Belinda Crowson was first elected to Lethbridge City Council in 2017 and is currently in her second term. She was born and raised in southern Alberta and attended the University of Lethbridge, where she obtained degrees in Education and BioChemistry. Belinda’s Blackfoot name is A’okiwennowa, which means Seen By All.

Prior to her election, Belinda worked as the Museum Educator at the Galt Museum & Archives. She is active in local and Alberta history, currently serving as the president of the Lethbridge Historical Society and is a past-president of the Historical Society of Alberta. Belinda is also an author, tour guide and public speaker. With the LHS, she has published six books. Her seventh publication, Lethbridge: A History in Pictures, was co-authored with Bobbie Fox, Lorien Johansen, and George Kuhl and was published through MacIntyre Purcell Publishers. 

As a member of Lethbridge City Council, Belinda sits on several committees and commissions, including the Inter-municipal Committee (City and County of Lethbridge), Joint Committee – City of Lethbridge and Lethbridge School Boards, Audit Standing Policy Committee and Governance Standing Policy Committee. She believes strongly in public involvement in local politics and encourages people to reach out to her with questions, concerns and comments, as well as to volunteer on city committees. One of the favourite parts of her job is conducting school classes at City Hall, talking governance, and working with residents to devise the best possible solutions for the entire community. 

Biography to be updated shortly.

Clinton joined the Board in May of 2023 and is a Councilor with the Village of Barons. He is an entrepreneur having appeared and was successfully secured investment interest on Dragon’s Den.

Jack Van Rijn was born in Taber, Alberta and his family farmed in the Readymade area until 1966 when they moved to Coaldale. Jack is the youngest of 18 children and the only one born in Canada. Coaldale has been his home all his life and is where his three children were raised: Lindsay, Jessie, and Cam. As ‘Coaldale’s Number 1 Fan’ (self-proclaimed) Jack has been heavily involved as a volunteer through various organizations for over 37 years to make Coaldale an even better place to work, live and play! Jack has always been a firm believer in giving back to the community and making a real difference.

He is the former co-owner of Van Rijn Electric; a business he started and ran with his brother Hank for over 35 years. Jack believes Coaldale is a great place to grow a business and strives to actively promote Coaldale businesses through the local Chamber of Commerce, with which he has been involved for the past 35 years and will continue to do so.

That company grew into Southland Industries, Lethbridge Truck Equipment and Royal Trailers.  After selling his interest in Southland he started Chinook Country Trailers and worked with Southland and Lethbridge County servicing and completing infrastructure for the Broxburn Business Park. 

Rory is currently President of a Commercial Condo Association and manages commercial buildings in Lethbridge and Coaldale.

Biography to be updated soon.

Deborah joined the Board in January 2022 as an elected councillor for the town of Coalhurst. She was raised on a farm just outside the town, retuning to Coalhurst in 2011 with her husband to raise their two young boys. Deborah has a professional background in human services work; she has worked for the YWCA, run a licensed Day Home in Coalhurst, and is currently running her own home organization business – Simply Organized, as well as working as an administrator for the Fresh Life Church.

Deborah describes herself as a community builder who loves to volunteer. She has spent over a decade volunteering in and around Coalhurst, in a variety of formal and informal roles. It is her belief that each one of us is responsible for creating the kind of community that we want to live in and are proud to be a part of. Some of Deborah’s volunteer roles include Food Security Saturday Coordinator for the Town of Coalhurst, former Board President of the Miner’s Days Historical Association of Coalhurst, coordinator for the Town of Coalhurst Municipal Emergency Management Agency. and organizing events for the YWCA Young Women’s Leadership Council.

Deborah has two young children who are the center of her world. They love spending time together exploring the outdoors. Their current hobbies are biking, gardening and spending as much time as possible by the water.

Aaron Zaugg joined the Board in November 2021, as an elected councilor for the Town of Magrath. Aaron has lived in Magrath since 2008 and has served his community as a volunteer EMR with Magrath Emergency Services from ’08 – ’12. Aaron sits on multiple community boards, including the Magrath Museum Board, Magrath Fire and Emergency Board, and the Wildrose HOA.

Aaron is currently the VP of Broker Distribution West at Surex.com. Prior to working at Surex he was a part owner of a Pest Control Company.

Aaron has completed in several triathlons, with the longest distance he has completed being the half Ironman.

Allen Tollestrup joined the Board in November 2021, as a councilor for the Town of Raymond. Allen has lived in the community of Raymond for the past seventeen years. 

He graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Management. Allen works as a CPA and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta. He is  married and is a father to four sons. He enjoys playing golf and spending time with family.

Gary Bikman joined the Board in November 2021, as an elected Councilor for the village of Stirling. Gary has served his community since the mid-1970s having been the former Mayor of Stirling and serving as a Councilor in four previous terms.  Gary 

Gary owned and operated oilfield services company Speedy Heavy Hauling, as well as fast food Chinese restaurant ChopStix. Gary was also a sessional instructor at the University of Lethbridge, teaching Management Skills Development, in addition to teaching life skills and employability to trades students at the Lethbridge College.

Gary has sat on the Stirling Library board, and served as a Leader of youth groups. He was an early Morning Teacher of grade 11-12 students who voluntarily gave up sleep to learn about ethics, moral behaviour, philosophy, goal setting, interpersonal relationships and community service, integrity etc. 

John Kuerbis joined the Board in November 2021, as the Division 4 Lethbridge County Councilor. Division 4 is the region just west of Lethbridge and encompasses the area around Coalhurst and north to Diamond City. John has spent the last five years in Lethbridge, having moved from Fort McMurray. He grew up in the Athabasca area. 

John is an insurance adjuster and has run his own firm for the last 15 years, he is also a certified fire cause and origin investigator, he previously owned and operated a Real Estate/Property management firm.

John has sat on several boards over the last 30 years including:

Athabasca Chamber of Commerce-President and vice president, Director of Athabasca Little league, Perryvale Community association-Director and president, Athabasca River Runners snowmobile club-Treasurer, Fort McMurray Composite athletics association-Director and president, Fort McMurray Composite Parents association-Director, McMurray Dirt Riders Motocross track-Director, Vice President, president.

He is the father of 4 children and 3 grandchildren, and enjoys woodworking and classic cars. He is always happy to drop everything to help anyone in need.