Board of Governors

Dr. Misheck Mwaba is the College’s 6th President and CEO. He has been a proud Calgarian since 2017, bringing extensive knowledge to Bow Valley College and the Calgary community. He has a breadth of experience across the Canadian post-secondary sector and internationally.  Before joining Bow Valley College, Misheck was the Dean of Media, Trades, and Technology at Niagara College. His professional experiences include designing experimental facilities and managing research and development projects at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, and teaching and research at several post-secondary institutions, including the University of Zambia, Eindhoven University of Technology, Carleton University, University of Ottawa, and Algonquin College.  Misheck’s academic journey started as a mechanical engineering student at the University of Zambia. After achieving a Master’s and Ph.D., he arrived in Canada in 2003 for a postdoctoral fellowship at Carleton University. After working at Atomic Energy of Canada as a mechanical R&D engineer, he embarked on building a career in post-secondary education, first as a chair of Mechanical & Transportation Technology at Algonquin College. In 2017, he moved west to Alberta, first as Vice-President of Academic at Bow Valley College, before being appointed President and CEO in November 2020.  Misheck is currently a Council Member of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). He is Chair of the Alberta Comprehensive Community College Presidents. He has previously served as Vice-Chair of the Niagara Industrial Association; Chair of the Council of Deans of Trades and Apprenticeship Canada; Vice-Chair of the Pembroke Regional Hospital Board; Member of the Arnprior Regional Health Board; and Council Member of the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists In 2022, Dr. Mwaba was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and an Alberta Newcomer Recognition Award.

Appointed as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of TransAlta Corporation in 2021, Mr. Kousinioris is responsible for the overall stewardship of the company, including providing strategic leadership as the company navigates the transition to net zero and achieves its clean energy goals. John’s prior leadership roles as Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Chief Growth Officer and, most recently, Chief Operating Officer, have provided him with responsibility for almost every aspect of TransAlta’s business. He has overseen operations, shared services, commercial, trading, customer solutions, hedging and optimization, and business development. John also served as President and a Corporate Director of TransAlta Renewables from 2017 to 2021.

Prior to joining TransAlta, John was a partner and co-head of the corporate commercial department at Bennet Jones LLP.  He has extensive experience in securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance.

John is Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of Bow Valley College and a member of the Board of Directors of the Calgary Stampede Foundation. John is also a member of the Business Council of Canada, the Business Council of Alberta, and the Net Zero Council of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

John has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Honors Business Administration from the Ivey Business School of the University of Western Ontario, a Master of Business Administration degree from York University, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. He has attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.  

John and his family live in Calgary.

Shannon has received numerous awards over the course of her career including being named one of Canada's 100 most powerful women, female business leader of the year in Alberta, and Entrepreneur of the Year in the Prairies Region.

Until the company's sale, she was also the President and CEO of BOWEN, one of the largest privately held recruiting and contractor management firms in the country.

Shannon now splits her time serving on the Board of Governor for Bow Valley College, Chairing the Advisory Board of Wee Wild ones and running her passion project, CANARY Jewelry and Accessories.

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Dwayne Dubois currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer to the CANA Group of Companies. As CFO, Mr. Dubois oversees the accounting, human resources and information technology functions at CANA. He brings over 25 years of experience building and leading finance and management teams with varying degrees of operating scale and complexity to his role.  

Before joining CANA, Mr. Dubois served as Vice-President and Chief Accounting Officer at Tervita, a leading North American environmental solutions company. At Tervita, he played a key role in refinancing the Company’s $2.7 billion of debt and improving working capital. Mr. Dubois has also held significant roles at Big Rocky Brewery, ENMAX Corporation and Canada Brokerlink.

Mr. Dubois also volunteers as a General Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for both the Ability Society of Alberta and Women in Need Society, both registered charities. Mr. Dubois was also recently appointed to the Bow Valley College Board of Governors.

Mr. Dubois obtained his CGA and CA designations in 1994 and 1996, respectively, after graduating from Mount Royal College in Calgary with diplomas in Business Administration and Petroleum Land Management.

Dwayne lives with his family in Calgary and is an avid traveller, underwater photographer, and a SCUBA diving instructor.

