About Galileo

Our Board

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Sharon Friesen - President and Chair of the Board

Sharon is co-founder and President of the Galileo Educational Network and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary. Sharon's experience as a teacher includes kindergarten, elementary, junior high and high school. She consults on a wide range of teaching and learning topics related to curriculum reform and school improvement. Her research interests include curriculum theory, curriculum inquiry, professional development, mathematics education, instructional leadership, technology integration and school reform. She has co-authored two books: Back to the Basics of Teaching and Learning: Thinking the World Together, winner of the 2004 AERA Division B Book Award and Curriculum in Abundance. She has also assisted schools to assess their technology requirements to enhance teaching and learning environments. Sharon is a recipient of numerous awards for both research and teaching practice:

* 2007 Pacific Institute of Mathematical Sciences Math Educator of the Year;
* 2005 AERA Book Award for Curriculum Studies;
* 1999 The Alberta Teachers' Association, Educational Research Award;
* 1999 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence;
* 1997 Aoki Award for educational research;
* 1996 ASCD Celebrating Educational Successes in Alberta award;
* 1994 National Institute Award for Technology Integration;
* 1991 Alberta Excellence in Teaching finalist.

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Hugh Fergusson - Chair of Fund Raising Committee

Hugh Fergusson is an independent businessman and corporate director. He is a retired executive who had over 25 years of service with The Dow Chemical Company, an international chemicals company listed on numerous stock exchanges. In 2004, he retired as the Vice President, Hydrocarbons and Energy, after holding several positions within the organization from his original position as Staff Lawyer.

Mr. Fergusson is currently the President of Argyle Resources Inc. (a private energy consulting organization) and a senior affiliate of the Implementation & Advisory Group Ltd. (a government relations and project management firm). He is a director of Provident Energy Trust (a TSX and NYSE-listed oil and gas trust), Taylor Gas Liquids NGL Ltd. (the general partner of Taylor NGL Limited Partnership, a TSX-listed issuer), and the Canadian Energy Research Institute. He is a past board member of Dow Chemical Canada Inc., Union Carbide Canada Inc., Petromont Inc., the Gas Processors Association of America and the Petrochemical Feedstock Association of the Americas. Mr. Fergusson received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1970 from McMaster University; a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor in 1973 and in 2006 received the designation of ICD.D. from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Brent Kraus - Treasurer and Chair Audit Committee

Brent Kraus is lawyer and a partner of Bennett Jones LLP, where he practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions and corporate and commercial law. Brent represents diverse clients in the oil and gas, pipeline, manufacturing and technology sectors, as well as acting for several investment banking firms. Brent obtained his B. Comm. and LL.B. degrees from the University of Saskatchewan and previously served as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa.

Garry McKinnon - Chair Policy Committee

Garry has served in a variety of school and school system educational roles over 35 years including, teacher, guidance counsellor, vice principal, principal, deputy superintendent and superintendent of schools. He retired as Superintendent of Schools in the Golden Hills School Division in August 2003 after having served 25 years in the superintendency.

Since that time, Garry has pursued a number of areas of interest which have included: serving as a sessional instructor in the Graduate Division of Educational Research and the Department of Teacher Preparation at the University of Calgary; co-coordinating the annual College of Alberta School Superintendents Start Right program for newly appointed school administrators and leadership trainees and the Leading for Learning program for experienced school administrators; Co-authoring a module on building effective partnerships for Alberta school principals on behalf of the College of Alberta School Superintendents; facilitating workshops for various groups and organizations; consulting for Alberta Education and participating as a volunteer with a number of community service organizations. He has also on behalf of the Galileo Educational Network Association conducted studies of inquiry-based learning in two Calgary schools, which have been in partnership with the Galileo Educational Network Association.

Garry obtained his B.Ed. and B.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan, his M.Ed. in Educational Administration from the University of Alberta and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Brigham Young University. Garry is a founding member and Past President of the Centre for Leadership in Learning at the University of Calgary and has also served in executive roles in other organizations promoting leadership and professional development including the Calgary Regional Professional Development Consortium, the Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation and the College of Alberta School Superintendents.

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Ann Sherman - Vice-Chair

Ann joined the University of Calgary in July 2007 and was Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education 2007 to 2009.  She previously taught for nine years at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, including four years as the Director of the School of Education.  Her teaching here focuses on Educational Leadership at the graduate level.  She has 15 years experience as a high school teacher, an elementary school teacher and a school administrator. She is a past recipient of the Alberta Provincial Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. She has a Graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction.  Her Ph.D. is from the University of Nottingham in the UK and focused on the perceptions of young children about school.

