Jay Pritchard – President
Jay brings to Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WSAC) 45+ years of experience as a Teacher, Principal, and Superintendent within Public Education in Alberta.
He has been a member of WSAC for ten years and has served previously on the Board of Directors as Vice President (2 years), President (5 years), and Past President (1 year).
Jay fully appreciates the need for WSAC to continue to serve its members to the highest degree possible and that the organization must extend its realm of influence within the Senior Serving Sector. He also understands that for WSAC to become sustainable over the long term, it will need to embrace a more business-focused approach to working with others.
Jay invites members, staff, and partners to share their thoughts and feelings about the destiny of WSAC. He believes that together, We will succeed!
Lois Thurstan – Vice President
Lois is proud to serve you as Vice President. Lois has always lived in the West End and is grateful for the opportunity to give back to her community. As a member of Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WE Seniors) since 2018, Lois believes that Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WE Seniors) is a great place for healthy aging and for making the transition into retirement a positive experience. Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WE Seniors) have provided Lois with new friendships, the ability to try different activities, and opportunities to learn. At the Centre, you will often find her playing pickleball or trying to learn Spanish. Outside the Centre, she enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking, fishing, and walking her dog.
For most of Lois’ career, she worked at a professional association for physicians. She has extensive experience and education in payroll, employee benefits, accounting, and disability management.
David Baxandall – Treasurer
David (Dave) has been a member of the Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WSAC) for six years. Dave found out about the WSAC for the first time when dropping in during an open house. He has played pickleball ever since!
Retired for seven years, Dave worked at TELUS for 39 years in a variety of roles, the last 32 years as a senior SAP software developer – developed processes and software for asset management, HR management, pension extracts, plant maintenance, project systems, warehouse management, logistics management, financial controlling, and financial reporting. Dave also worked as an after-hours instructor for two years at NAIT.
Dave’s hobbies include traveling, playing pickleball, camping, and fishing; most importantly, Dave loves being with his two granddaughters.
Volunteering has always been important to Dave. He coached competitive fastball for about ten years, store-to-door with Meals on Wheels, and assisted in organizing the last two pickleball wind-up BBQs at WSAC.
Dave is looking forward to his next adventure as a WSAC volunteer member of the Board of Directors.
Barbara Thompson – Director
Barbara worked for over 40 years as a Manager/Administrator of private medical practices (specialists and family medicine). Throughout her career, she was a consultant for Alberta Health Services and the Alberta Medical Association regarding software development and testing, referral procedures, and more.
Barbara served as President of the Alberta Association of Clinic Managers for 2 terms and led monthly meetings of Edmonton & District Clinic Managers for 20-plus years.
She has been involved in corporate fundraising for many years and in recent years have also volunteered with Covenant Health on various projects.
Barbara believes that the Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WSAC) offers wonderful, uplifting programs for all seniors! She also thinks that loneliness during the senior years is an enemy, and WSAC is definitely the answer to many issues seniors have, with advice, fellowship, and FUN!
Dolores Brent – Director
Dolores has been a WSAC member for 11 years and wholeheartedly appreciates the benefits WSAC brings to seniors in the surrounding community. Over the years she has participated in a wide variety of classes, workshops, and drop-in activities, especially pickleball and yoga. WSAC has provided a safe, invigorating community, helping her stay active and ever-learning since her retirement from her fulfilling career as a registered nurse at the Cross Cancer Institute where her skills as a listener, caregiver, and organizer were a necessity. She has been a life-long learner, actively supporting Edmonton Lifelong Learning Association (ELLA) as a volunteer and a student. She has mastered the art of gardening in unique spaces, annually tending to a wide variety of vegetables, flowers and fruits. She is always ready for a good adventure, a game of cards or a meaningful chat over a pot of tea and has taught multiple generations life skills like baking from scratch, sewing and repairing clothes and growing your own food.
