NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNIC - Key Persons


Aaron Anderson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Millwright Instructor

Alison Oostra

Job Titles:
  • Technician, National Bee Diagnostic Centre

Amanda Wills

Job Titles:
  • Chairman, Collection Development

Anderson, Aaron

A long-time Peace Region resident, Aaron Anderson still lives close to the family farm he grew up on, north of Sexsmith. He started his millwright career shortly after graduation as a pre-employment student at NAIT, and achieved his Journey Millwright and Red Seal in April 1993. Aaron went on to work with several local companies, including South Peace Oilfield Services, South Peace Machine, and Risley Manufacturing Ltd., before joining Northwestern Polytechnic (formerly NAIT and GPRC) in May 2007. Aaron is married with a son, and a daughter who completed her first year in the nursing program at NWP in 2022. An active supporter in his community, Aaron is a member of the Sexsmith Ag Society and current chair of the Sexsmith Community Foundation. After several years, he retired from involvement with the Sexsmith Minor Hockey Association in 2021. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys travelling and time at the lake with his family and friends, water skiing and wake surfing. He has an assortment of hobbies, including toymaking, and can be found tinkering in his shop, designing, building, or repairing gadgets and motorized vehicles.

Anuoluwapo Ayanleke

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Coordinator

Ashley Swanson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Parts Technician Instructor

Ayanleke, Anuoluwapo

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Coordinator

Barb Shmyr

Job Titles:
  • Office Assistant

Battle, Elena


Baxter, Dwayne

Job Titles:
  • Technician

Bessette, Brenna

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Assistant to the Dean
When not at work, Brenna enjoys hiking and generally being outside, spending time with her dogs, and learning new skills that will enhance her abilities in all aspects of life. Brenna hopes to build a lasting and fulfilling career at NWP.

Bethany Idema

Job Titles:
  • Library Technician

Bill Bradley

Job Titles:
  • Coach Womens Basketball

Bobbi Craig-Sparkes

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Chairman, Construction Trades

Bradley, Bill


Brenda MacDonald

Job Titles:
  • Accessibility Assistant

Brett Dillman

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Plumbing Instructor
Brett Dillman RSE is a Red Seal Endorsed Plumber and a Gasfitter A. He completed his Plumber/Gasfitter B apprenticeship at Fairview College in 2001, and upgraded to Gasfitter A through NAIT in 2013. He also trained at SAIT and maintains his Cross Connection Control Specialist certification with the WCAWWA. Brett has a passion for hydronic heating and is interested in technology to increase energy efficiency in the pipe trades. He began his instructor career working for NAIT, then GPRC and now, Northwestern Polytechnic. The best part of his job is meeting new people and sharing his knowledge of the pipe trades to future tradespeople.

Candice Caswell

Job Titles:
  • Front Desk Worker

Charles Sanderson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Electrical Instructor
Charles Sanderson, a Journeyman Electrician RSE, Master Electrician certification, Electrical Safety Codes Officer and Power Engineer with twelve years of Industry experience. He joined Northwestern Polytechnic in 2006 and has served as an Electrician, Electrical Instructor, Chair of the EMP program and Interim Dean School of Trades. Charles has a passion for renewable energy technology with certification in Photovoltaic System Design and Modelling. Charles enjoys learning new things and sharing information that helps make good apprentices become better Journeyman.

Christy O'Donovan

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Business Partner

Clinton Derocher

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Millwright Instructor

Craig-Sparkes, Bobbi

Job Titles:
  • Chairman, Construction Trades
After achieving her RSE Journeyman Certificate, and several years of working in various areas of industry, Bobbi began her career as an electrical instructor at Northwestern Polytechnic, formerly GPRC, in 2018. When not at work, Bobbi enjoys spending her time fully involved in her kid's sports activities, adventure travelling, reading anything, learning everything, and honing her skills as a fibre artist.

