The JFSC Family

Will is a native Calgarian. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Facility Management from the University of Alberta in 2010. Following his undergraduate studies, Will pursued his interested in emergency medicine volunteering as an instructor and medic for Magen David Adom (the Israeli Red Cross). Upon his return to Canada in 2012, Will attended the University of Calgary and graduated in 2016 with a Juris Doctorate and Masters of Business Administration. While obtaining his JD/MBA, Will volunteered with Pro-Bono Students Canada and Student Legal Assistance, gaining experience in family, civil and criminal law. Will joined the Board of JFSC in 2017. As a child growing up in the City of Calgary, Will felt safe and secure knowing the Jewish community was always there to support him through life’s endeavors and being on the Board is a means of giving back to a community that has given him so much over the years. Will currently works as a civil litigator at JSS Barristers and is the acting Co-Chair of the Canadian Bar Association Articling Section.

Denis is a finance professional with extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy, financial analysis, tax, and business planning. He has over 10 years of experience in the energy and infrastructure industries and is currently a member of the Strategy and Corporate Development team of a large energy infrastructure company headquartered in Calgary. Denis holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with distinction from the University of Calgary and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder. Denis is an active volunteer with the Calgary CFA Society, most recently as a grader and a judge in the CFA Institute Research Challenge. Denis joined the JFSC Board in 2018.                                                        

Bev is a retired Management Consultant, specializing in Organization Effectiveness, Change Management and Leadership Effectiveness. Prior to opening her own firm in 1994, Bev worked for major organizations in Oil and Gas and the Industrial Sectors in Calgary and Toronto. Bev’s client work took her to many locations around the world. Bev has an Honors Business Administration (HBA) degree from the University of Western Ontario (London) and a Masters Degree of Science in Organization Development (MSOD) from Pepperdine University in California. Bev is a native Albertan, having lived almost 30 years in Toronto. Moving to Calgary in 2013, Bev became a Volunteer Alberta Health Services, visiting Jewish people in the Hospital on behalf of the Jewish Community. Bev is also on many committees at Rockyview Hospital and in the Calgary Zone. In 2014, Bev joined the Board of JFSC, contributing her business experience and HR/organization background.

Sean has over 10 years of experience in the Energy and Energy Infrastructure industries in diverse roles, which include corporate social responsibility, stakeholder relations, market intelligence, and financial and business analysis. Sean is currently employed in a portfolio management and corporate strategy role at a large infrastructure company. Sean holds an MBA (Finance) and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Calgary.
 

Lisa is an Associate General Counsel with over 15 years of legal experience in leadership, risk management and negotiation on both a national and international scale. Lisa’s areas of practice include the development and negotiation of commercial agreements in areas such as oil and gas, electric power, and transitional energy, as well as corporate legal compliance, policy development and legal education. Lisa holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Alberta and a B.A.(Hons) in Sociology from the University of Western Ontario. She has served on the JFSC Board since 2021.

Daniel Merson is a finance and banking professional specializing in nonprofit financial advisory, credit structuring, and risk management. As a Senior Relationship Manager, Nonprofit Sector at RBC, he supports social service organizations, public sector entities, and other nonprofits with expertise in nonprofit governance, budgeting and financial strategy.  

An active community volunteer, Daniel serves on the boards of JFSC and The SHARP Foundation. He has also volunteered with the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre, earning their Advocate Volunteer of the Year Award, and has mentored emerging professionals through various programs.

In recognition of his leadership and commitment to community service, Daniel was honoured with the 2024 RBC Global Citizen Award - recognizing outstanding employees who excel in their roles while demonstrating dedication to volunteerism and charitable leadership, embodying the RBC Purpose of helping communities prosper inside and outside the workplace.

Daniel is currently completing his MBA at Royal Roads University, focusing on organizational change management.

Zakeana is the Chief Operating Officer for CCDI Consulting Inc. She brings well rounded experience in all aspects of HR, as well as the strength of skill in the areas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She has been an active parent volunteer with Calgary Jewish Academy for many years.

Jennifer began her career as a Counselor and Facilitator in the non-profit sector. Since 2007 she has held various roles at AHS, within the Social Work field. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Calgary, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Policy and Program Evaluation from Carleton University. She holds a Prosci Change Management Credential and has an extensive history of volunteerism with several well recognized Calgary based non-profit organizations.          

Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia, and a Juris Doctor with Distinction, from the University of Saskatchewan. She is a currently practicing litigator with a diverse practice focused on commercial litigation, shareholder and partnership disputes and employment law. Prior to her career in law, Amanda worked in Fund Development for the Calgary Counselling Centre.

Yanna is a professional in the Oil and Gas Industry, currently employed with a major multi-national organization. She has over 10 years of experience in roles from overseeing fueling stations to crude oil supply. She is a trained Continuous Improvement professional and teacher, with specialties in streamlining processes, statistics, and idea generation. She has a Bachelor of Mathematics, Honours from the University of Waterloo, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and an MBA from the University of Calgary. She has been an active volunteer through her workplace Social Club and annual United Way Campaign, as well as with Calgary Jewish Federation.

Aliza taught theatre arts in the New York City public schools for 14 years before relocating to Calgary in early 2020. In addition to this she has worked with the New York City Department of Education to develop assessments, design curricula, and facilitate professional development. She co-chaird the NY Theatre in our Schools Conference, worked as a consultant for the Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts, has been a faculty member at New York University and Hunter and Manhattanville Colleges. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Teaching Theatre Arts from Appalachian State University, a Master of Arts in Educational Theatre from NYU and a certificate in Drama in Education from Trinity College, Dublin. Aliza has substantial experience in designing curriculum, trainings and resource materials for community based organizations, for the purpose of implementing civic engagement in youth focused after-school and summer programs.

Michael is a Partner with a large multi-national consulting firm, providing assurance services to large multinational companies in the Energy, Utilities and Mining industry. He is a CPA in good standing in both Canada and the US, as well as with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the UK. He holds a Bachelor of International Management from Wisconsin International University, a Bachelor of Business Administration from American City University and a Master of International Management from Wisconsin International University (all with honors).

For the past 20 years, Gil has served as Co-Founder and Managing Partner of a Calgary based independent management consultancy. He has over 45 years of management consulting, exploration, and production experience in the Oil and Gas sector. Prior to founding his own consultancy, he held technical, managerial and strategic roles for a large multi-national energy company both domestically and internationally. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Geophysics from Queens University and is a member of APEGA. He is an avid volunteer, with previous Board of Directors experience as well as committing substantial amounts of his time annually to several well-known Calgary based non-profits.