Committees
We are grateful to the guidance of the following experts that serve on our committees.
PLLC Advisory Committee
Jenny Adams, Founder & Owner, The Adams Agency
Jenny Adams is an award-winning marketing and communications specialist. Based in Edmonton, she founded a communications firm, The Adams Agency, in 2009. For more than a decade, The Adams Agency team has worked with many notable and respected organizations throughout Alberta and Canada, developing personalized strategies and communication plans and campaigns. Jenny writes for local magazines, and is regularly heard or seen as a panelist in Edmonton’s media scene. She currently serves on several volunteer boards and committees including the Lois Hole Hospital Women’s Society, Edmonton Mayor’s Business Roundtable and Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Tee Up For Tots Committee. In the past, Jenny had a successful career in the media as a Public Relations Senior Executive and Television Host and Producer of a national show for more than ten years.
Ian Chisholm, Partner, Roy Group
Ian Chisholm and Anne-Marie Daniel established the Roy Group in 2004, a bespoke leadership development firm serving western Canada. Ian grew up in Saskatchewan, then attended the UofA to obtain a science degree. He began his career in New York, before moving to the Isle of Skye, Scotland, to run a leadership organization for at-risk youth. Ian currently lives and operates the Roy Group out of Victoria, BC.
André Costopoulos, Vice-Provost and Dean of Students, University of Alberta
André Costopoulos is currently the Vice-Provost and Dean of Students at the University of Alberta. Previously, he served as Dean of Students at McGill University. Andre was born and raised in Montreal. He holds a BA (Hons) in anthropology from McGill, an MSc in anthropology from the Université de Montréal and a PhD in archeology. He began his career in 1999 as a visiting assistant professor at Eastern Connecticut State University. In 2001, he joined McGill as a research associate and sessional instructor in the Department of Anthropology. Andre joined the faculty as an assistant professor in 2003. He developed a firm commitment to student affairs early in his academic career and has held a series of progressively senior roles in this area, beginning as an academic adviser in his department, moving on to chairing the undergraduate committee in his department.
Maite Gonzalez Latorre, Current PLLC Scholar and Undergraduate Student, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta
Maite is an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Education with a major in Spanish and minor in English as a Second Language. She is also a Peter Lougheed Leadership College scholar and the Undergraduate Student Representative for the Academic Women’s Association.
Outside of her education, Maite is on the University of Alberta Dance Team, is a former executive member of the Latin American Student’s Association, and has participated in Edmonton’s arts, culture and theatre community since arriving from Santiago, Chile, in 2010.
Scott Graham, Director of a Private Family Foundation
Scott is a director of a private family foundation in Edmonton, and was formerly the director of community grants at Edmonton Community Foundation, where he is still active as the Family Philanthropy Advisor. He had a previous career as Director of Student Services at a post-secondary institution in Alberta, and now volunteers on a national scholarship committee. He splits his time between two homes, in Vancouver and Edmonton.
Shalene Jobin, Associate Professor, Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta
Dr. Shalene Jobin is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Native Studies and the Director of the Indigenous Governance and Partnership program, at the University of Alberta. Dr. Jobin is the co-creator and founding Academic Director of the Indigenous Partnership Development Program, an executive-level teaching partnership between Executive Education and the Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta. Shalene is Cree from her mother, and Métis from her father, and is a member of Red Pheasant Cree First Nation (Treaty Six).
Dave Mowat, Retired President & CEO of ATB Financial
Following a distinguished career in the financial industry, in 2018, Mr. Mowat retired as President & CEO of ATB Financial, a position he held for 11 years. Prior to joining ATB, he was the CEO of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union from 2000 until 2007. In 2015, Mr. Mowat was named Chair of the Alberta Royalty Review panel, and in 2019, was appointed to the Blue Ribbon Panel on Alberta’s Finances. He is also a member of the TELUS Board of Directors. Mr. Mowat holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia. Mr. Mowat was selected by Alberta Venture Magazine as Alberta’s Business Person of the Year for 2014.
Yasmin Rafiei, Alumni PLLC Scholar and MD Student, Stanford University
Yasmin is currently studying in the MD program at Stanford University. Previously, she was a University of Alberta undergraduate student who earned the Leadership Certificate from the Peter Lougheed Leadership College. While at the University of Alberta, she started Venture Healthcare, an internship program aimed to help lower-income and indigenous students to learn about health careers. She has a strong interest in health policy, and social justice issues.
Jared Smith, Lead Advisor, JS Advisory
Jared Smith has dedicated most of his career to supporting entrepreneurship and advising senior leaders in high-growth, purpose-driven organizations.
ared was named one of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40, has won Entrepreneur of the Year Awards with BDC Canada and the Chamber of Commerce, and in 2016 he was recognized as one of Business in Edmonton Magazine’s Top 20 Business Leaders. He is the Past-President of the Entrepeneurs’ Organization (Edmonton Chapter), the Chair of the Edmonton Mayor’s Business Roundtable, sits on the Advisory Council for the University of Alberta School of Business and is a 2019 Lululemon Global Ambassador.
Jared loves travelling the world and seeking adventure with his wife Jessica and two children, Maddie and Kai, and he has a passion for fitness. He is a 3rd Degree Blackbelt in Karate, an active boxer and he recently led, organized and endured a year-long training simulation with US Navy SEALs.
Amarjeet Sohi, Former Member of Parliment
The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi is a former Edmonton City Councillor, former Member of Parliament for Edmonton Mill Woods from 2015 to 2019, and was the federal Minister of Natural Resources. He is currently a Senior Advisor for ALAR Strategy Group.
Zahra Somani, Partner, Pirani Group
Zahra is a partner and owner of the Pirani Group, and an alumnus of the University of Alberta Faculty of Education. After receiving an MBA from the Edinburgh School of Business, she’s gone on to 20 years in the hospitality industry. In the community, she has served on boards for the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Sorrentino’s Compassion House, and Norquest College. Zahra also presided over Edmonton’s His Highness the Aga Khan Ismaili Council, and is the current board chair of the Edmonton Community Foundation.
PLLC Academic Oversight Committee
- Allen Ball, Associate Dean, Teaching & Learning, Faculty of Arts
- Gerda de Vries, Associate Dean, Undergraduate, Faculty of Science
- Scott Jeffrey, Associate Dean, Academic, Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences
- Paulin Mulatris, Vice-Dean, Campus Saint-Jean
- Karsten Mundel, Associate Dean, Augustana Campus, Academic Programs and Campus Registrar’s Office
- David Draper, Vice President Academic, University of Alberta Students’ Union
- Sridhar Parasharamatham, Vice-President Student Services, Graduate Students Association