Designated Mediator Roster

Ms. Cheryl Yingst Bartel

1340 – 18 Avenue NW
Calgary, AB T2M 0W4
Phone: 403-282-7088
Fax: 403-220-0097
Email

Cheryl Yingst Bartel holds a B.A. from the University of Calgary, and an L.L.B. (honours) from the University of Ottawa (1990). Cheryl worked for nine years as a civil litigator for a large Calgary firm, gaining experience in several practice areas, including labour, where she worked for both union and management clients. Since leaving private practice in 1999, Cheryl has worked as an independent consultant. Her work has concentrated primarily in the area of labour relations and she recently participated in writing a chapter on non-culpable terminations for the text “Collective Agreement Arbitration in Canada” (Palmer and Snyder). Cheryl is also a mediator and adjudicator for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

Mr. Carl Gareau

CG Mediation
369 Crystalridge View
Okotoks, AB T1S 1W7
Phone: 403-982-5704
Fax: 403-982-5705
Email

Carl is a self made man who rose through union ranks and became the youngest person at the time to be appointed to the position of staff representative with the United Steelworkers of America. He was chief negotiator for union locals over a twenty year period negotiating over one hundred and fifty contracts. In 1990 he joined the Federal Mediation Service and worked across eight provinces and the North West Territories mediating disputes in every area under federal jurisdiction including, transportation, communications, health care, education and municipal workers, courier service, etc. Carl was promoted to Regional Director supervising other mediators for the western region, and served in that capacity until recently leaving the Federal Service. He resides with his wife in Okotoks, Alberta.

Ms. Bertha Greenstein

Alberta Employment and Immigration
Mediation Services
702, 10808 – 99 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5K 0G5
Phone: 780-415-0530
Fax: 780-427-6327
Email

Bertha has a Bachelor of Education from McGill University and an LL.B. from the University of Toronto (1988). She practiced law in Toronto from 1989 to 1998 and then briefly in Edmonton. Bertha has represented both labour and management clients in the public and private sectors. Her practice areas included labour law, administrative law and civil litigation. In 2003, Bertha began practicing as an independent labour mediator specializing in collective bargaining and grievance mediation. During this time she also designed and presented training and talks on various subjects including management/union relations and the mediation and arbitration process. In October 2009, Bertha was appointed the Director of Mediation Services.

Mr. Tom Hodges

TGH-ADR Services Inc.
189 Valley Creek Road NW
Calgary, AB T3B 5W7
Phone: 403-685-2980
Fax: 403-685-2989
Email

Tom has broad range of experience as mediator, negotiator and labour relations practitioner. He was the Senior Vice-President, Labour Relations for the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC) from 2005 until 2008. Prior to joining HEABC he was a Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for 15 years, mediating over 300 labour disputes across Canada. He has also served as a court mediator for the Ontario Court General Division in Ottawa. Tom was General Chairman of the United Transportation Union’s Central Region while employed as a terminal supervisor and train conductor with CN Rail for over 14 years. He has a Master’s degree in Conflict Management and has taught negotiations to managers and union representatives across Canada.

Ms. Deborah M. Howes

High Clouds Incorporated
34 Street Business Centre
3438 – 78 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T6B 2X9
Phone: 780-466-8250
Fax: 780-466-8015
Email

Deborah has a Bachelor of Arts and an LL.B. from the University of Alberta. She is a Chartered Arbitrator and Chartered Mediator and holds the designation of Fellow of the Canadian Condominium Institute. Deborah has over 25 years experience in labour relations and conflict resolution. Between May 1991 and May 2002 Deborah served as a Vice-Chair with the Alberta Labour Relations Board. Currently Deborah is the President of High Clouds Incorporated, an Edmonton based company focusing on seminars and dispute resolution services for labour relations, condominium, real estate, commercial and administrative agencies. She is an instructor for the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and the University of Lethbridge. Deborah has a Conflict Management Certificate from the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and is also a member of the ADR Institute of Canada.