In the past, Ann has been the director of an international project in Bhutan and directed a large service Learning project where they did work in Jamaica, Romania, Cuba, Mexico and Guatemala.  Her current research focuses on instructional leadership in elementary schools with particular focus on science and mathematics instruction. She is a partner in a million dollar research project sponsored by the Centre for Research on Youth Science Technology and Learning (CRYSTAL).

R. D. (Bob) Steele - Director and Past Chair

Bob Steele is an Electrical Engineering graduate of the University of Saskatchewan in 1970. Upon graduation Bob joined Imperial Oil working in Canada, the USA and Malaysia. In 1983 he joined Canadian Hunter Exploration Limited and resigned in 1994 to start Stellarton Energy, a new company that combined oil and gas exploration and the oilfield service business. The company grew very successfully until it was completely sold in early 2001. Currently Bob is the CEO of Berens Energy Limited, an exploration and production company based in Calgary.

  • Children's Sports - former coach, organizer, and board member for community hockey
  • Community Activities - past president of Silver Springs Community Association and current board member of Church Ranches Homeowner’s Association
  • Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation - Founding and Former Chairman
  • Galileo Educational Network Association – Founding Chairman
  • Society of Petroleum Engineers International - Member (since 1976), Section Chairman in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1982), Board Member (1991-1994), and Treasurer (1994-1997); received Distinguished Member Award (2001)
  • Personal Information - Married to Pat; three sons - Geoffrey (engineer), Gregory (kinesiologist and student), and Jonathan (student); Played old timers hockey and plays golf.

Jan Vandenbos - Director

Jan Vandenbos's unique, future-focused perspective is informed by a varied and successful career that has afforded him an uncommon depth and breadth of professional knowledge and experience spanning a variety of market sectors. A frequent speaker and consultant in the areas of long-range risk mitigation, strategic planning, and technology road-mapping and the future, Jan is recognized as a leader in not only assessing and addressing potential future risks, but also in helping businesses confront a full spectrum of technology issues underlying long-term organizational preparedness and viability.

He has previously served on advisory or governing boards for the Galileo Educational Network, TwoJet Systems/Glide Technologies, Cogneto LLC, Takbax Technologies and Memotrax LLC.

In the course of his more-than twenty-year career encompassing both business and technology innovation, Jan has founded and built four successful companies and has played key executive roles in three others during critical transitional periods of sale or acquisition. In addition to serving as CEO for his own firms, he has held varied positions as CIO, and Chief Security Officer and SVP Technology for different organizations.

Jan is also the moderator for the Pacific Northwest Future Salon (organized under the auspices of the Acceleration Studies Foundation) and is a frequent speaker in the areas of future studies and risk.

Jan currently is CEO and Chairman of Visiomente Corporation, a "cradle to launch" business consulting firm founded in 2008 through the merger of Takbax Technologies LLC and Valhalla Research Group, Inc. Visiomente assists organizations in the launch of new technology products in the Web 2.0 environment with a comprehensive menu of services ranging from strategic planning and organizational architecture and risk management to technology road-mapping, marketing and more. In addition, he runs entp.org, a web site for future-oriented creative thinkers that borrows its name from the Myers-Briggs Personality type designation for "inventor".

Brenda Gladstone - Director

Brenda is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Galileo Network. Brenda's passion for supporting innovation in education is so that children have opportunities to show what they really know by being engaged in personally relevant, challenging work that has meaning beyond the school. Brenda has a proven track record of initiating, implementing and managing a variety of educational initiatives in collaboration with the business community. Brenda has served on the executive of many not-for-profit boards and organizations such as the Alberta School Boards Association and Calgary Parks and Recreation Board. She is a former public school trustee and co-founder of the Calgary Educational Partnerships Foundation, and Calgary Family Connections Society. Brenda was part of the development team which conceived the Galileo Centre, a professional development centre for Alberta teachers, a precursor to Galileo Network. She also initiated and managed the Career Resource Centres in High school initiative and led development of the Employability Skills Portfolio process now used in several Alberta school districts. Brenda holds an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Project Management and a Masters in Business Administration from Athabasca University.

Brenda is married to Doug and they have three adult children. Jeff is an actor, musician, writer and producer out of Vancouver, Ryan is an actor, writer and director often travelling across Canada, Michael is an associate with a global executive search firm in Calgary.