The current Board includes the following members, each serving a 2-year term:

City of Lethbridge

Doug Kaupp
OWC Chair

City of Lethbridge

Doug Kaupp is retired as the General Manager of Water and Wastewater for the City of Lethbridge, Alberta in 2024. He is now a Water and Wastewater Special Project Manager for the City of Lethbridge.  He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta (1986), and a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University (2003).  

After relatively brief assignments as a consulting engineer and technical sales representative, he joined the City of Lethbridge in 1990.  Originally, Doug worked as a process engineer at the wastewater treatment plant, and later served as the manager of the water treatment plant prior to advancing to a general utility management role.  He is a member of the Western Canada Water - Alberta Provincial Council and the Alberta Environment Municipal Water and Wastewater Guidelines and Standards Advisory Committee.
  
Doug is a long-time member of the Oldman Watershed Council and has participated on the Urban Team, the State of the Watershed Team, and the Core Team for the Integrated Water Management Plan.  He also served on the Oldman River Basin Advisory Committee for the South Saskatchewan River Basin Water Management Plan.

City of Lethbridge (Alternate)

Mark Svenson

City of Lethbridge

Mark is a seasoned biologist with extensive expertise in watershed management and environmental science. Throughout his career, he has focused on overseeing the environmental, regulatory, and stakeholder engagement components of large-scale water projects for the Government of Alberta. Recently, Mark returned to Southern Alberta, his home region, to assume the role of Environment Manager for the City of Lethbridge. In this capacity, he leads the city's environmental sustainability portfolio, driving initiatives to enhance sustainability and environmental stewardship within the community.

Health

Wade goin

Provincial Government 

Linda Cerney

Alberta Environment and Parks

Linda Cerney is an Integrated Resource Grasslands Planner with Alberta Environment and Parks, for the Red Deer and South Saskatchewan Regions.

Her current work is implementing grassland strategies within the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan, including the development of a management plan for the Pekisko Heritage Rangeland and Special Management Area, grassland conservation tools and the Twin River Heritage Rangeland Natural Area designation.  She has assisted her team members working on the recreation and footprint planning and will be further assisting the footprint work in the grassland areas.

 Born and educated here in Lethbridge, she spent most of her childhood up in the mountains of the Crowsnest Pass and eastern B.C, but developed a passion for the prairies. Working throughout the watershed, Linda has been employed with Alberta Fish and Wildlife, Alberta Conservation Association and Alberta Parks. She worked under contract as an assistant planner with the OWC during the development of the Priorities document and now sits on the Integrated Watershed Management Plan team. She holds a BASc in Geography and Psychology, and when not working, also assists with a bird banding project in Waterton.

Provincial Government

Michael Wagner

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry

Michael Wagner is a Forest Hydrologist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry working in the Forestry Division out of the Calgary Forest Area. He has over 18 years of experience in forestry and forest management, research hydrology and watershed management. The position he currently holds with Alberta Government is focused on developing site level decision support tools related to forestry to address water and watershed management issues in Alberta. He is a registered professional forester and has a Master’s degree in Forest Hydrology from the University of Alberta. Michael is involved with research institutions and collaborative watershed programs, Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils and various watershed stewardship organizations across the Province in helping to understand watersheds and address local watershed management issues.

Provincial Government (alternate)

Cheryl Dash

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

Cheryl began working for the provincial government in 1985 as a summer-temporary-contract staff member and explored areas of responsibility with interpretation, enforcement, planning and resource management in numerous Provincial Parks across the province. In 1996 she moved back to Lethbridge to further her work with the Government of Alberta within the environment/water/protected areas/partnerships portfolio. She played a key role in supporting the ORBWQI and it’s transition to the OWC after the release of the original Water for Life Strategy and participated on several OWC Teams throughout the early years supporting the development of the first SOW and the Visioning, Priorities and IWMP processes and documents.

Currently as Planning Lead-South, Cheryl provides guidance to a small team of planners in southern Alberta working on priority regional, sub-regional and issue specific planning activities. She is also a Board member on the MRWCC.

In her spare time, she likes to wander around Keho Lake walking her two large crazy pups, coaching and supporting her daughter’s sports activities and trying to stay connected to family and friends.

Academia

Andrew Hurly
Vice-chair

University of Lethbridge

Andy is a retired Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Lethbridge where he had taught and conducted research since 1991. His research interests involve two areas - animal behaviour and ecosystem ecology. Andy has served on the Board of the OWC for many years in various capacities.

Andy's interests in ecosystem ecology concern the health of bird and plant communities and how they are affected by activities such as cattle grazing and alterations to river flow.

