Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE

Rebecca Brown, President

Rebecca was born in Digby, NS and holds a B.A. and B.Ed. from Mount Allison University; a LL.B. from the University of New Brunswick; and a LL.M. from the University of British Columbia. She was admitted to the Bars of NS in 1980, BC in 2000, and AB in 2006.

Her professional background includes: private practice with an emphasis on prosecution, fisheries and real estate law; solicitor with the NS Public Trustee Office; adjunct Professor at the Law Faculty, UBC. In 2000, Rebecca joined the Department of Justice Canada, Vancouver in the Aboriginal Law Services (Litigation) group. She moved to Calgary in late 2005, and joined the Aboriginal Consultation Secretariat, DOJ, Ottawa, working from the Calgary DOJ office. She assumed the position of Acting General Counsel, Mackenzie Gas Project Coordination Secretariat, in 2008.

Since 1997, her research and work focus has been in Aboriginal legal and cultural issues. She has delivered academic papers on various Indigenous law topics at conferences from Brisbane, Australia to Sudbury to Yellowknife. Her LL.M. thesis canvassed the topic of Aboriginal title to ocean spaces, and provided the unique opportunity and privilege of working with the Haida Nation in Haida Gwaii, and with the Tsawwassen First Nation, in the Lower Mainland of BC. Rebecca has been the recipient of awards for financial aid for research work, and has published a number of articles and other writings.

Rebecca joined AWL in 2006 and assisted with the Retreat that year. In 2007, she joined the Board and chaired the Retreat Committee for 2007 and 2008; and in 2008 co-chaired the By-Laws committee. She assumed the presidency at the 2008 AGM.

Rebecca’s other interests include CBA Alberta South Aboriginal Law section; gardening; Italian language and culture; and travel.

Deanna Steblyk, Secretary

Deanna Steblyk obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English and Classics from the University of Calgary in 1993, spent a year at graduate school at Queen's University, and then attended law school at the University of Alberta. She was called to the Bar of Alberta in June of 1999. Deanna has been a member of the AWL since 1999, and joined the Board of Directors in 2008. She currently practices as litigation counsel in the Enforcement Department of the Alberta Securities Commission, and was previously a civil litigator in private practice. She has appeared at all levels of court in Alberta, as well as the Federal Court of Canada.

Deanna enjoys contributing to the community in as many ways as possible, and has volunteered with the Calgary Humane Society planning fundraising events for the past several years. She has also served on committees for the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Alberta, including the committee which planned the events celebrating the Law Society's 100th Anniversary in 2007. This year she will serve on the Law Society's Finance Committee, the Calgary Humane Society's Board of Directors, and will be active in the campaign for a candidate running in the next federal election.

In her free time, Deanna enjoys running, weight training, yoga and relaxing with her husband and two miniature schnauzers.

Roxanne Davis, Treasurer

Roxanne obtained a BA (Hons) from the University of Western Ontario in 1998 and a MPA and LLB from Dalhousie University in 2002. She spent her summers during law school working in Stewart McKelvey’s Saint John office and stayed with that firm for her articling year. She was called to the New Brunswick Bar in 2003 and worked with Stewart McKelvey as an Associate for a short period of time before moving to Ontario. She was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2003 and spent 5 years practicing corporate/commercial litigation, environmental law and employment law in Ontario. In 2008, Roxanne, her husband and their 2 dogs and 1 cat settled in Calgary. Since moving to Calgary, Roxanne has maintained a litigation practice focusing on employment law, health law, and commercial litigation with Stones Carbert Waite Wells LLP.

In her free time, Roxanne enjoys hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, reading and yoga.

Rani Wong, Membership Chair

Rani Wong obtained her LL.B. and M.B.A from the University of British Columbia in 1997 after completing her B.A. Honours degree in economics at Queen's University in 1993. She was called to the Bar in B.C. in 1998, then moved to Toronto to practice with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in the areas of structured finance, banking and commercial property and was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1999. After a few years in Toronto, Rani sought out more adventure overseas joining a New York firm, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, and practicing in their Singapore office for five years in the areas of debt restructuring, banking, and general corporate/commercial. She then returned to Alberta, her home province, and was called to the Bar in Alberta in 2006. She worked as legal counsel at EPCOR Utilities Inc. before joining Stikeman Elliott LLP. Rani is currently the Director of Knowledge Management in the Calgary office of Stikeman Elliott.