Mr. J. D. (Dan) Kennedy

Alberta Employment and Immigration
Workplace Standards Policy Division
8th Floor, 10808 – 99 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5K 0G5
Phone: 780-415-0458
Fax: 780-644-2100
Email

Dan has over 30 years experience as a labour mediator with Alberta Labour (now Alberta Employment and Immigration). He has a Management Diploma from NAIT and a Personnel Administration Certificate from the University of Alberta. His experience includes labour mediation, grievance mediation and joint training. Prior to coming to the Department Dan worked in the private sector. From 1998 to May 2009 he was the Director of Mediation Services. Dan is currently the Assistant Deputy Minister, Workplace Standards.

Mr. Steve Morrison

MidPoint Consulting
317 – 5 Avenue NE
Calgary, AB T2E 0K9
Phone: 403-201-1342
Fax: 403-201-1320
Email

Steve has over 26 years of labour relations experience and a Bachelor of Arts (Hon.) and Master of Arts from the University of Guelph. His career has involved employment as a Manager of Human Resources for MacMillan Bathhurst in Toronto and as Director of Human Resources for Canada Packers in Calgary. In 1991, he became a private consultant and founded Western HR Consulting, Ltd., a labour relations firm that specializes in industrial relations, policy and procedures and a wide range of other human resource services. Steve now runs Midpoint Consulting, a firm specializing in mediation services.

Mr. Michael E. Necula

Michael E. Necula Consulting Inc.
7238 – 119 Street
Edmonton, AB T6G 1V6
Phone: 780-944-2550
Fax: 780-409-9296
Email

Michael has 27 years of labour relations experience acquired in both Canada and the United States. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta. His experience includes several years with the Alberta Labour Relations Board and three years as a mediator with Alberta Labour (now Alberta Employment and Immigration). From 1980 to 1996 he worked for the PCL family of companies in a labour relations capacity. He currently is an independent labour relations consultant with Michael E. Necula Consulting.

Mr. Klaus G. Opatril

K. G. Opatril Mediation Services
6212 – 179 Street
Edmonton, AB T5T 4E4
Phone: 780-487-5167
Fax: 780-633-9311
Email

Klaus has over 30 years of labour relations experience and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary and a Master of Education from the University of Oregon. His career has most recently involved employment as the Coordinator of Teacher Welfare for the Alberta Teachers’ Association. His responsibilities included the negotiation and administration of collective agreements for teachers in Alberta public, separate and charter schools. He has designed and given workshops and talks on the subject of distributive and integrative bargaining, the grievance process and other labour relations topics. Klaus served as a Board Member of the Alberta Labour Relations Board from 2002 to 2005. He is currently an independent mediator operating the company KG Opatril Mediation Services and specializes in collective bargaining mediation and grievance mediation.

Mr. W. M. (Wes) Pangrass

Wes M. Pangrass & Associates
92 Glamorgan Drive
Sherwood Park, AB T8A 2Y8
Phone: 780-467-3398
Fax: 780-467-3398
Email

Wes has been a labour mediator for over 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan. He was a mediator with Alberta Labour (now Alberta Employment and Immigration) and served as both the Assistant Director for southern Alberta and the Director of Mediation Services for the Province. Currently Wes is a private consultant with Wes M. Pangrass and Associates, specializing in collective bargaining mediation. He was the Executive Director of the Alberta Arbitration Mediation Society for 4 years (2001-2005). Wes also acted in the capacity of a Contract Instructor with Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society for 9 years in the areas of Mediation, Negotiation, and Communication skills workshops (1992 to 2001).

Mr. D. W. (Dale) Simpson

D. W. Simpson & Associates
PO Box 8562
Canmore, AB T1W 2V4
Phone: 403-609-9227
Fax: 403-609-9227
Email

Dale has extensive experience in the labour relations field and has been a labour mediator since 1974. He started his own labour relations/mediation business, D.W. Simpson & Associates, in 1995 after 21 years as a mediator with Alberta Labour (now Alberta Employment and Immigration). Dale specializes in both the prevention and resolution of labour disputes in all sectors throughout the province, including private and public. Dale participated in the development of, and continues to be active in, Preventive Mediation Programs, including grievance mediation and joint labour management training. These programs provide labour relations services and training to employers and unions together in a mixed group.