Andy and his wife live on the banks of the Oldman River near Fort Macleod, and thus he is interested in maintaining healthy and economically viable ecosystems for his family and his neighbours.

Environmental Non-Government Org

Megan Andre

Megan Andre is an experienced and future-focused leader, relationship builder, and strategist recognized for her exceptional contributions to the agriculture industry in rural Alberta. With over 20 years of experience, she has been at the forefront of initiatives supporting sustainable food production, environmental management, regulatory compliance, and innovation in the region.

Megan's expertise in interpreting regulatory policies and understanding their legal, economic, and process implications has earned her industry-wide recognition. Her strong communication skills and leadership capacity have been acknowledged through her election to Council for the Alberta Institute of Agrologists. This position underscores her industry-leading legal and regulatory understanding, as well as her ability to impact and influence Agrologists and the profession of Agrology in Alberta and Canada.

Originally, from rural Alberta and passionate about sustainability, Megan frequently shares her expertise as a public speaker, covering topics such as ecosystem restoration, regenerative agriculture through agroforestry, and community capacity building.

In addition to her professional achievements, Megan actively contributes to Alberta's Not-for-Profit community, serving on multiple boards where she continues to shape and influence projects that drive positive change.

Megan's industry-leading knowledge, strategic leadership, and commitment to the profession of Agrology make her a respected figure in the Canadian agricultural landscape.

Industry 

Errol Kutcher, BSc RPF

Spray Lake Sawmills/Crowsnest Forest Products

I was born and raised in the Crowsnest Pass and, other than to attend university, have live there my whole life.  At a very early age I developed a profound appreciation for forests and knew I could only be truly happy working outdoors.  I always needed to see what was over that next rise or what honey hole waited around that next bend in the river.  Growing up both of my parents were teachers and through their encouragement and not so subtle motivational tactics I learned the importance of continuous education.  

After graduating high school and during the summers while attending university I worked on an Initial Attack (helitack) fire crew.  At that time the University of Lethbridge offered a pre-forestry transfer program with the University of Alberta.  I enjoyed my first year at the Uof L so much that I decided I should stick around for another year.  Going from academic probation after my second semester to the Dean’s List after my fourth may also have been a factor.    After graduating from the UofA I spent the next 6 years working as a consultant in the East Kootenays of BC and for the past 14 years have worked for Spray Lake Sawmills.  Until last year I was responsible for operational planning, reforestation, and reclamation.  I am now a harvesting supervisor but still spend a considerable amount of time coordinating and supervising reforestation and reclamation operations. I am on the technical advisory committee for the Grassland Restoration Forum, formerly Foothills Restoration Forum. 

My passions include hiking, hunting, cross-country skiing, and wood carving.

Industry (alternate)

cade nixdorf

Spray Lake Sawmills

Registered Professional Forest Technologist (RPFT) and Biologist in Training (BIT), employed by Spray Lake Sawmills/Crowsnest Forest Products

I was born and raised in Southern Alberta, I entered the environmental science field and forest industry because of my interest in plants, fish, wildlife, and everything outdoors related. I attended Lethbridge College for a diploma in Renewable Resource Management and University of Lethbridge for a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. During college I took a summer job in Northern BC working for Canadian Forest Products (Canfor) and developed a passion for forest management. I enjoy the fast-paced environment of working in industry and take pride in upholding responsibility to stakeholders and the environment. I stayed with Canfor for 4 more years, working in field operations and later as a harvest supervisor. In 2019 I saw an opportunity to move closer to home and accepted a position as a field forest practitioner with Spray Lake Sawmills. I have been employed in the Crowsnest Pass since then, and my time is spent in the field planning future operations. My favorite part of the job is taking special consideration for fish and wildlife habitat management. I currently reside in the M.D. of Pincher Creek near the Crowsnest River and spend my free time hunting, hiking, fishing and camping throughout the watershed.

Towns and Villages

Brad Schlossberger

Towns and Villages (Alternate)

Heather Caldwell

Town of Coalhurst

Heather Caldwell grew up in a small town in southern Alberta. That was the upbringing she wanted for her children Dylan and Garrett when they moved to Coalhurst eight years ago. Since then she has volunteered with the Coalhurst BMX club, with both elementary and high school parent councils- chairing the CES playground committee, and the Coalhurst Youth Committee and drop-in centre. One of her goals is to create a community for all children to grow and thrive.

Heather has worked in the non-profit sector for more than 25 years in the areas of advocacy, project and community development, and inclusive person centred planning. She is a firm believer that building community is not just about bricks and mortar. While they are important, it’s also about creating opportunities for ALL of our residents to build quality lives. Her favorite pastimes include visiting, volunteering, and family recreation.

