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1 1 of 6 2/13/2015 1:53 AM Skip To Navigation Skip To Content Using this Site Contact Us Home > About the Commission > How we are organized > Biographies of Members of the Commission About the Commission Our mandate Legislation and bylaws Services offered by the Commission How we are organized Overview of the Commission's work Role of members of the Commission and staff Organization chart Listing of Chiefs of the Commission and Tribunals Biographies of Members of the Commission The tribunal process Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA) Annual report Statistics FAQs Contact us Human rights in the workplace Human rights in providing goods, services, accommodation or facilities Human rights in other areas Making and resolving human rights complaints Tribunal process

2 2 of 6 2/13/2015 1:53 AM Decisions Education and engagement Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund Publications and resources Media room Information sheets Interpretive bulletins Booklet: Becoming a Parent in Alberta Human rights in Alberta (a plain language publication) Human rights complaint form and guide Tribunal Dispute Resolution (TDR) E-learning Workshops and Forums Grants (Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund) Publications order form Related links Newsletter FAQs Chief of the Commission and Tribunals: Mr. Robert A. Philp, Queen's Counsel Members of the Commission: Joanne Archibald Sarah FitzGerald William J. Johnson, Q.C. Sharon V. Lindgren-Hewlett Melissa Luhtanen William D. McFetridge, Q.C. Mr. Robert A. Philp, Queen's Counsel Mr. Robert A. Philp was appointed Chief of the Commission and Tribunals of the Alberta Human Rights Commission, effective July 1, His current term will expire on June 30, Mr. Philp brings to the Commission an extensive legal background and judicial experience, which include 29 years in the practice of law, nine years as an Alberta Provincial Court Judge and seven years as a Deputy Judge of the Northwest Territories, Territorial Court. In addition, he has held notable professional appointments in various associations and memberships in many professional organizations, has an abundance of community leadership experience and has extensive experience as a lecturer at the University of Alberta. Born in Ontario and raised in Edmonton, Mr. Philp earned his bachelor and law degrees from the University

3 3 of 6 2/13/2015 1:53 AM of Alberta. He was called to the bar in Alberta in 1976, as well as called to the Northwest Territories Law Society in 1989 and the Law Society of Nunavut in He was appointed to the Edmonton Provincial Court Criminal Division in Mr. Philp's professional appointments include serving as the Chair of the Administrative Law Subsection, Canadian Bar Association (1984 to1986) and as the founding Vice-President of the Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association (1986 to1988). He was also the founding member and has been the Director of the Lawyers Assistance Program since Mr. Philp practiced law with a focus on trade unions, employee representation, professional discipline matters and select criminal law. He has been the general counsel for the Alberta Labour Relations Board, the Alberta Human Rights Commission and the Alberta Board of Industrial Relations, representing them at all levels of the court. He earned a Certificate in Labour Relations from Queen's University in Mr. Philp's commitment to community leadership has included serving as Vice-President of the Edmonton SPCA, Vice-President of the Boys and Girls Club of Edmonton, Board Member of the HOPE Foundation and Past President of the Cougar Boys Boxing Club. He has also undertaken numerous fundraising activities on behalf of charity. Mr. Philp has served as a lecturer primarily at the University of Alberta. He was a sessional lecturer for Labour Relations and Labour Arbitration, Faculty of Business, University of Alberta (1980 to 1998), lecturer for the Bar Admission Course on Administrative Law for the Law Society of Alberta (1980 to 1982) and a lecturer for special one and two-day seminars on labour relations for the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta (1978 to 2004). Joanne Archibald, B.A., LL.B., RPDR Joanne Archibald has been appointed for a term ending July 24, She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1975 and a Law degree in 1985, both from the University of Calgary. Ms. Archibald was called to the Alberta Bar in She also holds the designation of Registered Practitioner in Dispute Resolution from The Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation. Early in her law career, Ms. Archibald practiced at Shoctor, Mousseau & Starkman in Edmonton. Ms. Archibald then conducted investigations for the Canadian Human Rights Commission where she investigated complaints of discrimination arising under the Canadian Human Rights Act and prepared reports recommending whether to refer cases to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Ms. Archibald served as an Appeal Board Chairperson for the Public Service Commission of Canada, which led to her position as a governor-in-council to the Public Service Staffing Tribunal, where she was one of the five full-time members who conducted hearings to decide issues of abuse of authority in employment matters within the federal public service. As a tribunal member, Ms. Archibald conducted quasi-judicial hearings pursuant to the Public Service Employment Act, and prepared decisions. Ms. Archibald's work has taken her across Canada, including the North, to deal with individuals at all levels of the public service. As a mediator, Ms. Archibald regularly intervenes in contentious matters to assist the parties in addressing and resolving contextual issues in an informal and meaningful way without resorting to formal process. Ms. Archibald is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Council of Administrative Tribunals. Ms. Archibald's extensive community involvement includes volunteering as a mediator with the Provincial Court of Alberta for 10 years.

