Board Members

Mr. Blaine Boutin has served as a member on the former Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board for more than five years. He also spent six years as a member of the Automotive Service Technician Provincial Apprenticeship Committee. Mr. Boutin trained at NAIT as a Red Seal Automotive Service Technician and was awarded the Canadian Technician of the Year in 2013 by Canadian Technician Magazine.

Ms. Caitlin Hartigan is the Director of Program Management and Delivery at Women Building Futures. Ms. Hartigan is the former Dean of Skilled Trades at Northwestern Polytechnic and formerly the Dean of Skilled Trades and Heavy Industrial at Keyano College, and has worked at other Alberta and British Columbia post-secondary institutions. She holds a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Science in International Business, and a Bachelor of Commerce. Ms. Hartigan served as a board member from 2016 to 2018 on the Community Adult Learning Council and currently is a mentor at the Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association (NAABA) and Startup YMM.

Mr. Chris Waples is the Director of Education with the United Association (UA) of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 488, a position he has held since July 2019. Mr. Waples has over 20 years of experience in the skilled trades, including leadership in various trade unions. He is a founding member of Trade Winds to Success, and he has participated on various committees for Skills Alberta and Skills Canada. Mr. Waples served as a Chairman of the UA Western Regional Apprentice Competition in 2024 and also as a Chairman of the UA National Apprentice Competition in 2014, 2016, and 2018. He is currently enrolled in the UA Instructor program at the Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He holds a journeyman Red Seal plumber and gasfitter “B” certification, a Red Seal Steamfitter-Pipefitter qualification certification, a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Concordia College.

Mr. David Kavanagh is the Senior Manager of Distribution Operations at Epcor. He is a Red Seal Journeyman and Master Electrician, a Blue Seal Tradesman, in addition to a Bachelor of Business Administration from NAIT. Mr. Kavanagh has served as a member on the Alberta Provincial Apprenticeship Committee for Electricians and participated as a Provincial representative in various Red Seal initiatives.  

Mr. Declan Regan is the President and Business Representative for the International Union of Operating Engineers and is involved in the ACTIMS Designated Apprentice Program. He currently represents the Mobile Crane Operator trade on various boards and committees. Mr. Regan holds a Business Administration certificate in Management and Journeyman Red Seal Mobile Crane Operator, both from NAIT.

Ms. Heather MacCallum is the former President of NCSG Crane and Heavy Haul, employing red seal crane operators, welders, heavy equipment technicians, and heavy haul drivers. She currently serves as Director on the Crane Rental Association of Canada Board and is also the Chair of the Diversity, Inclusivity and Equity Committee. Ms. MacCallum is a member of the Alberta Provincial Audit Committee, and holds a Master in Professional Accounting and a CPA designation.

Mr. Joseph McFadyen is the President of Construction Labour Relations Alberta. He has over 30 years experience in labour relations, collective bargaining negotiations, dispute resolution and collective agreement administration. 

Ms. Line Porfon is the Chief Executive Officer of the OpenCircle Membership Services and Workforce Development Association. She has served on several boards including the Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey Advisory Board, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, and the Alberta Construction Safety Association. Ms. Porfon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Alberta and a Master of Arts degree from Athabasca University. 

Mr. Matthew Lindberg is currently the Dean for the School of Construction and Building Sciences and Dean of the Office of Apprenticeship at NAIT. He has held various leadership positions within NAIT and received the Ernest Manning Leadership Medallion in 2021. Mr. Lindberg is a board member and Provincial Technical Committee member of Skills Alberta and a member and Educator Representative of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, in addition to a National Technical Committee Member of Skills Canada. Mr. Lindberg is a Red Seal Endorsed Journeyman Plumber and Gasfitter.

Ms. Nancy Suranyi is an owner/operator of Namao Auto and RV Repair in Sturgeon County, Alberta. She has served on several boards and committees such as the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association, the Sturgeon County Economic Development Advisory Board. Ms. Suranyi was a former Presiding Officer of the Automotive Service Technician Alberta Provincial Apprenticeship Committee.

Mr. Paul de Jong is the President and CEO of the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA). He has over 30 years of labour relations and policy experience in the construction industry. Active in a variety of industry initiatives and forums, Paul has previously served on the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) Board of Directors, co-chaired the Constructions Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) Respect in the Workplace Committee, chaired the Management Advisory Committee of the University of Alberta Industrial Research Council, and served a term as a Board Member with the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB). Paul currently serves on the BuildForce Board of Directors.

Mr. Raymond Massey is the Chair of the Alberta Board of Skilled Trades, President of Skills Canada Alberta, Director on the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum Board, Director/Secretary of the Skills Competences Canada Board, and Vice Chair of the Interprovincial Alliance of Board Chair’s (IPA). He is a Red Seal Journeyperson, a former small business owner for 34 years, and is experienced with governance and policy development. Mr. Massey served for 12 years on the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board, and has served on both the Alberta Advanced Education Skills for Jobs Task Force and the Alberta Education Career Education Task Force.

Mr. Robert James is the Director of Apprenticeship and Education with the Alberta Boilermakers Training Trust Fund. He has actively participated in various workplace committees, including the Safety Codes Council of Alberta representing Labour on the Pressure Equipment Sub Council, and is involved with the Alberta Council of Turnaround Industry Maintenance Stakeholders Designated Apprenticeship Program. Mr. James holds two Journeyperson Red Seals as a Boilermaker and a Welder and a Blue Seal in Business Competencies. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with an Economics minor from the University of Alberta.

Mr. Ryan Hartman is a Workforce Supervisor at PCL builders Inc. for the past 11 years, as well as a Site Supervisor. He was a former member of the Provincial Apprenticeship Committee for Carpenters and a former member and presiding officer of the Local Apprenticeship Committee for Carpenters. Mr. Hartman earned a Red Seal Journeyperson certificate as a carpenter from NAIT, and completed a Supervisor Development training program.

Mr. Sheldon Anderson is the current Dean of Trades and former Chair of the Crooks School of Transportation at Lethbridge College. He is also a board member of Skills Alberta Canada and the Vice-Chair or the Alberta Deans of Apprenticeship and Trades. Mr. Anderson holds three Journeyman Red Seals as an Agricultural Equipment Technician, a Heavy Equipment Technician, and an Automotive Service Technician.