We are led by a board of directors that are appointed by an Order in Council. The board is not involved in our day-to-day operations and decisions, but instead sets the general direction of our work.
The Board is committed to a sound corporate structure and governance practices that promote and reflect its values and ethics in dealing with both internal and external stakeholders.
The Corporate Governance of the Alberta Energy Regulator document provides information about governance practices, including board oversight, committees, and procedures.
Together, the directors
- approve regulatory changes, and
- set performance expectations for our organization and our chief executive officer.
Duncan Au
Board Chair
Duncan is a seasoned executive and board director holding the FCPA, FCA, CFA, and ICD.D designations with over 34 years of corporate finance, accounting, and energy services experience, including 14 years serving on public company and not-for-profit boards. Since 2010, he has been the president, chief executive officer, and director of CWC Energy Services Corp., a premier public contract drilling and well servicing company operating in Canada and the U.S., which was recently acquired by Precision Drilling in November 2023. In 2004, Duncan was president and CEO of his own private energy services company, Richmound Energy Services L.P., which was sold to a public company that later became Essential Energy Services Ltd., where he served as vice president of business development and chief financial officer before its merger with another public company in 2008. From 1998 to 2004, Duncan held vice president and director positions in corporate finance with both Deloitte and EY, where he led financings and mergers and acquisitions.
In addition to being the chair of the board of directors, Duncan Au is an ex-officio voting member on the board governance committee, audit and finance committee, human resources, health and safety committee, and regulatory review committee.
Duncan has been the past chairman of Enserva (formerly PSAC) and has served on the boards of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC), Canadian Energy Executive Association (CEEA), Calgary Economic Development, and CFA Society Calgary. In addition, he has been a past chairman of Enserva STARS & Spurs Gala, an industry fundraiser in support of STARS Air Ambulance, where his committee raised a record $1.3 million for STARS. Duncan holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta.
Allison Rippin Armstrong
Board Director
Allison is a biologist and environmental scientist with over 25 years of experience in permitting, regulatory processes and environmental compliance, working with indigenous organizations, resource companies, regulatory agencies, indigenous, territorial, and federal governments.
In addition to being a board director, Allison Rippin Armstrong is a voting member on the board regulatory review and governance committees.
Along the way, Allison found that her passion and calling leaned more to the areas of mentorship, advocacy, education, and training. As Compliance Specialist at the Ekati Diamond Mine, Allison was part of the team that lead the mine toward ISO 14001 certification. There she started an Environmental Awareness program that included the formation of an Environment Club, with participation from all departments at the mine site.
Allison is amazed by the incredible opportunities that she has been able to be part of and help create. Highlights include: the development of environmental training modules in partnership with Yukon First Nations and Yukon University, the development of the Regional Wealth Creation Fund, as part of a negotiated Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association in Nunavut, and building a sustainability department at the Karowe Diamond Mine with Lucara Botswana.
Allison has served on the board of Yukon Women in Mining for the past seven years. She is a founding member of the Yukon University Foundation Board and has served on NWT and Nunavut Chambers of Mines as well as a number of working groups for the PDAC. Allison is currently the Chair of the Board of Tectonic Metals Inc.
As an independent consultant Allison has worked in Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alaska, and Botswana.
Carey Arnett
Board Director
Carey Arnett is an experienced energy entrepreneur and executive. She began her career in technical roles and steadily progressed into managerial positions, eventually leading one of Canada’s oldest and largest upstream and midstream pipeline and facility construction teams. As President & CEO of Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners, she managed construction across nine jurisdictions, overseeing up to 1400 personnel in trade and professional roles. Under her team’s leadership, the business grew sevenfold.
In addition to being a board director, she is the chair of the board human resources, health and safety committee and a voting member of the board governance committee.
Ms. Arnett’s early career includes experience with pipeline data, pipeline integrity software, energy financial services, and business development. Recently, she has managed all aspects of project development and execution, including pipeline integrity, abandonment, class upgrades, upstream, downstream, and midstream construction and directional drilling line support. Her experience spans an array of complex projects in urban and remote areas of Canada and the northern United States.