Danielle Cornick

Job Titles:
  • Accessibility Advisor

Dawn Laviolette

Job Titles:
  • Office Assistant, NBDC

Derocher, Clinton


Dillman, Brett


Dwayne Baxter

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Technician

Eden Murray-Black

Job Titles:
  • Library Technician

Elena Battle Field

Job Titles:
  • Research Assistant
Elena Battle began her career in beekeeping in 2000, working for Northern Lights Honey in northeastern Alberta. She spent eleven years there, learning all aspects of commercial beekeeping. After moving to the Peace Country in 2012, she began working for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Beaverlodge Research Farm's apiculture program. A highlight of this time was working as a technician for the National Honey Bee Health Survey, where she travelled around Alberta, meeting beekeepers and taking samples for analysis at the National Bee Diagnostic Centre. She has been the Field Research Assistant at the NBDC since 2020 and manages the NBDC's own honey bee colonies.

Eva O'Handley

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Electrical / Millwright / Instrumentation Instructor

Evan Lloyd

Job Titles:
  • Coach Mens Basketball

Fabio Minozzo PEAK

Job Titles:
  • Instructor

Gail MacInnis

Job Titles:
  • Research Scientist - Pollination

Graham Hammel

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Steamfitter / Piperfitter Instructor

Greg Hearn

Job Titles:
  • Math Support Specialist

Jacob Fehr

Job Titles:
  • Librarian

Jarem Gurney

Job Titles:
  • Acting Executive Director, Human Resources

Jeff Johnston

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Electrical Instructor

Jessica Embree

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Business Partner

Jessica Picard

Job Titles:
  • Event Assistant, Sport and Fitness

Katalin Ormay

Job Titles:
  • Library Technician

Kellar Klein

Job Titles:
  • Science Support Specialist

Kenneth Westling

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Welding Instructor

Kevin Hagglund

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Parts Instructor

Kevin Young

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Technician

Kouadio Bedie

Job Titles:
  • Research Associate

Krista Mitchell

Job Titles:
  • Acting Coordinator, Sport and Fitness

Lauren Hale-Miller

Job Titles:
  • Acting Manager, Athletics

Laviolette, Dawn

Job Titles:
  • Office Assistant, NBDC
Dawn has over 30 years of experience in office administration and joined the NBDC in 2019. She is responsible for all administrative duties related to client samples, research contracts, financial reporting, invoicing, payroll, lab supply inventory, ordering, and office baking.

Lenora Roy

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Program Assistant

Lindsay Rosser

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Welding Instructor

Lloyd McKinney

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Instrumentation Instructor

Mandy Peever

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Welding Instructor

Marina Chondros

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Business Partner

Mark Rochon

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Electrical Instructor

Megan Bulford

Job Titles:
  • Lead Accessibility Advisor

Michel Rainville

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Carpentry Instructor

Miroslaw Bator

Job Titles:
  • Instructor
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff

Nathan Parlee

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Instrumentation Instructor

Oostra, Alison

Job Titles:
  • Technician, National Bee Diagnostic Centre
Alison is from Grande Prairie, Alberta and has worked as a lab technician at the NBDC for two years. She is experienced in processing large volumes of samples through molecular testing, including sample homogenization and preparation, DNA and RNA extractions, cDNA conversion, and PCR analysis through endpoint and qPCR.

Pat Connolly

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Advisor

Patricia Wolf Veiga

Job Titles:
  • Manager, National Bee Diagnostic Centre

Peter Gerzanich

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Millwright Instructor

Richard Bell

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Plumbing / Gasfitter - B and Steamfitter - Pipefitter Instructor

Rick Sidoroff

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Technician - Carp / Plumbing / Steamfitter / Pipefitter

Riley Buker

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Welding Instructor

Roger Elder

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Electrical Instructor

Ron Gust

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Carpentry Instructor

Roy, Lenora

Job Titles:
  • Program Assistant

Ryan Mcgonigal

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Casual Technician

Sanderson, Charles


Sidney Ferrel

Job Titles:
  • High School Student - Lab Assistant

Swanson, Ashley


Teevin Fournier

Job Titles:
  • Writing Support Specialist

Tracy Cox

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Assistant, Human Resources

Victoria White

Job Titles:
  • Temporary HR Administrative Assistant

Ward Doucette

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Electricial Instructor

William Summer

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Faculty & Staff
  • Electrical Instructor