Culture of Care Safety Summit
The third annual Culture of Care Safety Summit will take place at the U of A’s Lister Centre on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. It will be an opportunity for attendees, presenters and exhibitors to further strengthen their dedication to integrating safety into their work at the U of A. The 2026 event theme of Everyone Owns Safety will focus on the three types of safety that affect the university community: physical, psychological and cultural.
Keynote Sessions
Morning Keynote: Stories of Care: Shaping Safety and Belonging at the U of A
Moderator:
- Marcie Chisholm - Associate Vice-President, Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment
Panelists:
- Dr. Declan Ali - Dean, Faculty of Science
- Dr. Carrie Smith - Vice-Provost, Access, Community and Belonging
- Mike Kohlenberg - Associate Vice-President, Utilities and Operations
In a fireside chat format, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Discover how we’re shaping a safer, more inclusive campus as we prepare for the next phase of the Culture of Care initiative.
- Hear candid reflections from leaders on the university’s journey toward safety and belonging.
- Engage in an open conversation about the future of this work with our university community.
Afternoon Keynote: Grace Under Pressure: Managing Workplace Conflict with Confidence
Speaker:
- Tammy Dunnett - Executive Leadership and Communication Coach
Outcomes:
- Learn the crucial skill of differentiating between a challenging day and a genuine case of workplace bullying.
- Spot the signs and examine the consequences of workplace bullying.
- Embrace three mindset shifts to effectively address offensive behaviors.
- Engage and approach difficult conversations using the Graceful Model.
Concurrent Session #1 (10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.)
From Hearing to Honouring - Creating Spaces Where Voices Matter
Panelists:
- Alex Marshall - Strategic Initiatives Officer, College of Health Sciences - Dean's Office
- Farha Shariff - Senior Advisor to the Dean and Director, Centre for Research for Teacher Education and Development, Faculty of Education - Dean's Office
- Dr. Anne-Jose Villeneuve - Associate Professor and Director ACB, Campus Saint-Jean
- Dr. Stephanie Green - Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
Topics:
- How leaders can model curiosity without intrusion
- How teams can design meeting cultures that invite equitable participation
Outcomes:
- Gain language, techniques, and mindsets to transform listening into action—and to create the kind of “brave spaces” where safety, creativity, and inclusion thrive together.
Your Role in Campus Safety: A Look at the 2025 Incident Trends
Speaker:
- Michelle Rooker - Director, Health, Safety and Environment
Outcomes:
- Explore past incidents at the U of A and the corrective actions that followed.
- Discover the role that leaders and supervisors have in implementing corrective actions.
- Commit to championing a cohesive, institution-wide culture of safety that integrates academic, administrative, and operational units.
Policy in Practice - Navigating Challenging Interpersonal Relationships in the Workplace
Speakers:
- Sarah Flower - Senior Consultant, Health Promotion + Wellbeing and Workplace Response Coordinator, HRHSE Total Rewards
- Ravi Narine - Director, HR Service Partnership, HRHSE
Outcomes:
- Navigate policy + procedure changes: Receive an overview of the major changes to the Discrimination and Harassment and Accommodation in the employment context.
- Enhance awareness of the interconnection of policies, procedures, legislation and standards: Discover the connection between the roles and responsibilities in the policies and how they connect with the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB)
- Connect with the Workplace Response Coordinator (WRC): Learn about the expected outcomes of the new role of the WRC function within Human Resources, Health Safety and Environment (HRHSE) and how it can support psychological safety at the university.
Concurrent Session #2 (12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.)
Online Safety and Cybersecurity
Panelists:
- Frank Page - Threat Assessment Program Manager, Vice-President Facilities & Operations - University of Alberta Protective Services
- CISO representative
Fire Safety Mythbusting
Speakers:
- Shaena Bulger - Emergency Management Tech, HRHSE - Health Safety & Environment
- Greg Hodgson - Manager, Environment and Support Services, HRHSE - Health Safety & Environment
Outcomes:
- Identify common fire safety deficiencies in all U of A workplaces.
- Debunk myths about coffee pots, space heaters and other appliances.
- Examine how the U of A delivers Fire Drill requirements from the Fire Code.
The Art and Science of Workplace Safety: An Industrial Hygiene Overview
Speaker:
- Conan Ma - Occupational Hygienist, HRHSE
Outcomes:
- Explore the role of an industrial hygienist and how it applies to the workplace.
- Learn about common hazards that industrial hygienists address, and simple steps to manage these in your workplace.
Accessibility in Action: Shaping a Barrier-Free Campus Community
Panelists:
- Jacqueline McLeod - Head of Strategic Infrastructure Planning, VFO Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Partnerships
- Kelly Hopkin - Manager, Campus Architecture, VFO Campus Planning and Space Optimization
Outcomes:
- Explore current accessibility policies, supports, and initiatives already in place across campus.
- Recognize accessibility as a collective responsibility and learn practical ways to contribute to building a more inclusive, barrier-free campus community.
Concurrent Session #3 (2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
Hidden Hazards in the Workplace
Panelists:
- Ryan Topham - Electrical Manager, Vice-President Facilities & Operations - Trades & Infrastructure Maintenance
- John Parks - Mechanical Utility Services Supervisor, Vice-President Facilities & Operations - Utilities
- Travis Morton - Electrical Utilities Foreman, Vice-President Facilities & Operations - Utilities
- Byron Skubovius - Mechanical Manager, Vice-President Facilities & Operations - Trades & Infrastructure Maintenance
The 13 Factors: Resources to Promote Psychological Safety in the Workplace
Speakers:
- Ashley Hughes - Manager, Inspections and Technical Services, HRHSE
- Sarah Flower - Senior Consultant, Health Promotion + Wellbeing and Workplace Response Coordinator, HRHSE Total Rewards
Outcomes:
- Understand the purpose and relevance of the 13 psychological risk factors as well as the OHS legislation in our campus environment.
- Identify university resources aligned to each factor, including supports for staff and faculty.
- Recognize opportunities to proactively engage with and promote these resources.
- Build confidence in navigating the university’s wellness, mental health, and organizational support systems.
Smoothing the Kinks and Crinkles: Affirming Cultural Safety Through Practical Implementation
Speaker:
- Victoria Delorme - Indigenous Strategies Manager, Provost & Vice-President Academic - Admin
Outcomes:
- Create a safe space to ask questions regarding Indigenous Ceremonial Practices.
- Build awareness of and familiarity with the U of A Indigenous Ceremonial Practices Guidelines.
- Understand and identify policies that support U of A students and employees with protected rights.
- Distinguish between and gain familiarity with scents/smells associated with Indigenous ceremonial practices.
Next Level Safety: Creative Approaches to Training + Sustainability in the Lab and Beyond
Speakers:
- David King - Lab Technician, Augustana
- Dr. Elizabeth McGinitie, Associate Professor, Augustana
- Justis Allard-Hagan - Program Coordinator, Vice-President Facilities & Operations - Energy and Climate Action
- Matthew Leddy - Program Coordinator, Vice-President Facilities & Operations - Energy and Climate Action
Outcomes:
- Discover creative yet practical training and engagement initiatives that have advanced safety and sustainability practices across the university.
- Learn about strategies for reshaping faculty/staff/student attitudes around laboratory safety and sustainability.
- Leave with ideas for implementing similar practices in your unit.