Agriculture

W.R. (Bill) Macmillan

P.Eng., M.Sc. - Lethbridge County

An experienced project management professional with 40 years experience in agricultural, environmental, geotechnical, and civil engineering. Bill is currently the Environmental Services Manager for Lethbridge County, which includes the agricultural services and environmental utilities portfolios. Previous roles include business development leadership, technical engineering practice, project and team management. His leadership and business acumen combined with strong engineering, client and project management skills has inspired growth and commercial success in his private sector roles and technical excellence throughout his career.

Bill has managed or directed 100's of projects ranging in size between $5K - $200 M. He has experience in geotechnical and environmental investigations, site characterization, design, and construction management for municipal, industrial, and agricultural projects. His broad geoenvironmental experience includes water, wastewater and solid waste management, soil and groundwater investigation and program design. His hydrogeological experience includes clean water development projects and contaminated site investigation and remediation. Geotechnical experience includes investigation, design and construction for earthen dams and reservoirs, slope stabilization, foundations, and pavements. His waste management and treatment skills include land disposal practices, as well as various treatment and storage facility designs for municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastewater and solid waste. Planning, design, and management for the protection of surface and groundwater resources is a key aspect of Bill’s training and experience. Exceptional communication and project management skills and a cross disciplinary understanding of engineering, planning, resource management, and environmental/administrative law has allowed him to contribute at the national level within his field. His mix of public and private sector experience provides an understanding of government programs and policies and management of multidisciplinary project teams.

Irrigators

Chris Gallagher

Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District

Christopher Gallagher, P.Eng., General Manager, Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District

Chris is an irrigation engineer with a Biological Engineering Degree from the University of Guelph and a diploma in Watershed Management from Lethbridge College (now Polytechnic). Chris has a mix of design and project management experience with UMA|AECOM, St. Mary River Irrigation District and most recently with Stantec. Chris was Manager of the Taber Irrigation District for 8 years until amalgamation with SMRID and started as General Manager at LNID in May 2024.

Chris is a champion of protecting irrigation’s social license to operate through effective stewardship of our water resources using responsible source, conveyance and drainage management. Chris is Vice-President of the Canadian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (CANCID), member of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association (AIDA), and glad to be sharing an irrigation perspective in support of the Vision and Mission of the Oldman Watershed Council.

Wildlife and Habitat Conservation 

Allan garbutt

Allan was born and raised in Calgary and began visiting the Oldman watershed in about 1960. He received a BSc in Honours Zoology from the U of Alberta, then both an MSc and a PhD in wildlife biology from the University of Guelph. He worked in consulting in Edmonton for several years, before returning to University. He received an MD from the U. Of Western Ontario in 1991 and did a rural family medicine residency at UBC. He practiced in Crowsnest Pass until 2019, when he retired. During that time he was active with the Section of Rural Medicine, and also served on the Executive of the Alberta Medical Association.

Since retiring Allan has helped the Livingstone Landowners Group (LLG) in the fight against coal mining, and served as their lead on a critique of the Nova GasTransmission Limited pipeline project, and presented evidence to the Canada Energy Regulator during the Hearing for the project. Part of this project involves twinning a pipeline over the Livingstone Range.

Last year, Allan completed the CABIN (Canadian Biomonitoring Network) training program. He is currently involved with the LLG project to monitor water quality parameters in the Crowsnest River area. Allan has assisted OWC staff on a couple of CABIN sampling projects, and anticipates working on more this summer.

Allan and his wife Bev live on a small ranch in the Porcupine Hills, where they have begun implementing projects to improve the soil and habitat of both native range and cultivated land.

 Wildlife and Habitat Conservation (alternate)

VACANT

Indigenous

Randall Wolf Tail

Indigenous, Piikani Public Works

Randall Wolf Tail graduated as a Civil Engineering Technologist from the Lethbridge Community College in 1999. He works with the Piikani Public Works Department on the Piikani Nation as the Maintenance Management Officer. Randall is a Level One Water operator and is a member of the Alberta Water/Waste Water Association.

Alternate - Noreen Plain Eagle

Mike Bruised Head chief bird

Indigenous, Niina Piiskii

2012 - present Chairman - KEPA (Kainai Ecological Protection Agency)

1994 - 2011 Kainai Board of Education

Mike previously was a councillor on the office of Blood Tribe Chief and Council  and has been involved in Environmental issues in southern Alberta for many years. He holds a B.A / B. Ed Degree from the University of Lethbridge and a Masters Degree from Gonzaga University, Spokane Washington.

