Staff Biographies

David Eggen, Executive Director
david.eggen@friendsofmedicare.org

David Eggen has had long experience in public advocacy and teaching. David was a teacher for 18 years in Edmonton, Zimbabwe and Thailand before being elected as a Member of the Provincial Legislative Assembly for Edmonton Calder. David and his family have lived in North West Edmonton for the last 17 years. They enjoy music, travelling, cycling and reading in addition to challenging the status quo!

Board of Directors

Friends of Medicare is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of both elected and appointed members. Up to fifteen members may be elected by the membership, of which a maximum of seven can be organizations. Each chapter is also able to appoint one representative to the Board of Directors.

Chair - Ken Collier

Ken Collier's first job after undergraduate study in Political Science was managing one of the Community Clinics that grew out of the Saskatchewan Medicare crisis. He practiced and taught social work for 23 years at the University of Regina, maintaining movement work in the Saskatchewan Coalition for Social Justice, Saskatoon’s One Sky Cross-Cultural Centre, Oxfam Canada national board and Anti-Apartheid in Canada and the UK. 

In 1997, Ken began work at Athabasca University opening an educational access office that conducts assessments of prior informal and employment learning for university credit. He retired in late 2005 to Red Deer, where he is Vice-Chair of the Council of Canadians chapter.  Ken is the President and National office of the Society for Socialist Studies of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.  His Master of Social Work is from UBC, and his PhD in Development Economics is from the University of Wales (Swansea.)

Vice-Chair - Margaret J. Brown
Alberta College of Social Workers

The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) is authorized under the Health Professions Act (HPA) as the regulatory body for the   practice of social work in Alberta. The role of the ACSW is to serve and protect the public interest by regulating the practice of social work and setting standards for the profession in accordance with the HPA. To complement its legislative obligations, the ACSW advocates for policies, programs and services that serve the public interest and supports membership activities that promote skilled and ethical social work practice.

ACSW is represented on FOM’s board by Margaret Brown. Margaret Brown graduated from Wilfred Laurier School of Social Work in 1972 and works in the field of mental health.  For the past 25 years she has worked in the Edmonton Mental Health clinic and is currently with the Regional Social, Vocational and Supports Program.  Margaret has been honoured by her peers through the ACSW John Hutton award for Social Policy/Social Justice. Her interest in FOM and protecting the principles of Medicare in Alberta developed from her concern for individuals, families, the elderly and those with disabilities.

Treasurer - Elisabeth Ballermann
Health Sciences Association of Alberta

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) is a labour union representing more than 14,000 technical, professional, support, and ambulance employees in more than 200 disciplines in the public and private health care sectors of Alberta. HSAA is one of the fastest growing unions in Alberta.

Ms. Ballermann has been president since 1995, becoming the first president elected by the membership. Elisabeth joined HSAA in 1980 when she started her health care career as a physical therapist at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. In 1986, Elisabeth joined the HSAA staff as a labour relations officer and later became president of the HSAA Staff Association. In order to enhance her academic background in labour relations, Elisabeth graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta.

Elisabeth's extensive community service was recognized in 2005 with the awarding of the Alberta Centennial Medal. She has been involved with several community organizations including Edmonton Healthcare Citizenship Society, Planned Parenthood Association of Edmonton, Alberta Association of Disabled Skiers, Alberta Lung Association, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and Kids with Cancer Relay, to name a few. In the 2001 provincial election, Elisabeth was the NDP candidate for Edmonton Beverly Clareview. Elisabeth enjoys gardening and has run in five marathons as well as the Jasper-Banff Relay.

Secretary - Barbara Ashton

Ms. Ashton is a physical therapist who is now in private practice in Edmonton. She served many years as the Clinical Supervisor of Pediatric Physical Therapy at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton and also worked as a physical therapist in Saskatoon and Victoria.

Barbara has been the recipient of numerous scholarship awards and research funding grants, as well as published and presented papers at professional scientific meetings. She has served on the City of Edmonton Advisory Board for Services for Persons with Disabilities, the Edmonton Cerebral Palsy Association, been a member of the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada and served as a volunteer in Friends of Medicare’s office.

Director, Gil McGowan
Alberta Federation of Labour

The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) is a voluntary association of unions and employee organizations that have banded together to achieve common goals. The AFL is currently made up of 31 unions from both the public and private sectors. Taken together, these unions represent nearly 125,000 workers from across the province. Since 1912 the Federation has fought hard to improve conditions for working people, their families and their communities. The logic behind the AFL is the same logic that underlies all unions - namely that working people are stronger when they stand together than when they stand alone.

The AFL is represented on FOM’s board by its President, Gil McGowan. Gil McGowan was elected President of the Alberta Federation of Labour in 2005, following 10 years working as Communications Director for the AFL. He is also a former Vice-President of the Canadian Association of Labour Media (CALM). Before joining the AFL, McGowan was a journalist for Canadian Press and the Edmonton Journal.
Gil has a strong track record of political activism. He is an experienced political organizer and strategist, having worked dozens of political campaigns of all types. Of particular note is his work between 1996 and 2003 with Friends of Medicare, where he acted as Communications Coordinator and was a lead organizer and strategist for campaigns against Bill 37 and Bill 11 (bills aimed at legalizing for-profit hospitals in Alberta). In this role, McGowan organized some of the largest rallies in Alberta history, including major rallies against Bill 11 in Edmonton and Calgary.

