Meet Your 2022-2023
Association Board of Directors
*in alphabetical order
Andrew DeGruchy
Andrew DeGruchy has been working within Emergency Management sectors throughout Alberta for the previous 12 years. Andrew's career in Emergency Management began when he decided to pursue a lifelong interest of becoming a firefighter for his home community of Cold Lake in 2010. Since then, Andrew has placed a high value on training and professional development around various firefighting and emergency management aspects. Andrew has recently completed his Master of Arts in Disaster and Emergency Management through Royal Roads Univesity. He currently holds the position of Manager of Emergency Management for the City of Lloydminster which also assumes the responsibility of Director of Emergency Management. Andrew held the position of Lieutenant in Cold Lake Fire-Rescue and was the lead instructor and facilitator of the regional NFPA 1001 program for several years, teaching hundreds of new firefighters up to a nationally recognized firefighting standard. Andrew places a high value on education and has completed a myriad of firefighting training programs including NFPA 1001 (Professional Firefighter), NFPA 472 (Hazmat operations), NFPA 1051 (Wildland Firefighter), NFPA 1021 Level 1( Fire Officer), NFPA 1041 (Fire Service Instructor), & NFPA 1061 (Public Safety Telecommunicators). Andrew's previous work experience was in delivering emergency communications (PSAP) and emergency coordination as the supervisor for an emergency call center which worked with all stakeholders who operated on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, this included, Dept. of National Defence, Oil & Gas Sector, and Government of Alberta. Andrew is married to his wife Alix, they live in the Lakeland area and enjoy spending time outdoors with their pets. Andrew also enjoys spending his free time cooking, golfing, fishing, and volunteering with the Canadian Red Cross.
Andrew DeGruchy has been working within Emergency Management sectors throughout Alberta for the previous 12 years. Andrew's career in Emergency Management began when he decided to pursue a lifelong interest of becoming a firefighter for his home community of Cold Lake in 2010. Since then, Andrew has placed a high value on training and professional development around various firefighting and emergency management aspects. Andrew has recently completed his Master of Arts in Disaster and Emergency Management through Royal Roads Univesity. He currently holds the position of Manager of Emergency Management for the City of Lloydminster which also assumes the responsibility of Director of Emergency Management. Andrew held the position of Lieutenant in Cold Lake Fire-Rescue and was the lead instructor and facilitator of the regional NFPA 1001 program for several years, teaching hundreds of new firefighters up to a nationally recognized firefighting standard. Andrew places a high value on education and has completed a myriad of firefighting training programs including NFPA 1001 (Professional Firefighter), NFPA 472 (Hazmat operations), NFPA 1051 (Wildland Firefighter), NFPA 1021 Level 1( Fire Officer), NFPA 1041 (Fire Service Instructor), & NFPA 1061 (Public Safety Telecommunicators). Andrew's previous work experience was in delivering emergency communications (PSAP) and emergency coordination as the supervisor for an emergency call center which worked with all stakeholders who operated on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, this included, Dept. of National Defence, Oil & Gas Sector, and Government of Alberta. Andrew is married to his wife Alix, they live in the Lakeland area and enjoy spending time outdoors with their pets. Andrew also enjoys spending his free time cooking, golfing, fishing, and volunteering with the Canadian Red Cross.
Ivana Irwin
Ivana has been in public safety over 15 years and in the health care industry for over 25 years. She continues to maintain both professional careers. As a fire professional, Ivana works as the Deputy Fire Chief of Emergency Management for Leduc County Fire Services. Her portfolio includes holding the position of Deputy Director of Emergency Management (DDEM) for the municipality and leading all the Emergency Management initiatives. She furthers her involvement in public safety by consulting for Behr Integrated working on nation-wide fire and emergency management projects. Throughout her career, she’s been challenged to lead through complex situations and has been able to demonstrate perseverance and resilience throughout. She’s worked with Alberta Health Services (AHS) in the Zone Emergency Coordination Centre as operations section chief and safety officer during the Fort McMurray and High Level fires and more recently as a DDEM and logistics section chief for Leduc County through the COVID pandemic response. She also maintains a volunteer position with Canada Task Force 2 and has had recent deployment to the Yukon to support the Yukon government through their flooding mitigation as part of a Incident Management Team. She also supports the Canadian Association of Fire chiefs and sits on many committees including: Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Mental Health Committee and Cancer committee. Her work has led her to participate in research projects and have given her the opportunity to be a Peer Reviewer for Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment. Her second portfolio with Leduc County is related to internal firefighter development and training, including the recruitment program, firefighter training and officer development. She is passionate about firefighter training and safety and has been recently elected to the role of president with the South Capital Regional Fire Training Association. Through her healthcare career she worked as the Director of Workplace Health and Safety, leading the complex and large Edmonton Zone, navigating the challenges of a unionized (UNA, AUPE, CUPE) and non-unionized workforce which also included physician contractors, health care students and volunteers.
