The City of Grande Prairie invites everyone to join them for the new State of the City: Grander Conversations event happening on March 26 featuring a panel discussion with community leaders on what’s happening around the city and a look ahead to the future.
Featured speakers include City of Grande Prairie Chief Administrative Officer Shane Bourke, Northwestern Polytechnic President Dr. Vanessa Sheane, Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Tanya Oliver and Grande Prairie Police Service Superintendent John Respet.
The event is a conversational opportunity to learn more about emerging trends and outlooks in our community directly from this selection of leaders through a personal discussion moderated by Mayor Jackie Clayton.
Key conversation topics will include the local economy, community safety and social services.
“We are excited to host this event from a new perspective, a fresh look and invite people out for a true conversation on what’s happening in the community, direct from the people on the front-lines,” says Mayor Jackie Clayton. “Grande Prairie is a diverse city, an economic leader, and the hub of our region, and the State of the City: Grander Conversations event is our opportunity to share the community stories behind this success, and look forward together on what our future can bring.”
The 2023 Annual Report is also being launched at the event.
Event Details
State of the City: Grander Conversations takes place on Tuesday, March 26 from 11:30-1:30 at the Theresa Sargent Hall in the Montrose Cultural Centre.
Tickets are available for $40 at bonnettsenergycentre.com until March 21. Lunch is included.
Everyone in the community is invited to attend.
About
Shane Bourke served at the City of Grande Prairie from 2017-2021 in a variety of roles. In 2021, Bourke left his role as the Corporate Services Director to accept a position as the CAO of Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality. He returned to the City as City Manager in September 2023. Throughout his career, he has worked at every level of government, including as Chief of Staff for several ministries at the Government of Canada, and Director of Issues Management at the Office of the Premier of Alberta. Shane is glad to be back in Grande Prairie and believes its entrepreneurship, innovation and community spirit are shaping a strong future for the city and making a strong impact on Alberta’s economy. His focus is on supporting Council in accomplishing their ambitious agenda that includes major projects such as the Municipal Police Service, Health Care Attraction and Retention Strategy and Brand Strategy.
Tanya Oliver brings 15-years of career experience, relationship building and stakeholder connecting to her role as the CEO of the Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce. She has a genuine enthusiasm for learning about chamber members and the people behind the inner workings of municipal government. A natural community-builder with a growth-focused mindset, Tanya thrives on diversity and understanding the value of different perspectives. She finds the many facets of business advocacy fascinating and appreciates the solutions-based approach of the Chamber Board on local and provincial issues. A lifelong learner, Tanya listens to those around her and applies their knowledge and her own to both contribute to and enhance the economic well-being of the community.
Dr. Vanessa Sheane is a life-long resident of the Peace Region. She was born and raised in Fairview and is a proud alumna who has made Grande Prairie her home. As the NWP President and CEO, Dr. Sheane provides innovative leadership and ensures that academic programming, applied research, and student services are responsive to industry and community needs. Vanessa received her PhD in nursing from the University of Victoria in 2021 and has various publications associated with her interest in institutional systems, organizational structures, and challenges facing postsecondary and nursing education. Over the last decade while serving at NWP, Dr. Sheane has held various high-level executive and teaching roles. She is a Registered Nurse and a member in good standing with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta and is passionate about quality post-secondary experiences and building community capacity.
Superintendent John Respet’s law enforcement career spans more than three decades across Alberta, including in the Serious Crimes Branch, including Major Crimes, where he was integral to the creation of the modern-day version of the RCMP’s Missing Persons Unit. Respet joined the RCMP in Grande Prairie starting in 2013 as the detachment’s plain clothes commander before going on to serve as District Advisory NCO and the commissioned Operations Officer before being transferred to Edmonton to spend two years as the Director of CISA (Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta) and retiring as the Officer in Charge of the Integrated Internet Child Exploitation Unit in ALERT. After retiring from the RCMP, John served as a Director with the Government of Alberta in charge of Contract Policing and Policing Oversight in the Public safety and Emergency Services Ministry before joining GPPS in October 2023. With his experience in the community and the appeal of building a brand-new municipal police service model, Superintendent Respet says it was an easy decision to pursue this role.
Full event details and updates available at cityofgp.com/events.