4 4 of 6 2/13/2015 1:53 AM Sarah FitzGerald, B.Sc. (Hon.), LL.B. Sarah FitzGerald has been appointed for a term expiring July 24, Ms. FitzGerald received her honours degree in Science (Biology) from the University of Guelph in 1981, and her Law degree from the University of Western Ontario in Ms. FitzGerald was called to the Alberta bar in She worked in private practice with Macleod Lyle Smith McManus, after which she joined the Alberta Human Rights Commission as legal counsel. In 1993, Ms. FitzGerald was appointed as a full-time Member of the Canada Labour Relations Board in Ottawa. She served in that capacity until 1998 when she returned to Alberta to serve as a part-time Vice-Chair of the Alberta Labour Relations Board. Ms. FitzGerald is experienced in conducting hearings, decision making, and decision writing. She led sessions on these topics as part of the Canadian Centre for Management Development's annual training of new members of federal tribunals, agencies and commissions. Ms. FitzGerald also holds a Certificate in Arbitration from the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society. Her training as part of the Canadian Institute of Applied Negotiation's Alternative Dispute Resolution Certification Program, includes negotiation and mediation. In addition, she holds certificates in Integrated Negotiation and Facilitative Mediation from the Appropriate Dispute Resolution Institute of Alberta (ADRIA) and holds the designation of Qualified Mediator from the Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Institute of Canada. Ms. FitzGerald is an active community volunteer and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, recognizing outstanding and exemplary contributions to society. William J. Johnson, Q.C., B.A. (Distinction), B. Comm. (Distinction), LL.B. Bill Johnson, Q.C., has been appointed for a term ending July 24, Mr. Johnson brings with him an established legal career, which includes over 30 years of practice in Alberta in the areas of employment, labour and human rights law. Mr. Johnson received a Bachelor of Arts (Distinction) degree and Bachelor of Commerce (Distinction) degree, both from the University of Saskatchewan. He received his Law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. Mr. Johnson has been a Partner with the Calgary law firm McGown Johnson since Mr. Johnson's practice covers employment issues, including significant human rights-related issues in the municipal, provincial and federal public service sectors, as well as matters relating to retail, wholesale, manufacturing, entertainment, public and post-secondary education, health care, transportation, utilities, telecommunications, mining and construction. Mr. Johnson also frequently speaks at conferences on employment law, labour law, human rights and administrative law topics. In 2002, Mr. Johnson was appointed Queen's Counsel, and in 2011, Mr. Johnson was inducted as a fellow into the College of Labour and Employment Lawyers. He is regularly selected by his peers for inclusion in the publication The Best Lawyers in Canada in the practice area of Labour and Employment Law. Mr. Johnson was president of the Calgary Immigrant and Education Society for ten years ending in Sharon V. Lindgren-Hewlett, B.Comm., LL.B. Sharon Lindgren-Hewlett has been appointed for a term beginning December 15, 2011 and ending December 31, She is an experienced labour and employment lawyer and mediator and holds Bachelors of Commerce and Laws (Juris Doctor) degrees from the University of Saskatchewan. Ms. Lindgren-Hewlett became a member of the B.C. Law Society in 1992 and the Alberta Law Society in Her commitment to diversity has been developed from a very young age where travelling internationally became a passion as well as an education.