Ivana has been in public safety over 15 years and in the health care industry for over 25 years. She continues to maintain both professional careers. As a fire professional, Ivana works as the Deputy Fire Chief of Emergency Management for Leduc County Fire Services. Her portfolio includes holding the position of Deputy Director of Emergency Management (DDEM) for the municipality and leading all the Emergency Management initiatives. She furthers her involvement in public safety by consulting for Behr Integrated working on nation-wide fire and emergency management projects. Throughout her career, she’s been challenged to lead through complex situations and has been able to demonstrate perseverance and resilience throughout. She’s worked with Alberta Health Services (AHS) in the Zone Emergency Coordination Centre as operations section chief and safety officer during the Fort McMurray and High Level fires and more recently as a DDEM and logistics section chief for Leduc County through the COVID pandemic response. She also maintains a volunteer position with Canada Task Force 2 and has had recent deployment to the Yukon to support the Yukon government through their flooding mitigation as part of a Incident Management Team. She also supports the Canadian Association of Fire chiefs and sits on many committees including: Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Mental Health Committee and Cancer committee. Her work has led her to participate in research projects and have given her the opportunity to be a Peer Reviewer for Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment. Her second portfolio with Leduc County is related to internal firefighter development and training, including the recruitment program, firefighter training and officer development. She is passionate about firefighter training and safety and has been recently elected to the role of president with the South Capital Regional Fire Training Association. Through her healthcare career she worked as the Director of Workplace Health and Safety, leading the complex and large Edmonton Zone, navigating the challenges of a unionized (UNA, AUPE, CUPE) and non-unionized workforce which also included physician contractors, health care students and volunteers.
James Lodge*autobiography pending
Lona Loeppky-Hickman
Lona is looking forward to adding her enthusiasm and expertise to the AAEM Board. Her passion for emergency management started with WestJet as one of two Emergency Response Advisors responsible for overseeing station response readiness at all WestJet airport destinations. From there, Lona decided to venture into oil and gas, spending some time in the service provider realm and then moved into a Coordinator position overseeing Paramount Resources Ltd.'s entire emergency management program. The pandemic provided a contract opportunity for Lona to move into the public sector with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA), where she served for a time as the Provincial Operations (POC) Information Officer and concluded her time at the AEMA in the Planning Team where she was notably the co-designer of the successful 2022 Alberta Provincial exercise (EMX 22). She is now the Manager of Training and Development with the Response Team, spending much time with provincial, municipal, and private agencies, building resiliency through ICS training and exercises. Lona has a Diploma in Emergency Management (with honours) from NAIT, is an Associate Business Continuity Practitioner and is working on her Master's in DEM with Royal Roads University. Lona volunteers with Team Rubicon (TR) and the Central Region All Hazards Incident Management Team (CRAHIMT) and supports the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management as an edito
Lona is looking forward to adding her enthusiasm and expertise to the AAEM Board. Her passion for emergency management started with WestJet as one of two Emergency Response Advisors responsible for overseeing station response readiness at all WestJet airport destinations. From there, Lona decided to venture into oil and gas, spending some time in the service provider realm and then moved into a Coordinator position overseeing Paramount Resources Ltd.'s entire emergency management program. The pandemic provided a contract opportunity for Lona to move into the public sector with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA), where she served for a time as the Provincial Operations (POC) Information Officer and concluded her time at the AEMA in the Planning Team where she was notably the co-designer of the successful 2022 Alberta Provincial exercise (EMX 22). She is now the Manager of Training and Development with the Response Team, spending much time with provincial, municipal, and private agencies, building resiliency through ICS training and exercises. Lona has a Diploma in Emergency Management (with honours) from NAIT, is an Associate Business Continuity Practitioner and is working on her Master's in DEM with Royal Roads University. Lona volunteers with Team Rubicon (TR) and the Central Region All Hazards Incident Management Team (CRAHIMT) and supports the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management as an edito
