Adjudicators and Board Members

Appointed as chairperson in 2024, Karine Pelletier joined the Manitoba Labour Board as vice-chairperson in 2016. She is a graduate of l'Université de Saint-Boniface (BA, 2000) and l'Université d'Ottawa (LLB, 2003). In 2014, she obtained her LLM. Her practice has focused primarily on administrative law, labour and employment and human rights law. She is co-chair of the Société historique métisse, co-chair of the Manitoba Council of Administrative Tribunals, and President of l'Association des juristes d'expression française du Manitoba. She is franco-manitobaine and a citizen of the Manitoba Métis Nation (MMF).

Appointed as full-time vice-chairperson in 2024, Helen Krahn is an Arbitrator on the Manitoba Labour Board's list of arbitrators and Deputy Chief Commissioner at the Residential Tenancies Commission. She has served in representative, barrister, and attorney roles. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba and practices in labour and employment law. She lends her time and talents as a volunteer with the United Deportivo Manitoba F.C., and Folklorama.

Appointed as full-time vice-chairperson in 2025, Melissa Beaumont holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Manitoba. She practiced as a partner of a large law firm and practiced in all areas of labour and employment law. She also practiced as an independent workplace investigator. She is a past president of the Manitoba Bar Association and is a volunteer peer support for Law(yer) Strong. She has also been involved in several community non-profit organizations. She received the Lexpert Leading Lawyers Under 40 award in 2023.

Appointed on a part-time basis in 2024, Adrian Frost holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Manitoba. He practices law as a partner in the law firm of Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP with an emphasis on labour relations, employment and human rights law. His practice includes service as a mediator and/or arbitrator in labour relations matters.

Appointed on a part-time basis in 2013, Kristin Gibson is a partner in the Winnipeg law firm MLT Aikins LLP. She practices as a labour and employment lawyer, and as a labour mediator and arbitrator.

Appointed on a part-time basis in 2024, David Gisser holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from McGill University, as well as a Master of Laws (LLM), specializing in administrative law, from Osgoode Hall Law School. He served as Crown Counsel and General Counsel with the Legal Services Branch of Manitoba Justice from 1985 until his retirement in late 2023. He also served as Vice-Chairperson of The Municipal Board of Manitoba (on secondment) and as a Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Residential Tenancies Commission. He has been a sessional instructor in Clinical Administrative Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba since 2005. He was appointed Queen's Counsel (now King's Counsel) in 2020.

Appointed on a part-time basis in 2006, Blair Graham holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Manitoba. He practiced law as a partner in the firm of Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP for over 30 years, with an emphasis on civil litigation, administrative law and arbitration as an arbitrator until June 30, 2021. He now practices independently, limiting his practice to arbitration and mediation in labour relations matters and all types of civil and commercial disputes. He has been recognized by his peers on several occasions as one of the best lawyers in Canada in the area of Alternate Dispute Resolution. He has been active as a chairperson in labour arbitration matters since 1997.

Appointed as a part-time vice-chair person in 2026, Krista Klassen holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Winnipeg and Juris Doctor from the University of Manitoba. She has practiced labour and employment law in both a large firm setting and as well as in house for Shared Health and Manitoba Hydro, where she currently serves as Senior Legal Counsel. In addition, she also held the role of Chief Human Resources Officer at St. Boniface Hospital and worked as an independent workplace investigator.

Appointed on a part-time basis in 2023, Janet Mayor holds a Bachelor of Laws degree obtained in 1988 from the University of Manitoba. She practiced labour and employment law and civil litigation for several years, both in private practice and as in-house counsel at Manitoba Hydro. She also held the position of Director of Human Resources at the Crown corporation for five years before retiring in early 2025. She continues to do arbitration and mediation work.

Appointed on a part-time basis in 2023, Kathy McIlroy obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Manitoba. She has practiced exclusively in Labour and Employment law since 1993.