5 5 of 6 2/13/2015 1:53 AM In 1991, Ms. Lindgren-Hewlett articled and then began private practice with the Vancouver law firm of Swinton & Company and worked on the B.C. Court of Appeal hearing in the landmark Aboriginal title case of Delgamuukw. A two-year stint at the B.C. Labour Relations Board preceded her returning to the prairies where Ms. Lindgren-Hewlett conducted numerous investigations, conciliations and education sessions for the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission (currently named Alberta Human Rights Commission). A commitment to excellent communication as well as extensive training in mediation assisted her in a pilot project with the Alberta Provincial Court where she mediated hundreds of disputes and assisted in numerous mediation training programs. Ms. Lindgren-Hewlett combined a return to private practice in Calgary at Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer with an executive position on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Subsection and an active membership in the Labour and Employment Law Subsection, both of the Alberta Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. She spent almost six years with United Nurses of Alberta as a Labour Relations Officer then legal counsel where she was counsel at arbitrations, represented nurses at professional regulatory hearings, and sat as an arbitration panel member and decision writer in the capacity of Union Nominee. Melissa Luhtanen, J.D. Melissa Luhtanen has been appointed for a term beginning December 15, 2011 and ending on December 31, Ms. Luhtanen has a Juris Doctor from the University of Calgary. She was called to the bar in Alberta in Ms. Luhtanen has twelve years of experience as a conciliator, investigator and educator in the field of human rights. She conducted investigations and conciliations for the Alberta Human Rights Commission up until Ms. Luhtanen has trained people from different sectors, including business, judiciary, government, and education, on analyzing discrimination and duty to accommodate cases. She has written numerous articles that provide education and information on these topics and other human rights principles. Ms. Luhtanen has extensive experience using a consensus-based model to chair and facilitate projects with organizations and encourage stakeholders to work together in applying human rights principles. She has been invited to consult with diverse audiences, including judges, corporations, police, teachers, privacy commissioners and policy-makers. Ms. Luhtanen is a recognized expert in the field, and has consulted with many corporations and non-profit organizations on human rights issues. In 2006, Homeland Security invited Ms. Luhtanen to take part as a panelist to advise on human rights and border security issues between the United States and Canada. The panel examined human rights, privacy and other rights affected by border security technology. The outcome was to help inform border security policies for the future. Ms. Luhtanen has been an invited speaker at conferences across Canada, including the Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners and a seminar for judges at the Court of Queen's Bench,. She was also the keynote speaker at the Pacific Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers Conference in Ms. Luhtanen presently works for the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre (ACLRC) as a researcher and educator. The ACLRC offers plain language information booklets and seminars on the law and human rights. As an educator, Ms. Luhtanen writes research papers for high school audiences and teaches students about human rights. She is currently a member of the Peter Lougheed Ethics Committee. Ms. Luhtanen runs a private practice conducting legal research and providing legal advice on wills and estates. William D. McFetridge, Q.C., B.A., LL.B., C. Arb. William McFetridge has been appointed for a term beginning September 30, 2010 and his current term will expire on July 24, He received his B.A. from the University of Alberta and his LL.B. from the University of Calgary. He is a Chartered Arbitrator and regularly chairs labour arbitration boards to resolve grievances and collective bargaining disputes in the public and private sectors. He has worked in the industrial relations field for over 30 years and has chaired human rights, interest and rights arbitrations since

6 6 of 6 2/13/2015 1:53 AM He was selected by his peers for inclusion in the publication The Best Lawyers in Canada in the specialty of Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has been with the Calgary law firm Miles Davison LLP since 1981 and a Partner since He served on its management committee for 12 years. His practice focuses on labour and employment matters, including advice to individuals and corporations on employment-related matters and litigation of wrongful dismissal disputes. For a number of years, he was a team leader in the trial advocacy program at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Law. He has also served as a guest lecturer/arbitrator in both the Faculties of Law and Business. He is a member of the Canadian Industrial Relations Association and the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and taught a number of sections of the A.A.M.S. program to train arbitrators. He is a frequent speaker on employment law issues and has numerous published articles and awards. Mr. McFetridge is active in the community and provides legal advice on a pro bono basis to several charities and non-profit organizations. He is a past Chairman of the Alberta-NWT-Nunavut Division of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (C.N.I.B.) and has been a CNIB board member for the past 26 years. He is an active volunteer and fund raiser for the Cochrane and Area Humane Society and a marathon runner. He completed the Boston Marathon in Revised: November 4, 2014 Due to confidentiality concerns, the Commission cannot reply to complaints of discrimination by . Please contact the Commission by phone or regular mail if you have a specific complaint. You can access information about making FOIP requests for records held by the Commission on our Contact us page. The Commission will make publications available in accessible multiple formats upon request. Multiple formats provide access for people with disabilities who do not read conventional print. Home Accessibility Contact Us Search Copyright Privacy Statement Government of Alberta RDP-925