Russ Nelson *contact me here
Russ has been an active member of the Canadian Armed Forces since 2003, serving as an Infantry Soldier (2003-2008), as a Medical Technician (2008-2022), and as a Canadian Ranger (2022-present). He had the privilege of deploying internationally to Afghanistan in 2009 on Task Force 3-09 (Operation Athena Rotation 8) and domestically in 2013 to the Calgary Floods as a part of Operation LENTUS. Since 2006 Russ has been involved with civilian emergency services in one form or another beginning in both Canadian & USA metro emergency medical services operations, and eventually working in emergency environments ranging from remote arctic medical clinics, hyperbaric chamber facilities, volunteer fire departments, wildfire firefighter medical support & also has experience providing medical support and advanced rescuer education to expedition groups. Russ completed his Master's Degree in Disaster and Emergency Management through Royal Roads University in 2018, and is currently employed with a Provincial Healthcare Emergency Management team, working with healthcare-based emergency management groups & acting as a liaison with municipal and industrial emergency preparedness organizations. Russ founded the Alberta Association of Emergency Managers in August 2019, (incorporated as an Alberta Society on Friday November 13, 2020) is currently acting as the President for the association, and continues to work casually with various non-profit organizations.
Russ has been an active member of the Canadian Armed Forces since 2003, serving as an Infantry Soldier (2003-2008), as a Medical Technician (2008-2022), and as a Canadian Ranger (2022-present). He had the privilege of deploying internationally to Afghanistan in 2009 on Task Force 3-09 (Operation Athena Rotation 8) and domestically in 2013 to the Calgary Floods as a part of Operation LENTUS. Since 2006 Russ has been involved with civilian emergency services in one form or another beginning in both Canadian & USA metro emergency medical services operations, and eventually working in emergency environments ranging from remote arctic medical clinics, hyperbaric chamber facilities, volunteer fire departments, wildfire firefighter medical support & also has experience providing medical support and advanced rescuer education to expedition groups. Russ completed his Master's Degree in Disaster and Emergency Management through Royal Roads University in 2018, and is currently employed with a Provincial Healthcare Emergency Management team, working with healthcare-based emergency management groups & acting as a liaison with municipal and industrial emergency preparedness organizations. Russ founded the Alberta Association of Emergency Managers in August 2019, (incorporated as an Alberta Society on Friday November 13, 2020) is currently acting as the President for the association, and continues to work casually with various non-profit organizations.
Paul Prevost
Paul Prevost is a retired Deputy Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management after 36 years as both a full and part time Firefighter and medic with five agencies in Western Canada. He was also a fire apparatus and equipment representative for 25 years. Paul has been an instructor with NAIT’s Disaster and Emergency Management program and NAIT’s Center for Applied Disaster and Emergency Management since 2019. He is also an active ICS Canada and Blue Card Hazard Zone Command instructor since 2014. Paul enjoys volunteering at the Reynolds Alberta Museum and serves on the board of the Heritage Boiler Association of Alberta. He is still a Deputy DEM for the Summer villages of Pigeon Lake, a Incident Commander with the North Central Regional Incident Management Team, and a Safety Codes Officer Fire.
Paul Prevost is a retired Deputy Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management after 36 years as both a full and part time Firefighter and medic with five agencies in Western Canada. He was also a fire apparatus and equipment representative for 25 years. Paul has been an instructor with NAIT’s Disaster and Emergency Management program and NAIT’s Center for Applied Disaster and Emergency Management since 2019. He is also an active ICS Canada and Blue Card Hazard Zone Command instructor since 2014. Paul enjoys volunteering at the Reynolds Alberta Museum and serves on the board of the Heritage Boiler Association of Alberta. He is still a Deputy DEM for the Summer villages of Pigeon Lake, a Incident Commander with the North Central Regional Incident Management Team, and a Safety Codes Officer Fire.