Having collaborated with CEOs and executive teams to develop short- and long-term strategies within the energy industry, Carey has created an extensive network of local and international contacts across various industries.
Passionate about safety and industry improvement, Carey served on the Premier’s Advisory Council on Alberta’s Energy Future in 2023. She was chair of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association Foundation (now Energy Connections Canada) and served on the Advisory Council for Young Energy Infrastructure Professionals. Additionally, she was a governor at the Calgary Petroleum Club and one of its youngest presidents.
Her accolades include being named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, receiving the Business Leader Award from Business in Calgary and the Laurence Décor Award for Outstanding Leadership. She has also received numerous corporate awards for safety and innovation.
Lee Deibert
Board Director
Lee Deibert is a professional geologist with over 30 years of environmental consulting experience and a proven track record in corporate governance, liability management, and financial oversight.
He was a founding partner and CEO of Meridian Environmental Consulting Ltd., with offices in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. The company was sold to Summit Liability Solutions Inc. in 2016, where he continued to provide senior technical consulting services and strategic support.
In addition to being a board director, Lee Deibert is a voting member on the board audit and finance and governance committees.
His expertise is focused on the assessment, management, and reduction of environmental risks and liabilities in the energy sector. He has participated as an expert witness in town hall meetings, regulatory hearings, and dispute resolution processes. He is currently serving on the Alberta Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) and the Public Lands Appeal Board (PLAB), participating as a panel member for mediation activities and regulatory hearings. He has served on several not-for-profit boards and has experience in the geothermal energy and mining sectors, including projects in northern British Columbia and the Arctic.
Lee completed the Directors Education Program through the Institute of Corporate Directors and Rotman School of Management and holds the ICD.D designation. He has a bachelor of science degree from the University of British Columbia and a master of science degree from Queen’s University. He is registered as a professional geoscientist with APEGA, APEGS, and APEGBC.
Roderick Graham
Board Director
Rod Graham has over three decades of experience in the energy sector across western Canada. He spent the first 17 years in Alberta-based private equity, where he played a key role in sourcing, investing in, and growing more than 60 oil and gas, energy service, and energy industrial companies. Over the past 15 years, he has served as CEO and president of three complex Alberta-based companies: Velocity Truck Centres Canada (formerly First Truck Centres), Horizon North Logistics Inc., and ZCL Composites Inc.
In addition to being a board director, Rod Graham the chair of the board governance committee and a voting member on the board audit and finance committee.
Mr. Graham has contributed to 22 corporate and not-for-profit boards, chairing and serving on various committees, including audit, HR/compensation, HSE, sustainability, construction, and corporate governance. He is committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, promoting equity and diversity, and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders.
He has extensive experience with Indigenous partnerships, having developed or overseen more than 50 Indigenous relationships across western Canada. Additionally, Mr. Graham is well-versed in engaging with government-constructed boards and currently serves on the Port of Prince Rupert Board (federal), the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation Board (provincial), and the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation Board (municipal).
Mr. Graham holds a business degree (honours) from Wilfrid Laurier University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Western Ontario. He is a certified financial analyst (CFA) and a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D).
Gary Leach
Board Director
Gary Leach has over 25 years of senior executive level experience in the oil and gas industry, including serving as president of The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada (EPAC). His background in law supports a deep understanding of regulatory issues affecting the energy industry.
In addition to being a board director, Gary Leach is the chair of the board regulatory review committee and a voting member on the board human resources, health and safety committee.
Under his leadership EPAC was a respected voice for Canada’s oil and gas industry during a period of disruptive and rapidly changing market conditions. His views were sought on industry issues and trends by local and national media outlets. Mr. Leach regularly engaged with political leaders, policy makers and regulators while serving on industry and government agency boards and panels.
Prior to this, Mr. Leach worked as a senior international executive at a Houston-headquartered Fortune 500 oil services company, and a Canadian NYSE listed international oil production and services company, where he also served on the board of directors. Mr. Leach’s responsibilities included establishing new business ventures, negotiating innovative project finance structures with multilateral institutions, and serving on joint venture boards in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Mr. Leach was also the founder and partner of a Calgary-based law firm, where his practice focused on providing counsel and advice to clients working in the oil and gas services industry.
