ABP Delegate Bios

As ABP Producer Meetings take place across the province over the coming weeks, here is background information on the delegates in each zone.

Elections will be held in Southeast, Central, and Southwest zones. Nominees in Northeast and Northwest zones will be acclaimed effective the announcement at the Annual General Meeting.

NORTHEAST ZONE – ACCLAIMED

Zach Bourassa

Zach Bourassa is involved in his family’s cow-calf operation in Venice, Alta., near Lac La Biche. Agriculture has been part of his family’s history for five generations, and he is proud to carry on that tradition.

Outside the farm, Bourassa works in the energy industry and volunteers in several community leadership roles. He looks forward to learning from fellow producers, building connections within the industry, and contributing to a strong future for Alberta’s beef sector.

Josie Pashulka

Josie Pashulka operates a cow-calf operation near Derwent in the County of Two Hills, Alta. The operation includes 400 purebred Simmental, Black Angus, and Maine-Anjou cows, along with a commercial cow herd.

In addition to cattle production, the family operates a grain farm, growing wheat, barley, and canola, while also planting grazing and silage corn.

Pashulka has a strong interest in artificial insemination and embryo transfer and actively incorporates both into the operation. She also teaches those skills at Lakeland College.

Her operation has participated in the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program since its early days and was among the first producers to become involved.

Kailey Wirsta

Kailey Wirsta and her family own and operate K-Cow Ranch, a 300-head purebred cow-calf operation raising Hereford, Charolais, and Black Angus cattle.

Through her experience in cattle management and breeding, Wirsta focuses on producing high-quality genetics for both commercial and purebred markets.

In addition to ranching, she serves as Chair of the Stoney Lake Community Association, where she helps manage social media and community engagement efforts. Wirsta is passionate about the future of Alberta’s beef industry and looks forward to advocating for producers and supporting sustainable growth within the sector.

Miles Wowk

Miles Wowk and his family operate a commercial cow-calf operation in Alberta’s northeast zone. He grew up in the beef industry and was actively involved in 4-H for 10 years, experiences that helped shape his passion for agriculture and the cattle sector.

For the past six years, Wowk has served as an Alberta representative with the CCA and currently chairs the Animal Health and Care Committee. He believes a strong producer voice is essential to moving the industry forward and is committed to helping build a sustainable future for the next generation of ranchers.

NORTHWEST ZONE – ACCLAIMED

Becky Kimble

Becky Kimble is a fifth-generation cow-calf producer in the Grande Prairie area and has been involved in her family’s operation her entire life.

The cattle industry is extremely important to her, and she is committed to helping ensure future generations can continue ranching in Alberta. Kimble is proud to see her nephews carrying on the family ranch and hopes they can do so for many years to come.

In addition to cattle production, Kimble raises APHA and AQHA horses and serves as a State Director for the American Paint Horse Association. She looks forward to working with fellow producers and supporting a strong future for Alberta’s beef industry.

Dyanna Marquardt

Dyanna Marquardt calls Big Lakes County home, where she and her young family operate both commercial and purebred cattle operations.

Balancing family life with ranching, Marquardt is passionate about supporting her community, stewarding the land responsibly, and helping ensure a strong future for agriculture for generations to come.

Jess Verstappen

Jess Verstappen is a cow-calf producer in the Big Lakes County area, where she and her family operate purebred and commercial Red and Black Angus cattle.

Through her involvement in 4-H and her agribusiness education at Lakeland College, Verstappen has gained experience in many areas of the beef industry. She is passionate about agriculture, land stewardship, and supporting a strong future for the cattle sector, and looks forward to bringing that perspective to ABP.

Jamie White

Jamie White is a third-generation farmer from Teepee Creek, where he was born and raised. His children represent the fourth generation of farmers on the family’s land.

On his father’s side, White’s grandfather brought the first registered Shorthorn cattle to the Teepee Creek area from England in 1920. On his mother’s side, his grandfather brought the first registered Black Angus cattle to the area via the Edson Trail in 1918.

Today, White and his son raise Salers-Angus cross cattle and run approximately 100 cow-calf pairs. A longtime supporter of the agricultural community, White was a 4-H member and, later, a 4-H leader. He also served on the Teepee Creek Stampede Association Board of Directors. In 2025, White and his wife Debbie were honoured as Wagon Masters by the Teepee Creek Stampede Association in recognition of their years of dedication and service.