Dianne Walker – Director
On the morning of April 1, 2019, Dianne was sitting at her kitchen table, wondering what she was going to do with all the extra time she had – her husband of 47 years (Gary) passed away in 2016, and she just retired from the job she carried for 26 years as Business Administrator at the LINKS CLINIC. She was so used to being with people. That day, Dinne came to the WSAC. She picked up a summer catalog of courses, and stayed all day enjoying the company of members and staff. These days, Dianne plays bridge two days a week and has enrolled in several fitness classes, thoroughly enjoying her time with other members.
Dianne also volunteers with FAMI – families that support adults with mental illness. She often shares her journey with her son Phil, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
She and her children (Jennifer, Phil, and Dan) have lived in Edmonton since January 1985.
Lesley Conley – Director
Lesley has been an active member of Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WE Seniors) for three years, serving on the Bylaw and Policy Committee for the last two.
Before joining us, Lesley was a Project Coordinator at the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA). At CPLEA, Lesley collaborated with lawyers and educators to create accessible resources explaining legal rights to Albertans. She also worked to develop a website and workshops, helping nonprofits and charities better understand their legal responsibilities.
Lesley’s background in the nonprofit world introduced her to us, and after retiring, she decided to pick up a paddle and try pickleball. Turns out, she’s loving the game and, even more so, the amazing people she’s met here!
Lesley is eager to bring her passion and experience to the Board.
Lorena Iceton – Director
Lorena was born in Wetaskiwin, AB as an only child. Her family moved to Oliver, BC where she grew up and got her education. She returned to Edmonton in 1978.
During her 34-year tenure with the Provincial Government, Lorena held Administrative and Executive Assistant roles in several government departments, including Widow’s Pension, Seniors Benefit Program, Alberta Seniors and Community Supports, Seniors Housing, and AB Health, before retiring in March 2020 on her 60th birthday.
An active member of the Association of Administrative Assistants (AAA), she spent seven years as Program Assistant, organizing events and securing speakers. She earned her Qualified Administrative Assistant designation in 2008, followed by diplomas in Management Development (2012) and Human Resources (2013) from the University of Alberta. She also completed an Event Management Certificate at NAIT in 2016.
Since joining the Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WE Seniors) in 2024, she has embraced volunteering in the Café and looks forward to serving on the Board of Directors to help enhance people’s experiences at WSAC.
Lorena enjoys time with her husband, family, friends, and granddogs, as well as camping, crocheting, and cross-stitching.
Lorne Brackenbury – Director
Lorne has been a member of WSAC for 5 years. He first came to the Centre with a friend and neighbour to play pickleball. Later on, Lorne took on the responsibility of volunteering when the Centre decided to have training for beginners of pickleball. Shortly after, Lorne was joined by Ryan Park, a long-time friend who is instrumental in the beginner’s pickleball instructions. Lorne is currently on the Pickleball committee with three other members, two of which are Board Directors at WSAC.
In his professional career, Lorne was a Technical Sales Representative for Instrumentation, Electrical and Valves for various industries. He has been serving on the Board of the local chapter of the International Society of Automation for the past 32 years. Lorne has also been serving as Secretary/Treasurer for his condominium board since 2005. Lorne says he has met so many great people during his time at the Centre and looks forward to contributing to WSAC during his time on the Board.
Rose Bilou – Director
Throughout Rose’s career and volunteer activities, she has enjoyed working with people and for the community.
After retiring in 2018 and moving to Edmonton, Rose served as a Board member of the International Association of Public Practitioners (IAP2) and sat on the City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Procurement Advisory Committee. Her career and work experiences include roles in Supply Change management, advisory roles for Indigenous Relations for the Oil Sands sector, and as a purchasing coordinator with Northwest Community College based in Kitimat and Terrace B.C. She and her husband launched a business providing executive-style accommodation for international business clients between 2003 and 2011.
Rose’s family has been blessed with four children, seven grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. Rose hopes to bring her prior professional experience to the Westend Seniors Activity Centre (WE Seniors) Board of Directors, assisting in developing strong partnerships to continue to grow our community.