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Steven McLeod is a Professional Engineer with a career of over 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience spanning across Canada. Born and raised in Alberta, Steven received his Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering degree from Carleton University (Ottawa), and joined Bristol Aerospace in Winnipeg as a simulation and attitude control systems specialist for Canada’s Smallsat program. Steven was later contracted by SED Systems to the Canadian Space Agency in Montreal, serving as Lead Spacecraft Operations Engineer on various earth-observation scientific missions, including Canada’s iconic Radarsat and Scisat missions. His experience also includes a role as project lead for designing the mission operations system for the Cassiope spacecraft operated by the University of Calgary, and 8 years as Senior Engineering Analyst with Bonavista Energy.  

Steven is presently a Senior System Analyst with Cybertech Automation, combining his engineering skills with unique expertise in data analytics, business intelligence, and production operations in partnership with clients in Calgary's energy sector.

Steven additionally serves in a leadership role as a volunteer on various community boards with extensive experience in engagement, policy, and governance. He enjoys cycling and hiking in the mountain parks.

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Louise Lee is a partner in the Securities and Capital Markets Group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. Louise focuses her practice on corporate and securities law advising clients on private and public financings, including venture capital and private equity and mergers, acquisitions and other business combinations of public and private issuers, as well as assisting clients to ensure compliance with corporate and securities regulatory requirements.Louise is also a member of the board of directors of Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enabling women to build successful businesses and is the co-leader of BLG's Driven by Women Initiative in Calgary, which is focused on supporting female-led and female-founded companies.  Louise holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of British Columbia.

Neil Yeates is a retired Federal Deputy Minister whose career spanned more than 30 years in the Government of Canada and in the Government of Saskatchewan. Graduating from Queen’s University, Neil began his career as a policy analyst with the Saskatchewan Department of Health, eventually serving as the Associate Deputy Minister. He also worked for a number of years in Saskatchewan Social Services in the young offenders and child welfare programs and later as the Assistant Deputy Minister for all programs. He became a Deputy Minister in Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training, and also served at that level in the then newly formed Department of Corrections and Public Safety. During this time, Neil obtained an M.A. in Political Science at the University of Regina. Moving to the Government of Canada in Ottawa, Neil worked in Industry Canada, Health Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs, and most recently served for four years as the Deputy Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Neil has had a lifelong interest in accountability regimes, planning, and the role of the public service. In addition to being a member of the Board of Bow Valley College, he is also on the Board of Travel Alberta, Co-Chair of the C.D. Howe Institute’s Human Capital Council, a member of the Audit Committee of Global Affairs Canada, and a member of the Governance Committee of the Alpine Club of Canada. Neil was previously the Chair of the Board of the TransCanada Trail and Chair of the Audit Committee of the Department of Justice Canada. He also works as a consultant, mentor, and advisor.

Dr. Wallace is an internationally recognised environmental research scientist and regulatory expert having advised international, federal and provincial governments on environmental, energy and indigenous policy issues that led to his appointment as a Permanent Member of the National Energy Board (NEB). He has worked throughout the circumpolar Arctic region including Siberia (U.S.S.R. and Russian Federation) with the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He led extensive submissions to House and Senate Standing Committees on energy and economic development policies and has advised Parliamentarians, Senators, Alberta Cabinet Members and Premiers on these issues with an extensive experience working with, and presenting expert evidence to, the Canadian courts, regulatory tribunals and environmental panels. He has trained environmental managers and enforcement officers across Canada. He was a member of the Alberta Environmental Enforcement Task Force (1988) and in 2022 he chaired the Alberta Coal Policy Committee for the Alberta Cabinet. He has served as a Board Member of the Canada West Foundation and as Fellow to the Calgary School of Public Policy and the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. He has written extensively on energy policy issues for the national and provincial press and recently published a book on the Inuit of Pond Inlet, Baffin Island. His awards include the Alberta Business Award of Distinction, the Alberta Emerald Award for Environmental Excellence and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta).

In her role as CFOO, Kara oversees Travel Alberta’s financial performance, ensuring accurate financial reporting and managing day-to-day operations. She optimizes business processes and ensures efficient resource allocation, adhering to best practices, professional ethics, and governance standards.