Director, Johnathan Teghtmeyer
Alberta Teachers Association

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), as the professional organization of teachers, promotes and advances public education, safeguards standards of professional practice and serves as the advocate for its members.
The objects of the ATA are as follows; 1) to advance and promote the cause of education in Alberta; 2) to improve the teaching profession; 3) to arouse and increase public interest in the importance of education and pubic knowledge of the aims of education, financial support for education, and other education matters; and 4) to cooperate with other organizations and bodies in Canada and elsewhere having the same or like aims and objects.

Tim Johnston is a member of the executive staff of The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA). His principal duties there include serving as editor of The ATA Magazine, being responsible for the Association’s international programs, and acting as director of the ATA Summer Conference. In addition, Tim coordinates the work of a number of Association committees, including the Committee on the Well-Being of Children and Youth and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation Committee, and serves as the Association’s trustee on the ATA Educational Trust. Prior to his appointment to the ATA in 1981, Tim taught junior and senior high school students in the Lethbridge Public School District.

Director, Sandra Azocar
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) is Alberta’s largest union, representing more than 64,000 Albertans who work for the provincial government, educational facilities, boards and agencies, regional health authorities, municipalities and private companies.

AUPE members work in occupations that include clerical, teaching, nursing, social services, trades and maintenance, and technical work. More than 21,000 AUPE members are direct employees of the provincial government; about 32,000 work in public, private and not-for-profit health care sector workplaces; about 7,000 work for post-secondary institutions and school boards; and about 4,000 work for municipalities, government boards and agencies.

Director, Aileen Taylor
Seniors’ Action and Liaison Team

Seniors’ Action and Liaison Team (SALT) is an Edmonton group of activist seniors that was formed in 1993 in reaction to cuts to seniors’ programs by the provincial government. Its diverse membership includes retired academics, professionals, business people, labour people and homemakers all of whom share a passion for social justice.

SALT produces and publishes research and writes briefs on current issues to present to various governmental task forces. Its position papers on issues of social justice are available at http://www.saltalberta.blogspot.com/ Members write letters to political leaders on a variety of issues and they hold demonstrations, for example on the steps of the Legislative Assembly, when necessary.

SALT is represented on the FOM’s board by Aileen Tayler. Ms. Tayler is a retired French teacher who has been a member of SALT since 2001. During her teaching career she was actively involved with her professional association the Alberta Teachers’ Association, specifically on the pension issue. Aileen is a member of McDougall United Church and participates in the choir. Other significant volunteer involvements have included work with Habitat for Humanity and mentoring at inner city schools.

Director, Heather Smith
United Nurses of Alberta

United Nurses of Alberta is the union of Alberta’s Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses, working student nurses, mental health workers and some allied health workers. Since 1977 we have negotiated Collective Agreements that have improved both our workplaces and Alberta’s health care. There are over 23,000 health workers, the vast majority nurses, who make up UNA. The nurses have contracts with almost every hospital in the province, all of the public Health Regions and a majority of the long-term care facilities. Nurses all over the world are proud to be strong advocates for patients and for universal, public health care. Alberta nurses carry on that tradition: it’s for our patients!
Heather is the President of the United Nurses of Alberta, a position she has held since 1988. Born and raised in Ontario, she came to Alberta to work as a nurse at the Edmonton General Hospital. She quickly became involved in her union and served as President of her Local for two years. She also sat on the provincial negotiating committee during the 19 day illegal strike in January of 1988. Heather has been a key figure in political action to defend public health care in Alberta including campaigns to oppose Bill 37, Bill 11 and the Third Way.

Director, Evie Schuler

Ms. Schuler is a retired Registered Nurse and worked for over 20 years at the local Auxiliary Hospital and 10 years in home care. She has a certificate in Extended Care Nursing from Grant McEwan College.

Evie is an active member of Medicine Hat Nursing Alumnae Association and a strong supporter of public health care. She has written many letters over the years to the appropriate health authorities on this issue. On occasion Evie Shuler has also been a "Raging Granny.”

Director, Frank Reaume

Frank Reaume has been a member of the Friends of Medicare since it was first incorporated almost 25 years ago. He was on the committee for the Friends of the Calgary General Hospital Society for several years up until the time the hospital was imploded by the provincial government on Sunday, October 4, 1998.  Frank has been the Secretary for FOM’s Calgary Chapter since it began.

Frank lives in Calgary and works for the Calgary Board of Education as a Caretaker. He is the Recording Secretary for the union he belongs to - CUPE Local 40.   Frank’s union believes that all the great work that the Friends of Medicare has done is priceless and fully supports him being a board member.

Ted Woynillowicz (Calgary Chapter)

Ted is retired after a thirty-one year teaching career with the Calgary Board of Education.  He served as a vice principal for a number of years before returning to his true passion as a classroom teacher.  Ted graduated from the University of Toronto with a B. A. in History and Literature (1973) followed by a B. Ed. in High School History and Elementary Education (1974).  Ted continued his education at the University of Calgary where he completed a Diploma in Education (1991) specializing in reading and writing research theories.