Meet the Executive Committee

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President: Dr. Patricia Hania, BAS, MBA, MES, LLM, PhD

Patricia holds a PhD from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (York), Toronto. She also holds a LL.M. (Osgoode), LL.B. (Osgoode), M.E.S. (Faculty of Environmental Studies, York), MBA Grad. Dipl. (Schulich, York) and BAS, York.

As an interdisciplinary social-legal-ecological researcher, Patricia is interested in the interaction of market actors in natural resource governance regimes – in particular, water governance in Canada. Her research considers the intersection of law and policy to understand how norms interact, regulate and become embedded in legal sites of contested and complex decision-making.

Conference Co-Chair: Casey Rockwell J.D., Ed.D

Casey Rockwell is an Assistant Director in the UA Little Rock School of Business and a legal studies scholar whose work focuses on the intersection of law, business, technology, and consumer protection. She holds a J.D., Ed.D., and Master of Public Service, and teaches and writes in areas including business law, real estate law, artificial intelligence, consumer affairs, and public policy. Her scholarship has appeared in publications including the Journal of Consumer Affairs, the Real Estate Law Journal, the William & Mary Business Law Review, and the Syracuse Law Review. She is also active in executive education and professional training, working with organizations on leadership, communication, conflict resolution, and organizational development.Founded in 2010, Canadian Academy of Legal Studies in Business has become one of the most respected business conferences in the industry. We have brought together thousands of business leaders and professionals over the years to share their insights, make meaningful connections, and drive innovation.

Conference Co-Chair: John O'Fee KC

bio coming soon

Treasurer: Allison Ross LL. B, B.Comm (Hons)

Allison teaches in the Legal Assistant and Business Law programs at Red Deer Polytechnic in Red Deer Alberta.

Allison was called to the Bar in 2010, and previously practiced in family law, wills and estates, corporate law, criminal law, real estate law, civil litigation and estate litigation. Allison is a trained mediator and collaborative family lawyer and has training in interest-based negotiation and intensive advocacy.

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Past-President: Dr. Laura Reimer, BA, MPA, PhD

Dr. Laura E. Reimer is Director of Program Development at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law and Director of the Marcel A. Desautels Centre for Private Enterprise and the Law, where she has been the lead on innovative and entrepreneurial initiatives, particularly for the business law program. She brings extensive experience in conflict transformation and policy development across public and private sectors, offering a distinct and practical lens on legal education. A passionate educator, Laura received the Clifford J. Robson Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence from the University of Winnipeg, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Her scholarship focuses on access to justice, innovation, reconciliation, and systems change. Dr. Reimer has served on the University of Manitoba Board of Governors, the Manitoba Law Reform Commission, and currently as President of the Canadian Academy of Legal Studies in Business. She is an avid and licensed sailor.

Communications Officer: Nikki Kowalski, BA, JD

Nikki is an instructor in the Donald School of Business at Red Deer Polytechnic, teaching classes in the Business and Legal Assistant programs. Nikki has a Juris Doctor (JD) Degree from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Winnipeg. She is currently serving as Co-Chair for the Canadian Academy of Legal Studies in Business (CALSB) conference, as a Faculty Supervisor for the Legal Assistants Students’ Society (LASS), and as an member at large for the Executive Committee of the Faculty Association at Red Deer Polytechnic (FARDP).

She is originally from Winnipeg, returning there briefly after law school to complete her articles, prior to moving to Red Deer as a junior lawyer. As a lawyer, Nikki mainly practiced in the area of family law, leaving private practice to teach at Red Deer Polytechnic starting in the Fall of 2021, and is currently an inactive member of the Law Societies of both Alberta and Manitoba.

Nikki loves using real life examples to get people to relate to the law, is curious about how changes in technology are impacting education, and loves incorporating humour into her classes.

Director at Large: Will Randall LL.M., CIC.C

bio coming soon