Before joining Travel Alberta, Kara played a pivotal role in the growth of three successful Alberta-based companies: Vintage Group, Jugo Juice, and Big Rock Brewery. She has a proven track record of achieving financial and operational goals through cross-functional collaboration and contributes to long-term strategic planning, risk management, and performance monitoring.

Ms. Claypool earned her CMA designation in 2004 after graduating from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. In 2015, she was honored with the title of Fellow by the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Alberta for her exceptional service and distinction. Recently, she graduated from the Institute of Corporate Directors, receiving the ICD.D designation.

Kara’s professional accomplishments have been widely recognized. She was named to Avenue Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 list in 2011 and Alberta Venture Magazine’s Top 10 Rising Stars Under 40 in 2012. Kara has a history of volunteering on community and association boards and currently serves as Chair of the Board for the Love for Lewiston Foundation, a registered charity. She was recently appointed to the Bow Valley Board of Governors.

Residing in Calgary, Kara enjoys the mountain life in Fernie with her husband, participating in activities such as hiking, downhill mountain biking, and skiing, especially now that her two children are off to university.

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Indira Smith is a Success Advisor in Student Services at Bow Valley College. In this role, she promotes student retention by assisting students with early support, academic coaching strategies, navigating college and community resources, and providing college success workshops. She holds a Community, Family and Child Studies diploma from Camosun College and has recently completed a Certificate in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion with the University of British Columbia. Indira identifies as a lifelong learner and has now embarked on completing a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Thompson Rivers University. Indira supports the College and her students by advocating for fair and equitable treatment and a community of belonging.

Dr. Flora Mahdavi has been a Learning Design Consultant at the Center for Academic Innovation at Bow Valley College since 2012. In this role, she works with every school and many faculty groups on various projects involving research and exploration, training and support, design and development, and implementation of strategic programming.

Aspiring to be a critical friend to faculty and improving the teaching and learning experiences across the college, she has a special interest in the role of technology in teaching and learning and online education. An alumnus of the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education, she holds a doctorate in Learning Sciences and a Master of Education in Educational Technology.

She has worked, in various capacities, for over two decades in the post-secondary institutions in the United Kingdom and Canada. With a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Management from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) and professional background in Information & Communication Technology (ICT), Flora has enjoyed a professional life at the intersection of higher education, ICT, and innovation.

As an appointed National Member on the Religious Education Board for the Canadian Ismaili Community, Flora volunteers her time and knowledge. On this Board, she leads the efforts for systematic delivery of multi-modal education to adult members of the Community between the ages of 18 and 45, across Canada.

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Eddie Boy Argonza is a current Business Administration Diploma - Accounting Major student. He was elected as the President of the Students' Association of Bow Valley College in the Winter of 2024 in his second term of studies. Eddie holds a Degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) accreditation holder in the Philippines and previously worked in finance, private and public accounting, and academe for 8 years before coming to Canada for further studies. As a number enthusiast, he is aiming also to gain and pass the assessment for Chartered Professional Accountant after studies.

Having experienced being an educator, Eddie continues his passion for helping others through "Peer Tutoring". He was accepted in this platform during his first term in the college and was a peer tutor of Financial Accounting and Microeconomics. Because of his willingness to aid students overcome struggles in their studies, he pioneered the "Group Tutoring Session" which led him to accommodate 20-30 students before examinations and continued the initiative up to this time.

Lastly, Eddie is dedicated to assisting others and enjoys volunteering in his free time. With a soothing presence and a radiant smile, he stays open for collaboration and is always ready to lend a hand to the entire community.

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Vitoria Bastos Bernardi is a current Business Administration diploma student. She was elected to the Student’s Association Council in winter 2024 during her second term of studies. Vitoria holds a degree in law and previously worked as a lawyer in Brazil before coming to Calgary to further her education.

She is passionate about communication and project management and will be continuing her studies at Bow Valley College, where her major is Integrated Marketing Communications. Her commitment to continuous learning and professional development is evident through her pursuit of this new career path.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Vitoria is highly engaged in various extracurricular activities. She enjoys attending industry workshops and networking events to broaden her understanding and make meaningful connections within her field. Her enthusiasm for learning and growing professionally is complemented by her active participation in the college community.

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