Board of Directors
The Public School Boards' Association of Alberta is very pleased to introduce the current Board of Directors:
Lorraine Stewart, President (Parkland School Division)
Lorraine Stewart is Board Chair for Parkland School Division. She has lived in the Stony Plain and Parkland County area for 47 years.
She holds a doctoral degree from the University of Alberta with a focus on inclusive education and is a registered psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Lorraine spent 15 years working as an educator in Parkland School Division (PSD) before moving into senior management at Alberta Education, where she served for 12 years.
Lorraine volunteers with numerous boards at the local, provincial, and national levels and values the opportunity to learn from organizations with diverse mandates and perspectives.
Her passion for education is grounded in the belief that strong schools are rooted in community. She advocates for a robust legislative and policy framework that supports educators and is dedicated to ensuring meaningful parental and community engagement. Lorraine believes it is essential for the board to listen to and understand all perspectives, and she remains committed to advocating for the best educational opportunities for all students.
Outside of her professional and volunteer commitments, Lorraine enjoys life with her husband, Mike. They are the proud parents of two married daughters and grandparents to six grandchildren.
Patrick Grisonich, First Vice president (Medicine Hat Public School Division)
Pat Grisonich is Vice-Chair for Medicine Hat Public Schools. Pat was born and raised in Medicine Hat. He attended Medicine Hat College for 2 years before transferring to the University of Calgary, graduating with a B.Ed. in 1985. Nowadays, he is retired and lives with his wife Kristen; between them they have four grown children, all of whom completed high school in Medicine Hat.
Pat began a career in education teaching grade 6 before moving on to become a junior high counselor. From there, he became a vice-principal: a role he held in several schools before becoming the principal of Crescent Heights High School.
As a teacher and administrator, he has always felt that building relationships is of paramount importance. It is through relationships that schools, teams, programs, and ultimately staff and student's flourish.
As a Trustee he wishes to be a familiar and friendly presence in the schools and a proud supporter of education in the Medicine Hat Public School Division. He appreciates the support from staff at central office as well as in the schools, and looks forward to working with all stakeholders throughout his four year term.
Email: firstvp@public-schools.ab.ca
Donna Koch, second vice President (Grande Prairie Public School Division)
Donna Koch is Vice Chair for Grande Prairie Public School Division. She was born and raised in the Peace Country, living in Grande Prairie for over 40 years. I have board, governance, business, community, safety, and volunteer experience. I ran for trustee 4 years ago because I believe you get out of your community what you put into it.
I have family who have been educated in our division and I am very proud of their success, regardless of what their path has been. I have many teacher and school staff friends whom I admire their passion, dedication, and their contribution to the team effort that is required in creating great citizens.
It has been an honour to serve as trustee these last 4 years, it has exceeded my expectations and I am very proud of the achievements the board made together during this time. I would love the opportunity to represent you for another 4 years.
Melanie Reed-Zukowski, First Director (Grasslands Public Schools)
Melanie Reed-Zukowski is serving her second term as Vice Chair with the Grasslands Public Schools. After moving to Brooks in 1985 Melanie took a job at Griffin Park School where she spent 14 years as a Learning Assistance Teacher before returning to university to become a school psychologist. Melanie worked for Grasslands Public Schools for a total of 31 years before retiring from the school district and being elected to her first term as a trustee. Melanie and her husband Pat have built strong roots in Brooks. She continues to work in private practice as a registered psychologist, working towards her doctorate in forensic psychology with a specialization in crisis management leadership. Melanie is also a national trainer and consultant for the Centre for Trauma-Informed Practice, formerly the Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response.
Timothy O'Hara, Second Director (Fort McMurray Public School Division)
Tim is currently serving as Board Chair for Fort McMurray Public Schools. He has been involved in the Student Transportation side of education for the past 20 years, starting his career as an Assistant Director of Transportation. Six years later he assumed the role of Director of Transportation with another school division, and shortly thereafter was offered and accepted the role of General Manager with Sparksman Transportation Ltd., a bus company which today provides transportation to 7 different school authorities, operates a rural transit system, and provides employee transportation to multiple oil and gas sub-contractors. He is married with two young and very energetic boys aged 4 and 7.
Prior to moving onto the private side of the industry, Tim served as Treasurer for the Student Transportation Association of Alberta. He has also held the roles of Chair of Internal Transportation for the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games and the 2019 Wood Buffalo Alberta Winter Games. In 2020, he was recognized alongside his wife, as one of Your McMurray Magazine’s top 50 under 50.
Tim shares a deep passion for Public School Education and believes in locally elected trustees and in local board autonomy. He is a firm believer that Public Education is the most important education system, as it is the only system that is truly fully inclusive, and he believes that strong public schools are a necessary part of the foundation of our province.
JAN SAWYER, DIRECTOR (EDMONTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS)
Jan (she/her) was an educator and school principal before retiring in December 2020. Feeling she had more to give to public education, she ran as a Trustee and is honoured to serve the constituents of Ward I.
Jan has a master's of education in educational leadership and comes from a long line of educators. She believes schools should be community hubs and that they should feel like a second home for students and their families.
As a Trustee, she hopes to continue supporting a strong public school system by lobbying the provincial government for increased funding for special needs education, infrastructure and staffing. She looks forward to listening to families and students to best represent their needs in the Division.
TROY TAIT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO (Ex-Officio)
Troy Tait is the current Executive Director and CEO of the Public School Boards' Association of Alberta (PSBAA), where he leads the organization’s efforts in representing and supporting school boards across the province. Before taking the helm at PSBAA, Troy held a variety of leadership positions across education, government, and academia. He brings a broad perspective shaped by diverse senior roles, which have equipped him with strategic planning, organizational, and stakeholder-relations expertise. His leadership at PSBAA reflects deep experience in governance, policy, and working within complex public-sector structures.
Troy plays a key role in advocating for public education governance, collaborating with stakeholders at the provincial level to enhance learning outcomes and community engagement. Under his leadership, PSBAA continues to grow, influence policy development, professional development, and trustee support.