AMCA Annual Conference

2019 Annual Conference Presenters

Meet the 2019 AMCA Conference Speakers

Lauren Sergy, Topic:  Public Speaking

Leroy Sloan, Topic:  Ethics in Action

Jesse Sopko and Kristan Cook, Topic:  Being Transparent Behind Closed Doors: A Municipal Clerk’s Guide to Closed Session Meetings

Dr. Jody Carrington, Topic:  Leadership

Jessy Lumsden, Keynote

Lauren Sergy is a professional speaker, author, and trainer on public speaking and communication skills. Known for her highly practical and inter-disciplinary approach, Lauren tackles tough speaking and communication issues with refreshing humour and candor. A member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, she has worked with a variety of clients, organizations, and audiences in both the public and private sectors in Canada and the US, including KPMG, Northern Trust Corporation, Alberta Blue Cross, Meeting Planners International, BOMEX, and others. She holds a master’s degree in Library and Information Studies, a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Classics, and teaches courses in business communication at Concordia University of Edmonton. Her first book, The Handy Communication Answer Book, was featured on the Best Reference Books of 2017 list by Library Journal. For more information on Lauren, including resources, videos, and articles, please visit her website at http://laurensergy.com.

Dr. Sloan obtained his B.Ed. and M.Ed. in Educational Administration from the University of Saskatchewan and his Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Alberta by the age of 30. He has served in a variety of educational leadership positions including Principal, Director, Associate Superintendent, Superintendent/CEO, Senior Education Advisor to the Alberta School Boards Association, Alberta Coordinator for SDSU and Royal Roads Masters Programs, and Alberta Education’s Deputy Minister.

As president of Sloan Consultants Ltd., he provides governance and leadership services across Canada both within and external to the education sector. He has developed a unique policy process which has been adopted by over 80% of the school boards in Alberta and over 50% in Saskatchewan as well as six boards in BC. He has also developed popular CEO and board evaluation processes which are being used in a variety of organizations. His company also conducts executive searches and training for boards and administrators. He has been a frequent keynote speaker at provincial and national conferences.

About Dr. Sloan's Presentation

Your system is perfectly designed… to get you the results you are now getting. If you desire different results, what investments in ethics will pay the greatest dividends?

Unethical conduct of elected officials and administrators is not rare and the negative consequences of such conduct are significant such as the destruction of careers, loss of reputation, and public confidence. Frequently ethical politicians and administrators are forced to pay at least a portion of the cost of these consequences. In addition, at times the whistle blower suffers as much or more than the ones who have acted inappropriately. Clearly ethics is everyone’s concern and inaction can have a considerable impact on the workplace. Join Dr. Sloan to examine ways to pro-actively build an ethical culture and what to do when standards of behavior or codes of ethics are breached.

Municipal councils and council committees operate in an environment of increased scrutiny, particularly when they meet behind closed doors. As municipal clerks, we know that the MGA and FOIP Act provide legitimate reasons for closed session meetings. However, we often find ourselves defending the rationale for councils and committees meeting in the absence of the public.  

In this interactive session, we will explore how to establish a framework for success for closed session meetings. We will address:  

• Developing a practical FOIP delegation;
• Applying mandatory and discretionary exceptions of the FOIP Act; and
• Implementing a process for proactive release of council and committee records.

At the end of this session, participants will have the tools and confidence to ensure they are meeting legislative obligations while promoting a culture of openness and transparency in their municipalities.

Dr. Jody Carrington is a Clinical Psychologist who has spent most of her career working with children and families who have experienced trauma.  Having grown up in rural Alberta, she worked on the Mental Health Inpatient Units of the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary for 10 years and is now in pleased to be back to a rural setting, working in private practice, speaking around the country, writing a book, and raising her family.  Jody is a passionate believer in the power of the relationship with the people we love, lead, and teach.  The core of everything she speaks and writes about comes down to this: We are wired to do hard things.  We can do those hard things so much easier when we remember this: We are wired for connection.