Board of Directors

Dexter Nelson

Dexter is the founding President of the Sport Medicine Council of Alberta as well as the founding President of the Alberta Athletic Therapists Association. Dexter did his undergraduate work at the University of Calgary, master’s work at Brigham Young University in Utah, and was a Certified Athletic Therapist from 1978 to 2010. Dexter has always believed that the SMCA's programs and services are necessary to support the sport community in Alberta. Although he retired from Athletic Therapy, he has 7 grandchildren who plan on participating in amateur and school sports. These are the folks who need timely and accurate prevention, care, and recovery from injuries. His vision for SMCA is to be endowed or self-funded to manage the ups and downs of Government finances.

Sebastian Porten

Sebastian graduated from Brock University with a BA of Psychology in 2010. Since 2020 Sebastian has held the role of Executive Director of Triathlon Alberta and has worked with the organization since 2014. Sebastian has a variety of volunteer experience including working with the Secord Community League, and the Steadward Centre.

Jim Klingle

Jim is a Partner in Emerging Directions Consulting Ltd., a two-person, Alberta-based consulting firm incorporated in 1999. He delivers responsive facilitation, evaluation, and research services to Alberta non-profit organizations. Jim has twenty-five years of experience as a private consultant serving a wide variety of non-profit agencies, boards and executive directors. He has served on the board of the following organizations: Community Connections, Boyle McCauley Health Centre, Edmonton Community Loan Fund, Licensed Practical Nurses Educational Foundation, Connect Society of Alberta, Terra Association for Parent Teens, and Edmonton John Howard Society. On four of these boards, he was the Board Chair. Jim has also received training as a Board Development Program Facilitator and delivered this training as a volunteer instructor over a two year period.

Darren Bolle

Darren graduated from the University of Alberta with a Juris Doctor with Distinction in 2018 and is now an Associate Lawyer at Birdsell Grant LLP. As a young professional, he is always looking to increase his knowledge and expand his perspective – especially outside of the legal world; he believes what the SMCA does is important, and that having a lawyer on the board will help bring another viewpoint to Board decision-making.

Dave Kato

Dave has been with the Sport Medicine Council of Alberta since its inception in 1983. He is an active course conductor and serves as a master course conductor for SMCA. Currently Dave is an Associate Professor at MacEwan University in the Physical Education Transfer program where he teaches Sport Injury Management, Anatomy, Physiology, Health Education, and Resistance Training. Dave did his undergraduate work at the University of Alberta, master’s work at Indiana State University, and PhD program again at the University of Alberta. Dave is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a Certified Exercise Physiologist (CSEP) and has worked with a wide assortment of athletes, professional, collegiate and recreational. He focuses more on the academic aspect of athletic training all the while keeping his clinical skills sharp volunteering at various events.

Olivia McGhan-Hammell

Olivia is a former Privacy Business Advisor at Alberta Health Services (AHS) in Edmonton, Alberta. She has recently transitioned her career and is now dedicating her time and expertise as a volunteer lawyer, providing pro bono legal services. Olivia obtained her Master of Laws degree with Merit from the University of Edinburgh in 2021. During her time in law school, Olivia served as the president of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, having been an executive member throughout her final year of studies. Prior to her work at AHS, she gained experience in private legal practice at a large firm and held non-legal roles in the professional sports, arts and culture, and education industries. Olivia is a former member of the Canadian National Fencing Team in Women’s Sabre and remains an avid supporter of amateur, collegiate, and professional sports. She previously served on the Board of Directors for the Sport Medicine Council of Alberta from 2019-2021 as a Member at Large and later as Vice President.

Breda Eubank

Dr. Breda Eubank is a professional specializing in the field of Sports Medicine. With an extensive educational background, Dr. Eubank holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Calgary. Their dissertation focused on the development of a clinical pathway for patients with rotator cuff disorders.Prior to their doctoral studies, Dr. Eubank pursued a Master of Science degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Calgary, with their thesis focusing on healthcare access and patient satisfaction in acute knee injury care. Additionally,she obtained a Bachelor of Kinesiology with a major in Athletic Therapy and a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biological Science. Currently, Dr. Eubank serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education at Mount Royal University. Over the years, Dr. Eubank has taken on several different roles that include course development, coordination, and curriculum planning. She has also held academic appointments at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta, where she contributed to the advancement of education and research in several faculties. Beyond academia, Dr. Eubank has served as President and Vice-President of the Alberta Athletic Therapists Association, and as a member of the Regional President’s Committee of the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association. In addition, Dr. Eubank served on the Board of Directors for the Sport Medicine Council of Alberta from 2006-2011 as the Alberta Athletic Therapist Association Representative and later as the Secretary.

Vacant

Vacant