Appointed as part-time vice-chairperson in 2024, Colin Robinson previously served as the chairperson and full-time vice-chairperson of the Manitoba Labour Board, having been first appointed in 2003. He is currently the Chair of the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba and also serves as an arbitrator and mediator. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree from the University of Manitoba and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. He was called to the Bar in Manitoba in 1995.

Appointed on a part-time basis in 2006, Michael Werier is counsel to the Winnipeg law firm of D'Arcy & Deacon LLP. He carries on a practice as an arbitrator/mediator in Manitoba. He is currently chairperson of the Manitoba Labour Management Review Committee, and Chief Adjudicator of the Manitoba Human Rights Adjudication Panel.

Tammie Anthony, appointed in 2025, is a skilled human resources professional specializing in labour relations. She currently serves as the Regional Director for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's Corporate/Regional Programs and Labour Relations Services. In this capacity, she leads and oversees labour relations activities within the Winnipeg-Churchill Health Region Employer Organization. Her experience includes collective bargaining, collective agreement interpretation, arbitration, grievance investigations, and negotiating essential services agreements, working at both strategic and operational levels. Tammie is known for her proven ability to collaborate effectively with both unions and management.

Appointed in 2000, Jim Baker has served on several not-for-profit boards and government agencies in a career that included partnership in a regional chartered accountancy firm, and later, as president and CEO of the Manitoba Hotel Association. He was co-chair of the Athletes Villages committee for the 1999 Pan Am games and served on the mission staff for the Canada and Western Canada Games. A past director of the Winnipeg Convention Centre, he was a term lecturer on industrial relations and human resource management at RRC Polytechnic past chair and current treasurer of the Friends of Elmwood Cemetery.

Michael has 40 years of experience in Human Resources and Labour Relations. His most recent position was as the Director of Human Resource Services with Shared Health Manitoba. He has also worked in Senior Labour Relations and Human Resources positions at the City of Winnipeg. He served on the board of directors of the Workers Compensation Board, and on pension and group life insurance boards. He has conducted Labour Relations and Human Resource presentations across the country. Educated at the University of Manitoba and Queen's University, he currently provides Labour Relations consulting services. He was appointed to the Manitoba Labour Board in 2023.

Appointed in 2002, Christiane Devlin has held senior management positions in human resources, integrating human resources within the business needs of companies in the transportation, communication and printing, agriculture, manufacturing, health care, and retail co-operatives. She is currently the Manager, Human Resources with the Kleysen Group. She is bilingual and her human resource management experience includes unionized and non-unionized workplaces.

Appointed to the Manitoba Labour Board in 2022, Scott Jocelyn has over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He was the president and CEO of the Manitoba Hotel Association, retiring in 2023. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Manitoba Restaurant and Food Services Association. Scott is a graduate of the University of Manitoba with a degree in political science. Throughout his career, he sat on several boards and committees, including, the Accessibility Advisory Council, RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg, Red River College (RRC) Polytechnic and Assiniboine Community College.

Appointed in 2026, Maria Jordan is currently the Senior Manager, Labour Relations for Federated Co-operatives Limited and serves as a Part-Time Commissioner representing employers under The Workers Compensation Act of Manitoba. She has extensive experience in labour relations, including collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, collective agreement interpretation, investigations, and other employee and labour relations matters. She has held various labour relations and human resource roles across both union and management environments. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) in Labour Studies and a Human Resource Management Certificate from the University of Manitoba.

A lawyer, Chris Lorenc was re-appointed in 2022 (employer representative on the Manitoba Labour Board, 2008-2018). He has been president & CEO of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association since 1991, and president & CEO of the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association since 1995. In these roles, he is involved with the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) and serves on several of its standing committees.

Appointed in 1996, Yvette Milner is president of Merit Contractors Association, an industry association providing services to open shop contractors in Manitoba. She also owns a consulting company specializing in helping companies manage injury and illness in the workplace. Her background is in human resources, safety and disability management. Active in the Manitoba business community, she is involved with the Manitoba Employers Council, and the Manitoba and Winnipeg Chambers of Commerce.

