in commercial matters and is an independent tribunal secretary. Before moving to Calgary with his family in 2020, he practiced commercial, investor-state, and inter-state arbitration in the New York, Hong Kong, and Washington D.C. offices of leading international firms. Tim has experience in matters concerning public international law, oil & gas, renewable energy, infrastructure, shareholder and joint venture disputes, and the hospitality sector.

Appointed to the Board in 2024

Shelly McIntosh is a planner with 22 years of experience working in the public and private sectors. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Saskatchewan and is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) and a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP).

 Shelly has a broad range of experience in policy development, rural and urban land use planning, and various levels of government. Former member of the City of Airdrie’s Municipal Planning Commission.

Appointed to the Board in 2014

Mr. Merchant graduated from the University of Michigan and is a registered Architect with over 35 years experience in commercial and residential projects. Past vice-president and council member of the Alberta Association of Architects, Mr. Merchant is an active member of a community association assisting in planning related issues. He has volunteered on several City of Calgary planning committees including the Industrial Zoning Review, Restaurant/Drinking Establishment/Entertainment Facility Review, Commercial Zoning Review and Third Party Signage Review.

Appointed to the Board in 2017

Andy Orr holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of Guelph and a Certificate in Community and Regional Planning from Mount Royal College in Calgary. He is a former Senior Planner with over 33 years experience working for the City of Calgary and retired in 2015. During his tenure he represented The City as a Development Authority on numerous subdivision and development appeal board items and presented land use amendments to City Council.

Appointed to the Board in 2016

Jim Palmer has held a variety of senior corporate and operations business and finance manager positions over a 34-year career with a major integrated oil & gas company. He has served on his community association board for over 17 years in various capacities. Jim also served on the Wood Buffalo Subdivision and Development Appeal Board as vice chair and chair. He has led many projects both on a professional and volunteer basis related to business process and systems design through to implementation as well as projects focused on business governance and controls. Jim has served as executive member for sports, church and other community-related boards in Calgary and Fort McMurray, and received a number of honours for volunteer and professional accomplishments.  He has served as vice chair for the Calgary SDAB. 

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Michelle Pink has over 15 years of Commercial Real Estate experience. Through these last two decades, Michelle's skills have focused on administrative law tribunals, property tax negotiations, valuation modeling, report generation, budgeting, lease analysis, portfolio analysis, mortgage renewals, as well as sales and acquisition negotiations, modeling and due diligence. She currently holds her CCIM designation and has held Board positions in her industry. In addition to her work in Commercial Real Estate, Michelle owns a small residential portfolio with her husband in Calgary. 

Appointed to the Board in 2020

Jamila Premji is a senior lawyer with over 35 years of legal experience with particular focus on real estate, construction, land development and home building. Jamila currently serves as legal counsel to IMARA National, a not for profit organization and is a director and the chair of the Governance and Risk Management Committee of the Multi Generational Housing and Community Centre, a not for profit corporation. Previously, she has served the Aga Khan Council for the Prairies (Legal Member), National Council for Canada ( Member), FOCUS Canada (Board) and The Famous Five Foundation (Board).

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Sahar Salimi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Tehran University and a Master’s degree in Transportation Engineering from University of Alberta. She has over ten years of engineering experience in municipal and infrastructure projects in Canada and the Middle-East, and is currently working as a project manager at a consulting firm, involved in parking lot rehabilitation of commercial and industrial properties. She has an interest in challenging and innovative urban design and execution ideas, and is passionate about community culture, safety, mobility, and liveability that can be provided in an efficient, economic, and sustainable way.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

James is a Registered Professional Planner in the province of Alberta with over 30 years of experience in planning and land development.  James’s experience has focused on both community and master planning in urban, mountain community and rural contexts, as well as many aspects of land and property development, including master planning and site design, strategy, regulatory approvals, acquisitions, and due diligence.  Through the last 15 years he has also held leadership and executive positions in planning consulting and land development.  James holds his RPP and MCIP designations in professional planning, and has held various volunteer, community, and industry Board positions, as well as serving two terms on the Calgary Planning Commission.

Appointed to the Board in 2015

Tanisha Singh is a designer with a Bachelors in Architecture from Chitkara University in India and a Post grad Certification in Green Architecture from Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence in Ottawa. She further went on to pursue a Diploma in Interior Design and has a LEED accreditation. With over a decade of design experience behind her, she has worked on projects ranging from luxury apartments, airports, seniors’ facilities, industrial production lines, low income residences to tiny homes. She has a keen interest in constantly educating herself and keeping abreast with the changing trends in Architecture and Construction. She is extremely enthusiastic about engaging in various volunteering events and has been a participant in the Partners in Planning with Federation of Calgary Communities. Recently, she has also taken up initiating the establishment of a community association for her community of residence. When she is not keeping busy, she loves to read, write for publications and spend time with her toddler.

Appointed to the Board in 2022

Charles Stevenson retired in 2022 from the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) where he served as Registrar. In that role, Charles was responsible for oversight of the core regulatory functions for this quasi-judicial tribunal regulating the real estate, mortgage brokerage, property management, and condominium management industries in Alberta. Charles holds three certificates in tribunal administrative justice from the Foundation of Administrative Justice.

Appointed to the Board in 2017

Katherine Wagner is an architect and associate with the national, integrated design firm DIALOG and has undertaken projects within the cultural, institutional and educational sectors. She was elected to the College of Fellows of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada for demonstration of great dedication to bettering her community and profession.

Katherine recently completed six years as a board member of Calgary Arts Development Authority, and prior to this served two terms as chair of the Cultural Spaces Investment Process Assessment Committee. She was on the Calgary Public Art Board for five years and served on The City of Calgary East Village Design Review Panel.

Katherine has been a sessional instructor in the architecture program at the School of Architecture Planning and Landscape, University of Calgary and an architecture program assessor for the Canadian Architectural Certification Board accreditation team. She has participated on an Advisory Committee for Canada Council for the Arts and is past president of the Alberta Association of Architects, serving five years on the Association Council.