Rani is a member of the Law Societies of Alberta, Upper Canada and British Columbia and the Calgary and Canadian Bar Associations.

In her R&R time, she enjoys her book and wine club, hiking, skiing, rock climbing and playing with her three young children.

DIRECTORS

Stephanie Gillespie Charlebois, Director

Originally from the Ottawa area, Stephanie received her Hons. B.Sc. from Carleton University, then moved out west where she worked in Medical Oncology Research at the Health Science Centre for thirteen years while raising her family. She attended the U. of C. Law School from 1992-95 and was called to the Bar in 1996 after completing articles with Docken Gould Laws Stephen; this was the beginning of her second career.

Stephanie worked as a land negotiator with ExxonMobil Canada Energy for seven years, before setting up her own business as a consultant in Acquisitions and Divestitures. She is currently consulting at Encana Corporation. In addition, she has just completed her tenth year volunteering for Calgary Legal Guidance where she enjoys the diversion from the Oil and Gas environment and occasionally takes on pro bono files.

In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys studying languages, oil painting, hiking in the mountains, and spending time with her family. Keeping the balance between family life and career has been the key to success for her. She truly enjoys serving on the board at AWL and getting to know new women in the legal community.

Charlotte Christophersen, Director

Charlotte Christophersen became a Member and Director of the Association of Women Lawyers ("AWL") in 2007. Charlotte joined Vogel & Company LLP in 2007 after completing her articles at a Calgary Firm. Charlotte's current practice focuses on real estate transactions such as purchases, sales and refinances of residential and commercial properties. In addition to this, Charlotte frequently acts for landowners in expropriation matters and is regularly retained by lenders and borrowers in foreclosure matters.

A former University of Calgary varsity athlete, Charlotte continues to be involved with the Dino's Field Hockey program as Director of the Field Hockey Alumni Association and assists with the goaltenders for the varsity women's team. In addition, Charlotte is the editor of the AWL newsletter.

Sandy Gill, Director

Cheryl James, Director

Cheryl L. James is counsel in our Tax Group in Calgary. She practises primarily in the areas of Wills and Estates Administration, Dependent Adults, Pensions and Immigration.

Ms. James regularly advises employers and workers in all aspects of immigration matters including the process to bring foreign workers to Canada and to obtain permanent resident status. Ms. James is a former Chair of the South Alberta Pensions and Benefits and Wills and Trusts Sections of the Canadian Bar Association. She has acted as an instructor at the Bar Admission Course and presented papers on various estate planning matters such as “RRSP Beneficiary Designations.”

She has lectured for the Calgary Board of Education on Wills and Estate Planning. Ms. James was a Director of The Calgary Foundation from 1996 to 2005 and former chair of the Grants Committee.

Christy Lee, Director

Marianne Panenka, Director

Diane Pettie, Director

Diane J. Pettie is Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary of Canexus Limited, administrator of Canexus Income Fund, a publicly traded income trust (TSX:CUS.UN). Canexus manufactures and markets chemicals used by the pulp and paper, water treatment and oil and gas industries. Prior to joining Canexus, Diane was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel in Calgary of Sempra Energy Trading Corp., a Connecticut-based global energy trading company. Prior to Sempra, Diane held progressive in-house counsel positions with energy trading companies. Diane practised with Howard, Mackie (now Borden Ladner Gervais), and had the privilege to article to The Honourable William A. McGillivray, Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Alberta. Diane is a past-President and Director of the Association of General Counsel of Alberta.

Johanna Price, Director

Johanna Price has been a Member of the Association of Women Lawyers (“AWL”) since 1999 and has been an AWL Director since January 2006. She currently Chairs the Golf Tournament Committee.

Johanna graduated with a Bachelor of Laws 1998, from the University of British Columbia and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in October 1999.

Johanna is an associate with Peacock Linder & Halt LLP (“PLH”) practicing General Civil Litigation and Regulatory Law. Before joining PLH in January of 2004, she articled and practiced in the litigation department and the corporate securities department at McCarthy Tetrault LLP. Johanna has appeared before all levels of court in Alberta and British Columbia.