2023 Symposium

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Dr. John Gilleard is a veterinarian and a Professor of Parasitology and Associate Dean of Research at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. His research program focuses on anti-parasitic drug resistance and improve sustainable parasite control. He has a particular interest in sheep parasites bus also active projects in cattle, companion animals and humans. He is a former president of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitology

(2018), a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) and a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).

Dr. Lynn Tait was born and raised in Alberta and graduated from the University of

Saskatchewan in 1990 with degrees in both Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. She is

currently the owner of OC Flock Management Inc, which, since 1996, has provided small ruminant veterinary and consulting services as well as operating CFIA approved and CETA certified semen and embryo production facilities. Currently, OC Flock is one of only four facilities in the world that is accredited to export semen and embryos to the EU. Over the past 25 years, Lynn has maintained a sheep flock of her own and has been actively involved in the sheep and goat industries both domestically and internationally. In addition to her private practice, she teaches small ruminant medicine as a contract instructor at the University of Calgary, College of Veterinary Medicine. OC Flock Management is a member of the Disseminated Veterinary Learning Community that provides senior year students from UCVM with clinical rotations in small ruminant medicine and advanced reproductive technologies. OC Flock also supports youth in the industry through sponsorship of a number of 4H clubs and 4H on Parade in Calgary.

Rebecca Purc-Stephenson is an Applied Social Psychologist and Professor at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus. She is also the Lead Researcher of AgKnow, the Alberta Farm Mental Health Network. Her research focuses on stress, health, and resilience in agriculture. Over the past 20 years, she has conducted studies that examined how individuals with chronic physical and/or mental health conditions adapt at work, and what strategies help them build and sustain resilience to ongoing work stressors. Now working with community partners across Alberta and other researchers across Canada, she is examining the mental health and well-being among farmers, their families, and those in the agricultural industry. Current projects include a provincial assessment of stress and coping among farmers, succession planning, transitions in and out of agriculture, farm animal epidemics and depopulation, and the farm management and mental wellness. This line of research is a natural fit for Dr. Purc-Stephenson as she lived on a farm, worked as a farm labourer on a large livestock operation, and is a survivor of a childhood farming accident.

Rick is a Farm Management Consultant with MNP’s Farm Management Services team in Red Deer. Rick draws on more than three decades of Western Canadian agricultural industry and commercial banking experience to support clients throughout central and northern Alberta. He helps clients  successfully expand, improve efficiency, overcome financial challenges, drive informed management decisions, and determine practical solutions to create stronger, more resilient operations.

Rick facilitates financial analysis and strategic planning to promote the improved financial health of client's operations. He quickly and efficiently assesses and develops solutions for clients in the agricultural sector, including primary producers and agribusiness operators. He also works with clients in other industry sectors, including business owners requiring support with financial

management coaching and oversight, new debt acquisition or debt restructures.

Prior to joining MNP, Rick was a managing director, Western Canadian agriculture and agribusiness at a major Canadian chartered bank. Rick earned a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) from the University of Alberta in 1991 and a Master of Business

Administration (MBA) from Dalhousie University in 2005.

Grant and his wife Della and two daughters Alexa and Mataea/husband Garett run a small grazing/cow-calf operation where Grant tests what he learns from producers, scientists and extensionists.

Grant worked in Central Alberta with Alberta Agriculture in varying roles:

Forages/Grazing/Livestock/Economics Extension for over 30 years. Those efforts are almost always related to trying to realize the value from seizing the opportunity of

managing forages and grasslands to be a high valued crop. His forage management

thought is from the plant to the soil, to the livestock, to the people, and to the consumer. The systems he works towards are managed in ways that consider finances, the environment, the people, and the community. This Holistic Management decision making approach is family based, done simultaneously and strives to be regenerative. Grant is working part-time with Union Forages, plus providing forage support to producers through many of Alberta’s Forage and Applied Research Associations. He enjoys participating on varying forages projects with “Forage Centric and Producer Empowering” groups. Grant is a proud board member of the Alberta Forage Industry Network (AFIN), which is “Alberta’s Voice for Forages”.

Grant.lastiwka59@gmail.com

403-350-6394

 Kristen graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Animal Science and nutrition.  Kristen is the co-owner of Blue Rock Animal Nutrition which just hit a milestone of 10 years in business this spring. Kristen and Lee have since developed the company into one of the preferred ruminant nutrition consulting and mineral manufacturing companies in the province.  Blue Rocks philosophy around ruminant nutrition is focussed on providing nutrition consulting that is independent, economical and productive.  Our whole team utilizes science-based nutrition solutions to producers and are continually looking at ways to assist the client in improving their bottom line on their operations.  

Louise Liebenberg is a rancher, a lover of wildlife, a writer and an amateur photographer. I grew up in South Africa and obtained my Bachelor of Science degree. After University I took my border collie and

traveled to Europe and the UK, to work on various sheep farms. We started a shepherding company grazing nature areas, dykes, parks, and military areas while living in the Netherlands. We ran the first shepherding school in the Netherlands and had multiple flocks and shepherds doing a variety of grazing projects throughout the country. We direct marketed organic lamb to butcher stores.

In 2008 we emigrated to Canada, where we now ranch. We run a commercial and purebred Angus cattle

and sheep operation.

We ranch in an area that has many large predators including wolves, bears, cougars, and coyotes and have utilised Livestock Guardian dogs since 1992. I, write articles for multiple publications, including the US based “The Shepherds Magazine” where I have a monthly column where I write about livestock guardian dogs. I have spoken at various conferences in Canada and Internationally, on Ranching with Wildlife (primarily on conflict reduction between predators and livestock) and on Livestock Guardian Dogs (raising, training, behaviour, problem solving, and any other topics related to the use of LGD). I have travelled extensively all over the world, looking at how LGD are used and worked. I like to speak

broadly about LGD, with a practical focus on their use. I like to help people find good solutions to help mitigate conflict between livestock and wildlife.

Dr. Sawsan Ammar is a veterinarian graduating from Sadat city University, College of Veterinary Medicine in Egypt and obtained her PhD in Parasitology at the University of Tennessee. She is currently a postdoctoral research associate and clinical parasitology resident at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) funded by the National Centre of Veterinary Parasitology (NCVP). Her research interests focus on the translation of advanced technologies into routine diagnostic applications including DNA sequencing and Mass Spectrometry methods. Dr Ammar will be presenting the Parasite workshop Thursday.