Mike has served on numerous committees and board at the tribal, provincial and federal level. He lives on the Blood Reserve where he raise horses and cattle, and practices Blackfoot ceremonies.

Federal Government

Members at Large 

ERIK CLINE

Erik is an aquatic environmental scientist with experience working in consulting, provincial government, academic and volunteer capacities. Having lived in two western provinces and the NWT, Erik has experience with a wide range of climates and watersheds. Specializing in hydrology and fisheries work over the past decade, Erik offers a breadth of experience along with sharing opinions from a wide variety of clients and groups that he has dealt with in his career.

Erik has made a career of his passion for maintaining the health and recreation of the habitat in which he lives, so provides a passionate energy to discussions about the watershed. While living in this watershed for the past two years, he has grown a network of contacts from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to the confluence of the South Saskatchewan that range from land owners, colleges/universities, regulators, conservation groups, and industry professionals. He has begun to get more involved with his community now that feels he has enough of a connection to this region to understand the wants and demands of the people living in the area.

Rick Cooke

I have been a full-time resident of the Crowsnest Pass (Coleman) since 2000 and a part-time resident of the MD of Pincher Creek (Lee Lake) since 1980. I am an active member of the community, volunteering with various organizations and initiatives. This includes being a Board Member of the Crowsnest Conservation Society (CCS) from its formation in 2002 until 2020. My most recent contribution through CCS was leading the group’s intervenor participation in the Grassy Mountain Coal Project hearings during which we consulted informally with OWC on our respective interventions. My personal interests are hiking, snowshoeing, fishing and generally enjoying the outdoor lifestyle that the Eastern Slopes provide.

By way of professional background, I am an engineer with over forty years of project and executive management experience in the oil and gas, waste management, and environmental consulting sectors. Since 1993, I have been the president of Man-West Environmental Group Ltd., an environmental management consulting practice primarily working internationally in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Middle East, Latin America, and South East Asia.

My consulting work has generally focused on environmental investment project development, institutional strengthening, and action on major global environmental issues specifically waste and chemicals life cycle management, hazardous waste/contaminated site treatment technology development and reduction of fluorocarbon GHG release. The above work has periodically extended to undertaking various technical advisory activities related to global environmental funding mechanisms and operation of international conventions.

My interest in OWC’s activities and specifically the opportunity to serve on its Board is motivated by my attachment to the lands covered by the Oldman watershed and particularly its headwaters where I live. As a long-time resident active in conservation activities at a local level I see the changes that have and will continue to occur, particularly related to water quantity, quality and seasonal variability. The trend in these metrics raise major concerns, particularly considering inevitability of climate change effects, respecting the viability of the watershed in terms of regional ecological and economic sustainability. On the positive side, I see OWC as one of most creditable honest brokers in ensuring both awareness and positive action at a grassroots level in addressing both public policy and a grassroots response. It is my hope that my background, both in the region and professionally from a global environmental perspective can be of value in furthering the Council’s objectives.

henk de vlieger

Henk was born in the Netherlands and he and his wife, Janny have three children. Henk grew up on an island below sea level, which experienced a terrible flood in 1953, claiming 1,835 lives. Throughout his professional career, he regularly had to deal with keeping sea water off of the land and was involved in building storm surge barriers for public safety to comply with newly implemented government laws - put into effect by the Dutch government after the 1953 flood. These safety barriers where designed to harmonize with the natural environment and ecology and also secure fresh water for human consumption. This was a great experience for Henk, he gained a lot of knowledge and appreciation about the importance of maintaining a balance between technology, safety, the natural environment and water management.  

Henk and his wife immigrated to Canada in 1983, and have a small irrigation farm just outside of Taber, and a beautiful property in the Crowsnest Pass area, which helps them to appreciate and understand the importance of fresh clean water, and being a responsible watershed steward.

Autumn Barnes

Autumn is an independent agriculture professional with experience in agronomy, project management, strategic communications, and research administration. She has worked on mixed farms in Western Canada and New Zealand, and her professional career has included three years with Ducks Unlimited Canada’s winter wheat team and nine years with the Canola Council of Canada’s Crop Production & Innovation team. Most recently, Autumn worked on contract for Lethbridge College, where she helped develop their agriculture research and extension capacity.

Autumn is a Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Lethbridge and an Agriculture Production Diploma from Olds College. She lives in Lethbridge and spends her free time hiking, camping and skiing in the Oldman Watershed with her husband and two kids.

Member at Large (Alternate)

Terrence Lazarus