White currently volunteers at the Teepee Creek Museum and serves as President of the Peace Country Racing Association, an organization he helped establish in 2010. He is seeking to serve as an ABP delegate to help ensure local beef producers’ voices and concerns are represented.

CENTRAL ZONE – ELECTION

Connor Allen

Connor Allen operates a 120-head cow-calf operation in central Alberta and is actively involved in the day-to-day management of the farm. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he has been around cattle his entire life.

The herd is homegrown and raised on pasture during the summer months. In winter, the cattle are fed silage produced on the farm along with hay sourced from neighbouring producers. Allen hopes to serve as an ABP delegate to help identify solutions that support a strong and profitable beef sector.

Phil Hamar

Phil Hamar is the owner and operator of Lazy H Ranch, a family-owned cattle operation established in 1929. As a fourth-generation rancher, he continues a legacy spanning nearly a century, combining time-tested ranching practices with modern approaches to cattle production.

Under his leadership, Lazy H Ranch specializes in developing high-performance heifers through its custom backgrounding program, helping set producers up for breeding success. Committed to agriculture and the ranching way of life, Hamar is focused on supporting a strong and sustainable future for Alberta’s cattle industry while preserving the values that have guided the ranch for generations.

Paxton Homeak

Paxton Homeak is a fourth-generation beef producer who lives near Glenevis, Alta. Agriculture has been an important part of his life, and he is passionate about carrying on his family’s legacy while contributing to the future of the beef industry.

He hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing producers while bringing the perspective of a young producer to the table. Homeak is committed to keeping young producers informed, engaged, and connected.

Brenda Rosadiuk

Brenda Rosadiuk, along with her husband, two sons, and their families, operates a cow-calf operation approximately one hour west of Edmonton.

During her four-year term as an ABP delegate, Rosadiuk served on the Audit and Governance committees. For the past two years, she also served as a Director and, most recently, held the role of Finance Chair on the Board of Directors Executive.

Throughout her time as a delegate, she has gained valuable insight and experience while helping navigate issues such as the proposed withdrawal from the CCA, tariff threats, and traceability. Rosadiuk believes ABP’s presence at both the provincial and federal levels is essential to ensuring producers’ voices are heard and their interests represented.

Jason Smith

Jason Smith is a first-generation rancher who operates alongside his wife, Melissa, in the Eckville area. He began raising whitetail deer in 2000 and has since transitioned to cattle and bison production. Throughout his career, Smith has served on a number of boards and industry organizations, including Safari Club International and the Alberta Whitetail and Mule Deer Association. He is committed to supporting Alberta’s cattle industry and looks forward to working with ABP to help strengthen the sector for producers across the province.

Kirk Wildman

Kirk Wildman’s family has been ranching in Alberta since homesteading west of Innisfail in 1887. The current operation near Sangudo has been in place since 1974 and raises purebred Red and Black Angus cattle. In 2027, the operation will mark its 48th annual bull sale.

Wildman has served on numerous cattle and community-based boards and foundations and currently serves as a Director of his local natural gas co-op. Since March, he has been involved with ABP’s Research Committee and Traceability Working Groups and would welcome the opportunity to continue contributing to those portfolios.

SOUTHEAST ZONE – ELECTION

Dylan Biggs

Dylan Biggs and his wife Colleen, along with their four daughters, began direct marketing beef to consumers through TK Ranch in 1995.

Today, they operate a provincially inspected abattoir on the ranch and a beef processing facility in Lyalta. Since 1995, Biggs has delivered livestock handling clinics across Canada and the U.S. and remains committed to supporting the long-term success of family-based cow-calf operations in Alberta.

Kent Holowath

Kent Holowath, along with his wife Jill and their three adult children, operates a grain and cow-calf operation near Rumsey, Alta.

The family runs a commercial Black Angus herd and a backgrounding operation, and is actively involved in all aspects of the business. Holowath currently serves as Chair of the Palliser Grazing Club and the Big Valley Feeder Association, and values opportunities to support local initiatives and strengthen Alberta’s cattle industry.

Craig Lehr

Craig Lehr was born and raised on his family’s farm, Short Grass Ranches, near Medicine Hat. After attending Olds College, he returned to the operation, where he and his wife Nicole are raising the fourth generation of the family alongside their two children.

Short Grass Ranches includes a cow-calf operation, a backgrounding feedlot, and both irrigated and dryland farming enterprises. Lehr currently serves as Chair of ABP’s Research Committee, vice-chair of the Governance Committee, and as one of Alberta’s representatives on the CCA.

