Association Board Members
Carl Damour
President
Carl has over three decades of varied Paramedicine experience across ground, fixed and rotary-wing, industrial, educational, regulatory, and managerial sectors.
He has worked as a front-line ACP, in Ontario and Alberta and is also registered in New Brunswick. Today, Carl work clinically as an ACP and volunteer firefighter, in Alberta, while also managing a management consulting business.
Throughout his career, he has had the fortunate privilege of working with many reputable organizations including the Canadian Medical Association, the Health Standards Organization/ Accreditation Canada, the Paramedic Association of Canada, the Alberta College of Paramedic, the Paramedic Association of New Brunswick and many others
Jarrod Cohoe
Vice-President
Jarrod is originally from Manitoba and now resides in Sylvan Lake with his wife and two children. Before relocating to Alberta in 2008, he earned his PCP accreditation in Manitoba, and later achieved his ACP designation in Alberta in 2014.
Jarrod has built a diverse career in paramedicine, gaining experience across multiple areas including frontline care—both ground and flight operations—as well as education and quality patient safety. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree, further deepening his expertise and commitment to advancing the field.
Bill Carstairs
Treasurer
Bill has been in the accounting and finance field for over 20 years. Bill has been working in the real estate, property management and development industries since 1986 and owns a real estate and property management firm. He worked with the College of Paramedics from 2014 to 2018.
Justin Stapley
Board Secretary
Justin is a Primary Care Paramedic from Edmonton Alberta and has been a board member with the APA since 2016. Justin’s Paramedic experience includes multiple rural communities in Northern Zones and Central Zones of Alberta in addition to providing care to vulnerable populations serving Supervised Consumption Sites and Shelters in Downtown Edmonton.
His time on Ground Ambulance services has allowed him to shape his skills under multiple mentors that he credits to this day for helping him excel in patient care and education initiatives. These included Peer Educator in Central Zone AHS EMS and Employee Management Action Committee with HSAA.
Marnie Connell
Registrar
Marnie is an experienced healthcare professional and operations leader with a strong background in emergency medical services, regulatory compliance, and administrative management. A Primary Care Paramedic since 2010, she finished her education in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Marnie has held various roles from triage coordination, regulatory oversight, and organizational leadership. She has previous Board Director experience for non-profit organizations and champions mental health initiatives and strategic planning. Marnie is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Athabasca University and brings expertise in stakeholder engagement, change management, and event coordination to the association.
Roger Tewson
Director
Roger has been an Advanced Care Paramedic since 2003. He has worked in rural and remote communities as well as large US metropolitan centers and received his Alberta Long Service Award in 2011, and his EMS Exemplary Service Award in 2017. Roger spent nearly 7 years on the College of Paramedics council serving one year as vice president. He also served four years on the Association board, one year as president and he is a founding member of the Association.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Alberta Paramedic Association and what do we do?
To put it plainly; We are a Representative Association.
What are Professional Associations? Let us explain the differences.
Professional Associations are defined as a self governing profession that encompasses regulation, labor or a representative association.
Though in other jurisdictions a representative association may act as a regulator or a bargaining agent; which the Alberta Paramedic Association does not claim to be.
Representative Association
It is defined as the organization that serves the interest of the practitioner within their professional practice.
In Alberta that is the Alberta Paramedic Association.
In Alberta we are a self governing body where Paramedics have been given an opportunity to establish a well balanced, organized profession that consists of all three components that make up that self governing body.
Through the independent components we will have a regulator for public interest ( The Alberta College of Paramedics), a combination of employers ( ie: Ground Ambulance providers, Industrial Medics) and unions (ie: HSAA, CUPE) to advance operations and an Association that represent the interest of the practitioner by enhancing our knowledge, skills, health and wellness.
Labour
Is the organization(s) that function to represent the operations of the profession. In Alberta this is a combination of the unions, public and private employers.
Regulation
Is the organization whose role is to serve the public interest. Within Alberta this is the Alberta College of Paramedics.