Appointed in 2023, Sean Naldrett is currently the National Director of Labour Relations for Sobeys Inc., based in Winnipeg. He represents his employer throughout Manitoba and Canada in collective bargaining and other labour relations matters. He is a member of the Manitoba Labour Management Review Committee, Manitoba Employers Council, and an Employer Trustee on several multi-employer health and welfare, dental and pension trust funds based in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia.

Appointed in 2008, Darcy Strutinsky concluded a lengthy career in senior health-care human resource leadership positions in 2012. He now provides independent human resource, labour relations and respectful workplace consulting services to employers in the private and public sectors. He is also a Commissioner for the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.

Denis Sutton was first appointed in 1983, with his latest term expiring on Dec. 31, 2018. He served on the board for 35 consecutive years and was reappointed in 2022. He has extensive background and education in business administration and human resources management, with broad experience in labour relations, and as chief spokesperson on behalf of the employer, both in the private and public sectors. He is presently employed as vice-president, Labour & Employee Relations with NFI Group.

Appointed in 2026, Morgan Whiteway is currently the Senior Director of Labour Relations and Human Resources for Manitoba School Boards Association. Mr. Whiteway provides Labour Relations and Human Resources advice to School Divisions and represents School Boards in collective bargaining. Mr. Whiteway is a member of the Manitoba Employers Council, an Employer Trustee on the Manitoba Public School Employees Health, Dental and Life Trust and is a member of Client Advisory Council with Manitoba Blue Cross. He also servers as a hearing panel member for The Commissioner of Teacher Professional Conduct.

Appointed in 2019, George Bouchard has been employed as a national servicing representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) since 2010. Coming from the airline division of CUPE, he has the opportunity to service locals in all five of the union's sectors, primarily focusing on negotiations, arbitrations and general grievance handling. He is a former member of the Social Services Appeal Board of Manitoba.

Elected in 2021, Marie Buchan is the secretary / treasurer, responsible for the finances of United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local No. 832 (UFCW L832), a Winnipeg-based organization representing over 18,000 private sector members in over 130 different workplaces across the province. She began her career with UFCW L832 in 2002. Originally hired as a relief representative, she became a permanent, full-time union representative in March 2003 and was soon afterward elected to the executive board of the UFCW Canadian Council. She has also been the Manitoba representative for the UFCW Canada Youth Committee and its Canada Women's Advisory Board. She served as the local's director of servicing for four years, followed by four years as a full-time negotiator. She is currently Director of Operations, overseeing all staff and overall operations of the local's three offices & two training centres in the province.

She currently represents UFCW L832 on the Manitoba Federation of Labour Executive Council, sits as a trustee for a variety of health and welfare benefit plans and is a board member for both Manitoba Blue Cross and The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba.

Appointed in 2015, Abs Diza has been employed by Workers United Canada Council since 2006, and is currently a regional union representative. She is also currently an officer of the Manitoba Federation of Labour Executive Council.

Appointed in 2019, Greg Flemming is the executive director of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association, where he is active in grievance handling, collective bargaining, and association governance. He received his Doctor of Philosophy from York University in 2015, where he was a tutor and member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Appointed in 2023, Colin Ghostkeeper has worked for the Manitoba Government & General Employees' Union (MGEU) since 2002. Starting in the MGEU Resource Centre, he moved into a staff representative role in 2006. He has been involved in representing members in such sectors as civil service, Crown corporations, health care, and non-profit agencies, servicing the membership and bringing grievances forward. He began negotiating collective agreements in 2008. He took on the role of member service manager in 2021, managing a team of MGEU staff representatives working around the province. He is a graduate of both the Labour College of Canada Certificate Program and the National Union of Public Employees Leadership School.