Wacey Manning

Wacey Manning grew up on a cow-calf operation near Cadogan, Alta. Three years ago, he and his family relocated to the Sounding Lake area, where they live and work on the GW Murray Ranch.

Manning is also an active member of the Highway 13 Cattlemen’s Club. As the parent of two young children, he is passionate about the future of the beef industry and creating opportunities for the next generation of producers.

Lance Neilson

Lance Neilson and his wife Karyn operate a family cattle operation in Stettler County that includes both cow-calf and backgrounding enterprises, with a focus on raising quality replacement heifers.

Agriculture has always been a family effort, and they raised their four children on the farm. Neilson is seeking to serve as an ABP delegate to represent working cattle producers and help ensure their perspectives are heard.

Ryan Slenders

Ryan Slenders operates a 2,500-head backgrounding feedlot in Newell County and works alongside his father on a mixed farming operation.

He is actively involved in his community, serving as the local fire chief and supporting his children’s activities. During his first two years as an ABP delegate, Slenders has participated in discussions surrounding CCA matters and traceability, and he looks forward to continuing his committee work and representing producers.

Kirk Sorensen

Kirk Sorensen and his wife Suzanne, along with their daughters Alene and Brielle, operate a 300-head cow-calf operation.

The family is heavily involved in the beef 4-H program, and their daughters participate in cattle youth shows throughout the year. Sorensen is seeking to serve as an ABP delegate to help shape the organization’s direction, listen to producers, and ensure their voices are represented.

SOUTHWEST ZONE – ELECTION

Adeleen Bolduc

Adeleen Bolduc is a fifth-generation Alberta rancher who grew up immersed in feedlot production and has been actively involved in the beef industry throughout her life.

Today, she and her husband Mat raise purebred and commercial Black Angus cattle in southern Alberta alongside their three children. Bolduc holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary and serves on both the Canadian Cattle Youth Council and the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency.

Andrea Croll

Andrea Croll, alongside her husband Jeff and their three children, operates a mixed farm near Sylvan Lake. With a strong commitment to supporting youth growth and involvement in agriculture, Croll understands the opportunities and challenges facing the next generation of producers. As part of a small family farm, she brings a practical, grassroots perspective to industry discussions. Croll is passionate about helping ensure Alberta’s agricultural sector remains strong and sustainable for the future.

Brianna Elliot

Brianna Elliot is a cow-calf producer in Mountain View County raising Angus cross cattle. She grew up on her family’s purebred Black Angus operation in British Columbia and has built her career in Alberta’s beef industry.

She works in applied livestock and forage research, leading producer-focused projects in grazing management, pasture productivity, and livestock technology. Elliot also serves as a Director with the Western Stock Growers’ Association and hopes to bring both producer and research perspectives to ABP.

Lee Irvine

Lee Irvine lives northwest of Cochrane, Alta., with his wife and two sons, where they operate a grass backgrounding and cattle brokering business.

Through roles in agri-finance, animal pharmaceuticals, and cattle brokering, Irvine has gained experience working with a wide range of production systems across Alberta and internationally. He holds a degree in Animal Science and Agribusiness from the University of Saskatchewan, serves as a Beef Specialist with ATB Financial, and brokers cattle through TEAM Auction Sales. He is committed to using his experience and market knowledge to represent producers and support a financially sustainable cattle industry.

Ashley Perepelkin

Ashley Perepelkin and her family operate a mixed grain and Simmental cow-calf operation near Condor, Alta.

A graduate of the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program and a UFA delegate, Perepelkin is passionate about advocating for producers and strengthening connections between agriculture and consumers. She also owns PF Tallow, a value-added business focused on beef tallow products.

Jordan Staudinger

Jordan Staudinger is a fourth-generation cow-calf producer who farms with his wife and children near Benalto in Red Deer County. He has a long history of volunteering in Central Alberta, including service with Ski Patrol and the local Fire Department, as well as on church, constituency association, and Rural Crime Watch boards. Staudinger is committed to learning, building connections, and contributing to strong rural communities. He looks forward to helping support Alberta’s cattle industry and ensuring opportunities remain available for current and future generations of producers.

ABP is a producer-led organization, and the dedication and hard work of passionate people is what keeps us moving forward as an industry. Thanks to past, present, and future delegates for your contributions.

This was first published in Volume 6 Issue 3 of ABP Magazine (September 2026). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily