MHSA Annual Member Appreciation Event and Industry Update
Weds, October 8th 2025 in Calgary
Hotel Blackfoot | Calgary South
Register Today
email maggie@mhsa.ab.ca
Calgary Speaker Lineup | 9am-3pm
If you would like to have a vendor booth at our event please click below for more information
Production Pressure vs. People
Brandy Zimmerman, Mental Health Strategist | Thriving Workplaces
Brandy Zimmerman gets it – you're tired of choosing between meeting production demands and supporting your people's wellbeing. As founder of Thriving Workplaces, she helps manufacturing teams figure out how employee mental health and operational performance can actually become great teammates instead of bitter rivals. With her background as Alberta's former Associate Minister of Health and lived experience navigating ADHD, anxiety, and burnout, Brandy has the expertise to tackle workplace stress from all angles. She's worked with 45+ organizations to turn mental health theory into practical actions that actually stick when production deadlines are looming, shifts are demanding, and safety is paramount. Her superpower? Making workplace wellbeing work on the manufacturing floor, not just in theory.
WCB Alberta Industry Updates
Grey Leslie, Industry Specialist | Alberta Workers’ Compensation Board
Using Language to Support Diversity
Tamara Jorgic, Executive Director | AWES
Tamara Jorgic is the Executive Director of AWES (Alberta Workforce Essential Skills), where she leads the development of practical training solutions that improve workplace communication, safety, and performance. With over 15 years of experience in adult and workplace education, her work focuses on building real-world skills using literacy, ESL, and the Skills for Success lenses to help individuals thrive and employers strengthen their teams. Tamara brings a collaborative approach to designing impactful, easy-to-use resources, and she fosters a team culture where innovation, inclusion, and clear communication drive meaningful results.
AI Applications to Improve Safety Performance
Glyn Jones, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., CIH, CRSP, Principal Engineer | EHS Partnerships Ltd.
Glyn is the Principal Engineer at Bravo Target Safety. Based in Calgary, he leads a team of 50 consultants working in the EHS Consulting Division of Bravo. The EHS Consulting Division is an OHS consulting group with over 50 employees and offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Ottawa. Glyn is a chemical engineer by training and is a Professional Engineer. He completed a master’s degree specializing in occupational health and safety. He has over forty years of experience as an OHS consultant and he is a CIH and a CRSP. He is a very involved conference speaker and provides curriculum oversight and teaches occupational health and safety at the University of New Brunswick.
Creative Sentencing & Industry Peer Forum
With guest Jason Gillen, Senior Manager | Glenmore Fabricators Ltd.
Ben Rushton, Investigation Specialist | Alberta Jobs, Economy & Trade
Ben joined Alberta OHS in May 2024 after relocating from Ontario, where he served as a police officer in various positions for a combined 17 years with the Hamilton Police Service and Ontario Provincial Police. With Hamilton Police Service, Ben led several initiatives to enhance safety for members and the public. He is currently part of Alberta OHS’ Investigation Resolution Unit, implementing creative sentences, enhanced regulatory supervision, and liaison for next-of-kin and injured workers.
Rigging, Hoisting & Lifting Safety, Strategic Industry Panel
With a hand-selected panel of Rigging, Hoisting & Lifting industry specialists
Dr. Thomas O’Neill, B.A.Psych, PhD, M.S. IO Psych, Principle Engineer | University of Calgary
Tom is the principal investigator for the Hoisting, Rigging, and Lifting Creative Sentence. Tom graduated from Western University and is Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Calgary. He is the Arts-Engineering Chair in High Performance Teamwork and Engineering Education and Head of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. His interests are in socio-technical systems, specifically the intersection of culture, technology, leadership and management, and behavior in team contexts. He teaches in Executive Education at the Haskayne School of Business and has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and partnered with organizations extensively. He created ITP Metrics, which is a software platform for assessment, diagnostic, and development of high-performing teams in organizations with over 900,000 assessments taken worldwide.
Rigging, Hoisting & Lifting Safety, Strategic Industry Panel
Jessica Wilkins, B.A. Human Factors and Scientific Mobilization Specialist | U of C
Jess is a Human Factors and Scientific Mobilization Specialist at the University of Calgary. Her interests are in how people interact with their environments, especially in the workplace. She cares about making sure workers are performing their duties safely so everyone can go home at the end of the day, and she's passionate about learning how and why workplace injuries happen, in order to help prevent them.
Rigging, Hoisting & Lifting Safety, Strategic Industry Panel
Samantha Jones, PhD. | U of C
Samantha Jones comes from a long line of construction workers (with some of her own experience operating equipment), farmers, miners, and first-responders. Keeping these folks safe has always been top of mind. She has finished her PhD at the University of Calgary and works with ITP Metrics to give work teams the interpersonal tools they need to succeed. Samantha is keen to help individuals and teams reach their full potential and stay safe through conflict management, self-reflection, and optimization of their skills.
MHSA Updates and Annual Safety Award Presentations
MHSA Southern Regional Support Team
Jim Hedrick | Regional Manager
Joachim Schubert | Safety Advisor and Crane & Rigging Specialist
Melanie Flynn | Safety Advisor
Katie Fielding | Safety Advisor
Crystal Wood | COR Administration Lead
Susan Baines | COR Administrator
Maggie Schell | Administrative Assistant
Daryl Friesen | Safety Advisor