Appointed in 2016, Tom Henderson worked at the Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) from 2002 – 2023 as a labour relations officer certified in workplace safety and health, as well as labour relations. He was previously employed in the aerospace industry, where he held a number of leadership roles including local union president, bargaining committee chairperson, and local union discussion leader. As a labour relations officer, he dealt with grievance arbitrations, collective bargaining and the delivery of specific membership training needs.

Appointed in 2018, Janet Kehler has bachelors degrees in both arts and social work. She began her career in child protection, going on to serve as Manager of Emergency Services for the Province of Manitoba. In 2006, she took on the role of staff representative with the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU), where she was responsible for negotiating collective agreements, bringing grievances forward, and other member services. She would later manage a team of staff representatives before assuming her current position as the MGEU's Director of Member Services. As director, she oversees various components of the service continuum, including several teams of staff representatives, the MGEU resource centre, and its legal department.

Nancy Kerr was appointed to the Manitoba Labour Board in 2022. Prior to retiring, Nancy served the Manitoba Teachers' Society as a staff officer in the Teacher Welfare Department from 2002 to 2018, including four years as the Winnipeg Teachers' Association Business Agent. She has extensive experience in collective bargaining, grievance handling, maternity/parental leaves, and international programs. Before becoming a staff officer, she taught high school chemistry and physics for 13 years, during which time she was actively involved in her local teachers association. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Winnipeg, and a Bachelor of Education and Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Education from the University of Manitoba.

Appointed in 2016, Marc Lafond has served as business manager and financial secretary of the International Union of Operating Engineers of Manitoba, Local 987 (IUOE) since 2011. Previously, he was the executive director of OETIM Inc. a crane, heavy equipment and safety training facility from 2006 to 2011, and was a Red Seal mobile crane operator from 1997 to 2006. He currently serves as a trustee on several pension and health and welfare boards and the Workers Compensation Board. He is a graduate of the University of Manitoba Labour Studies Program.

Appointed in 2023, Mary Lakatos has served as a labour relations officer for the Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) since 2010. She was previously employed in the health care field as a registered nurse. She also held various union positions throughout her nursing career, including grievance chair, as well as member representative on the MNU provincial bargaining committee. As a labour relations officer, she is responsible for enforcing the collective agreement, facilitating positive employee relations, addressing grievances, participating in arbitrations and negotiating collective agreements.

Lee Manning received certification in Human Resources Management from the University of Manitoba in 2000. He has worked as a labour leader, independent consultant and negotiator, human resources consultant, director of human resources and executive director. He worked for 20 years as a labour leader at Carling O'Keefe and, subsequently Molson Breweries, until their closure in 1997. He has worked primarily in human resources in healthcare, both in the public and private sectors. He has served as an executive director involving management of a health-care union and advocate for membership.

Appointed in 2024, Paul McKie was employed as a national representative with Unifor (and one of its predecessors, CEP) from 2003 until his retirement from Unifor in late 2023. He was also Unifor's Area Director for Manitoba and Saskatchewan from February 2017 until his retirement. As a national representative, he dealt with grievances from the later stage up to, and including, arbitration, with collective bargaining at the core of his responsibilities. Prior to working for Unifor, he was a journalist with the Winnipeg Free Press from April 1985 until January 2003. He has a Specialist Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a major in Canadian Labour History from the University of Toronto at Mississauga. He has been chair and trustee on the board of trustees for a small, jointly-trusteed pension plan since April 2017.

Aarti Sharma has worked within the labour movement since 2016. She currently works as a Business Representative with the Operating Engineers Local 987, where she represents her membership through grievance handling, collective bargaining and other labour relation matters. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Labour Studies and Management and a second bachelors degree in social work. She serves on various boards including the Executive Board of the Operating Engineers Local 987 and its Health & Welfare/Pension Board, the latter as a trustee.

Appointed in 2015, Glenn Tomchak has held positions in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 1953 executive since 1984. His tenure includes six years as chief steward and 19 years as president, dealing with grievance arbitration matters, collective bargaining and shop issues. In March 2015, he was elected as the directing business representative for District 181. He has worked at Motor Coach Industries for over 30 years.