Pat Salt is the Coordinator of Special Projects at Bow Valley College (Calgary). In 2005, she completed a five year award-winning CIDA-funded project in Zimbabwe which focussed on the creation of an integrated entrepreneurship training model for vocational centres, the establishment of occupational standards for apprenticeship and trade testing, and the incorporation of Workplace Essential Skills into training and assessment practices. Pat is currently managing a similar project in Namibia for the College. As a private consultant, she develops and delivers training curricula, works as an essential skills profiler and reviewer for HRSDC, writes proposals and reports, and edits and writes manuals. Pat has conducted training sessions across sub-Saharan Africa, in the former Czechoslovakia, in Germany, Chile and Brazil.
Yvette Y. Souque is Program Manger responsible for Business-Labour Partnerships and Workplace Literacy at the National Literacy Secretariat (NLS). From 1991 to 2002 Yvette worked in the NLS federal-provincial/territorial partnership in the four western provinces and three territories. Prior to joining the government, Yvette worked in refugee and immigrant settlement, treatment of emotionally disturbed children and psychiatric nursing. Yvette holds a M.A. in Social Welfare, BSW with focus on Community Development, and is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse.
Rosemary Sparks had an 18 year career with the Ontario Provincial Government before leaving in 1989 to start her own consulting firm. For the next 13 years Rosemary was a consultant with the majority of her work in the construction industry. She specialized in human resource and labour market issues helping organizations with planning, research, group facilitation, and program evaluation. In 2002 Rosemary began working as a consultant for the Construction Sector Council and subsequently joined the staff of the council in 2005 as the Director of Projects.
An accomplished manager accustomed to working and living in the Canadian North, Celina Stroeder moved south to Ft. McMurray, AB in 2004 and joined Albian Sands Energy as the Manager of External Affairs. Ms. Stroeder previously lived in the Northwest Territories for 16 years. Her last position was with the territorial government as the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the Mackenzie Valley Development Project. Prior to transferring to her position in Yellowknife, Ms. Stroeder was the Regional Superintendent, Resources, Wildlife & Economic Development based in Norman Wells, NT. In Norman Wells she managed a staff of 25 in a 286,000 square kilometer region that included five communities with only air access. Her responsibilities included forest fire management, resource management, land claim implementation, oil and gas and economic & business development. Now happily living in Fort McMurray and continuing her northern adventure, Ms. Stroeder enjoys the extended summer season to ride the Harley Davidson motorcycle with her partner Rick Doyle.