He is a graduate of the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan, and holds Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Liberal Arts degrees from that institution.
Richard Piche
Board Director
Richard Piche is a respected Indigenous leader in the energy sector, boasting over 50 years of operations experience in Canada and internationally. He is the president of Cascade Projects Ltd., an Indigenous-owned firm that deals with project initiation, management, Indigenous engagement, and consultation. Additionally, Richard serves on the board of Yaqwa Development Corporation, a company owned by the Haisla Nation.
In addition to being a board director, Richard Piche is a voting member on the board audit and finance and human resources, health and safety committees.
His extensive career includes management roles at prominent exploration and production companies, such as ConocoPhillips Ltd. in Indonesia, Niko Resources Ltd. in India, and Northridge Exploration Ltd. (now TC Energy).
As a former vice president at Keywest Projects Ltd., Richard focused on developing Northeast BC's Montney field facilities and the O’Chiese Nees-Ohpawganu’ck deep-cut gas plant near Alder Flats.
As a senior project manager at Gas Liquids Engineering, he optimized Canadian and international oil and gas processing facilities. He led significant carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) front-end engineering design (FEED) projects capable of 6575 tonnes/day (125 mmscfd) for deep well sequencing.
Richard also played a key role in facilitating discussions between Finance Canada and 159 Indigenous nations affected by the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, assisting them with participation models that best suited their communities, whether equity purchasing or revenue-sharing models.
He holds designations from the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) and the Project Management Institute (PMP).
Theresa Watson
Board Director
Theresa Watson began her career as a field engineer with Mobil Oil in 1987 with postings in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1992 she started an independent engineering consulting company, T. L. Watson & Associates Inc., offering expertise to the oil and gas industry. T. L. Watson now offers industry, individuals, and governments expertise on liability and safety issues arising from carbon capture and storage, and oil and gas installations.
In addition to being a board director, Theresa Watson is the chair of the board audit and finance committee and a voting member on the board regulatory review committee.
Ms. Watson was appointed as a board member of the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) in July 2009 and served as chair of the Audit and Finance Committee until her departure June 2013. In 2021 she served as interim CEO of Carya, a large Calgary-based nonprofit organization. She has served as an APEGA councilor and a Carya board member.
Ms. Watson has extensive local and international experience in long-term liability and risk management, wellbore integrity, regulatory compliance, wellbore construction, and the repair of problem wells, including severe gas migration and abandonments. She has authored and presented several papers dealing with risk mitigation and prediction.
Ms. Watson received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from McGill University in 1987, an MBA from the University of Calgary in 2014, and a law degree from the University of Calgary in 2018.
David Yager
Board Director
David Yager is an oil service executive, entrepreneur, author, and energy policy analyst. Since 1971 he has worked in multiple oil service sector segments with the primary focus of wellbore construction, production optimization, remediation, and abandonment. From 1987 to 2012, he was a founder, senior officer, and director of three successful TSX-listed oil service companies. He was a founder of Tesco Corporation, which in 1993 commercialized the top drive drilling technology essential for extended reach horizontal drilling. From 2012 to 2016 he served as National Leader Oilfield Services for MNP LLP, a leading Canadian tax, accounting, and consulting provider.
In addition to being a board director, David Yager is a voting member on the board regulatory review and human resources, health and safety committees.
Through Yager Management Ltd., he consults as a finance, management, and policy advisor to exploration and production companies, oil service companies, and trade associations. He was chairman of the Petroleum Services Association of Canada in 2009/2010. David Yager has been active in business journalism and energy policy analysis since 1979.
He has authored numerous energy policy position papers for oil service trade associations. A policy proposal for the service rig division of the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors on extending the life of mature producing wells was incorporated into Alberta’s major royalty review in 1991. As PSAC chair he led a study into the economic impacts of the oil services sector on the Canadian economy. His research paper for PSAC on mature asset decommissioning and reclamation was a foundation of the federal government’s $1.7 billion well closure activity stimulation program in 2020.
David Yager’s book, From Miracle to Menace – Alberta, A Carbon Story, was released in 2019.
From January 1 to June 30, 2023, he served as chair of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Alberta’s Energy Future.
