Council and Committees
Council of Directors
The Council of Directors (the “Council”) governs the COA. Council members include Registered Opticians appointed by the COA Council and Public Members appointed by the Minister of Health.
The Council is responsible for setting the governing policies and strategic direction of the COA, monitoring the fiscal health of the organization, and ensuring the College meets its mandated obligations under legislation and regulations. Through careful analysis of changes in eye care and the healthcare sector, the Council approves policies and practice standards for opticians to maintain and enhance patient protection.
The Council works together with the Government of Alberta, other provincial regulatory bodies, and post-secondary institutions.
You can find a list of Council meeting dates and previous meeting minutes here.
Members of Council
RO
President
Public Member
Vice President
RO, RCLP
Past President
Public Member
Public Member
Public Member
Jennifer Bertrand
CEO & Registrar
Council Appointments
In 2022, the Council adopted an appointment process for registered members as part of the transition of the former ACAO to the College of Opticians of Alberta (COA) with a single mandate to protect the public. In accordance with the COA Bylaws, registered members are appointed for a 3-year term and may serve a maximum of 2 terms. Public members are appointed by the Minister of Health. Current terms of office for the Council are as follows:
Council Member | Appointing Authority | Appointed | Term | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lana Bentley (Public Member) | Minister of Health | 2020 | 1 | 2023 |
Margaret Cayenne (Registered Member) | COA Council | 2022 | 2 | 2025 |
Assad Choudhry (Registered Member) | COA Council | 2022 | 1 | 2025 |
Stacey Dube (Registered Member) | COA Council | 2022 | 1 | 2025 |
Rob Irwin (Public Member) | Minister of Health | 2022 | 1 | 2025 |
Christina Logee (Registered Member) | COA Council | 2022 | 2 | 2025 |
Chinedu Ogbonna (Public Member) | Minister of Health | 2021 | 1 | 2024 |
Olatunde Olatona (Public Member) | Minister of Health | 2021 | 1 | 2024 |
Vacant (Public Member) | Minister of Health | |||
Vacant (Registered Member) | COA Council |
Nomination Process
Registered opticians may apply to serve on the COA Council by submitting a nomination package for review by the Governance and Audit Committee. Nominees are reviewed and approved by the Council in accordance with the COA Bylaws and the COA Council Recruitment and Selection Policy.
The Council has adopted a Council Composition Matrix that represents the skills, knowledge, and values that individual Council members and the Council as a whole strive to apply in their governance roles.
The COA has put our nomination to Council on hold to further review and develop our recruitment and nomination process. We will re-open the nominations for appointment in spring 2023.
Council Committees
In addition to the Council, the COA establishes committees to determine policy and procedures, as well as set guidelines in several areas that are critical to the continued regulation of opticians in Alberta. These committees are comprised of Council members and volunteers who receive a per diem for service in accordance with the COA’s Finance Policies.
Per Diem Rates for Meeting Attendance
Teleconference | In Person | Strategic Planning |
|---|---|---|
0 - 30 Minutes / $25.00 | Under 4 Hours / $115.00 | Friday / $115.00 |
1 - 1.5 Hours / $50.00 | 4 - 8 Hours / $191.00 | Saturday / $306.00 |
2 - 3 Hours / $100.00 | Over 8 Hours / $30.00 | Sunday / $191.00 |
Roles and Requirements
Role | Description | Requirements | Meetings |
|---|---|---|---|
Council Member | Appointed member of governing board tasked with oversight of the organization. | Practicing member in good standing. | In-person and virtual meetings (minimum 5 times per year). |
Committee Member at Large (Two position options) | Member of the Governance and Audit Committee tasked with review of governing, finance, and audit policies and related projects. Member of the Registration and Competence Committee tasked with review of registration and competence policies and related projects. | Practicing or Non-Practicing member in good standing. | Virtual meetings (minimum 4 times per year). |
Examiner | Member of the examiner team serving in various roles to support administration of the NACOR exam. | Practicing or Non-Practicing member in good standing. | Examinations held twice per year; examinations are hosted at the NAIT and SAIT campuses. |
Executive Committee
- Christina Logee, RO (Chair)
- Margaret Cayenne, RO, RCLP
- Lana Bentley, Public Member (Vice Chair)
- Jennifer Bertrand, CEO & Registrar
Governance and Audit Committee
- Lana Bentley, Public Member (Chair)
- Margaret Cayenne, RO, RCLP
- Chinedu Ogbonna, Public Member
- Christina Logee, RO (Ex-Officio)
- Rob Irwin, Public Member
- Jennifer Bertrand, CEO & Registrar (Ex-Officio)
Registration and Competence Committee
- Vacant (Chair)
- Margaret Cayenne, RO, RCLP
- Assad Choudhry, RO
- Stacey Dube, RO, RCLP
- Olatunde Olatona, Public Member
- Sukh Garcha, RO, RCLP (Member at Large)
- Dierdre MacIntyre, RO, RCLP (Member at Large)
- Christina Logee, RO (Ex-Officio)
- Jennifer Bertrand, CEO & Registrar (Ex-Officio)
HPA Membership List (Tribunals)
- Georgina Bromley, RO, RCLP - Chair (2022-2025)
- Sukh Garcha, RO, RCLP
- Laura Lazenby-Pashko, RO, RCLP
- Kathie Melzer, RO (2022-2025)
- Jasmina Miskic, RO (2022-2025)
Volunteer Opportunities
Registrants are welcome to submit their resume and/or statement of interest to the COA for consideration for volunteer opportunities.
There are no volunteer opportunities at this time.