Contact your Trustee

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Colleen Butler, Board Chair
Ward 3 – Delburne / Elnora
Phone: 403-749-2124 
cbutler@cesd73.ca
Representing this area is of very personal interest to me, as I grew up at Delburne, graduated from Delburne School and served as Vice Principal of Delburne for many years. My grandchildren now attend Delburne School, and my great nieces and nephew are at Elnora School. I have been involved in education all my life and feel that children and their high quality education must be our greatest priority.
 
Joe-Anne Knispel-Matejka
Ward 1 – Sylvan Lake
Phone: (403) 887-3463
jknispelmatejka@cesd73.ca
I have been part of our local Parent Advisory Council for the past 12 years and am very pleased to be involved as a trustee for Chinook’s Edge. My motivation has always been to have the best opportunities for our children throughout the school division. I’m very interested in hearing the priorities and comments from our parents and families.

 

 
Sherry Cooper - Second Vice Chair
Ward 2 – Penhold / Poplar Ridge / Gasoline Alley
Phone: 403-886-5191 
scooper@cesd73.ca
I am proud to serve the families of Penhold and Poplar Ridge, as well as students and families who are part of our Gasoline Alley Career High School community. My family has lived in Penhold for over 20 years. My three children were well served by Chinook's Edge during their school years and I'm happy to contribute my time to this great school division and to my community. I believe strongly in elected trusteeship, in partnerships and collaboration, in cost efficient management, and in listening to students and parents.
 
Holly Bilton - Vice Chair
Ward 4 – Innisfail
Phone: (403) 391-2321
hbilton@cesd73.ca
I have spent several years assisting young people with career development opportunities, and am very pleased to now be serving Chinook’s Edge students as trustee for Innisfail. My husband and I live on a farm east of Innisfail that has been in the Bilton family since the late 1800s. I sit on several committees and work hard to create partnerships that benefit learners. It is important to me to serve on the Board of Education because I want to make a difference for my community, because I believe in high quality education, and because I want to see our youth succeed.
 
Connie Huelsman
Ward 5 – Bowden / Spruce View
Phone: 403-224-3037
chuelsman@cesd73.ca
I am proud to represent the K-12 children and communities of Bowden and Spruce View. My husband and I have farmed in the local Bowden/Innisfail area for over 30 years and raised our daughter here. I have served on the Board for the past 14 years and am excited to continue. I truly believe that children are our future and should be given every opportunity to reach their fullest potential. It is our role as Trustees to lobby on your behalf to ensure that issues are addressed, policies and processes reviewed or established, and infrastructures put in place if and when necessary. I have been proud to serve as ASBA Zone 4 Chair for the past two years and feel this enables me to take our local Board issues to another level of advocacy. We all need to work together to meet the diverse needs of today's learners and ensure that 'students come first'.
 
Allan Tarnoczi, Trustee
Ward 6 – Sundre
Phone: 403-638-4580 / 403-636-0725
atarnoczi@cesd73.ca

I am honoured to represent Sundre area students, parents and community members. My family and I have been involved in education in Sundre for over 35 years. From teaching math and physics at Sundre High, to opening the Sundre Learning Centre, to working as Principal at River Valley School, I have come to appreciate the importance the community places on quality education. Through my work with the Alberta Government to promote rural development through educational opportunities, I know that strong learning programs are key to creating thriving rural communities. I have worked as Associate Superintendent of Corporate Services and as an educational policy consultant, which has given me the background to understand how, as a trustee, I can be an advocate and a voice for stakeholders across Chinook’s Edge. I love being a trustee because I believe I can play a role supporting our educators as they help our children, including my grandchildren, reach their full potential.    

 
 
Trudy James
Ward 7 – Olds / Reed Ranch
Phone: 403-556-2047
tjames@cesd73.ca
I have lived in Olds for 48 years, farming and ranching with my husband. Our two children graduated from Chinook's Edge schools and now our grandchildren are attending our schools. The high quality of education in this division produces above-average students and is filled with unique partnerships that create even greater opportunities for students. I'm happy to be part of that progress in Chinook's Edge.
 
Gordon Kerr  
Ward 8 – Didsbury
Phone: 403-994-0278
gkerr@cesd73.ca
I am pleased to be serving a second term as Trustee for Didsbury and area. Didsbury has been our home for 13 years. As the owner/operator of a small business in Didsbury, I have the opportunity to interact with many people who are looking to move to our area. I am able to tell them with great confidence what wonderful schools, great teachers and caring staff we have in the schools in our community and throughout our Division. I am looking forward to the next four years, as we strive to make Chinook's Edge THE PLACE 'where students come first.'
 
Melissa Copley
Ward 9 – Carstairs / Cremona
Phone: (403) 940-5290
mcopley@cesd73.ca  
I am very excited for what the next four years has to come for all of Chinook’s Edge School Division. My husband and I have lived in Carstairs the past 12 years and specifically chose this community to raise our children. I am honoured that this community selected me as their voice and will do my best to represent our area and rural Alberta. Education is a lifelong journey and I am proud that my children are starting their journey in Chinook’s Edge and that I can be an integral part of shaping that for them and all the children of our communities.