Our Team

Grant Barker, P.Geo., QP_ESA

President

As principal, founding partner and President of Omni-McCann, Grant is responsible for overall operations, with particular focus on managing the interdependence of the company’s applied science expertise and business development strategies. A multifaceted professional, highly experienced in service delivery, project management and geoscience applications, Grant also serves in key consulting capacities for Omni-McCann projects. Grant has an honours B.Sc in Geology from Lakehead University and a post graduate certificate in Environmental Engineering Applications from Conestoga College. He is a professional geoscientist licenced in each of Omni-McCann’s operating regions, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Northwest Territories & Nunavut.

Kristina Small, M.Sc., P.Geo., QP_ESA

Vice President, Technical Operations

Kristina oversees quality and professional standards at Omni-McCann and serves as Sr. Hydrogeologist and Technical Lead for the company’s geo-environmental portfolio. Kristina holds an M.Sc. in Geological Sciences (Hydrogeology) from the University of British Columbia and has provided scientific support to the G360 Institute for Groundwater Research at the University of Guelph. Kristina has diverse technical and project management experience in engineering and geoscience consultancies. Her project work has taken her to various regions of Canada and the United States and has involved physical and contaminant hydrogeology, contaminated site assessment and environmental compliance. Kristina is a licensed Professional Geoscientist with professional associations in Canada’s Central, Prairie and Northern regions and currently serves as Lieutenant Governor in Council Member Appointee with Professional Geoscientists Ontario.

Daniel Elliot, P.Geo., QP_ESA

Regional Director, Ontario/North

Daniel (Dan) is a founding member of Omni-McCann. He is responsible for the daily and on-going business operations of the Ontario and Northern (Eastern and Western Arctic) regions. Dan also serves as a field operations lead, project manager and provides operational oversight on several key company initiatives. With a degree in Environmental Science and Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology (Environmental Profile), Dan spent his early career working on cutting-edge hydrogeological studies as a research technician at the University of Guelph’s G360 Institute for Groundwater Research. He is a licensed professional geoscientist in Ontario and qualified person under Ontario’s Record of Site Condition regulation, O. Reg. 153/04.

Meaghan Blackburn, B.Sc.

Regional Director, Alberta

Meaghan has over 15 years of experience as an environmental specialist in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. She plays a key role on geo-environmental assignments for Omni-McCann, with particular focus on coordinating and undertaking all aspects of landfill compliance programs involving leachate, groundwater, surface water, and landfill gas assessment and monitoring. Meaghan has a B.Sc. in Environmental Earth Science from the University of Alberta and previously served as a Hydrogeological Technician for DeBeers’ Snap Lake Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories. As Regional Director for Alberta, Meaghan is responsible for day-to-day operations in the region, ensuring client needs and contract requirements are effectively supported through project/proposal workflow and personnel coordination.

Spencer Chad, M.Sc.

Regional Director, Saskatchewan

Spencer oversees day-to-day operations in the Prairie region from Omni-McCann’s Saskatoon office. He also serves as project scientist, carrying out all aspects of project work including field sampling, data management/analysis and reporting. Spencer holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Earth Sciences and an M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan. Spencer’s research focused on the use of isotope tracer techniques to improve on-site water management of tailings ponds as well as the transport and distribution of water through closure landscapes within the Alberta Oil Sands Region. He has participated in various conferences and multi-lateral groups including the McDonnell Hillslope Hydrology Lab at the Global Institute for Water Security, NSERC CREATE for Water Security, the Northern Contaminants Program, and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme.

Eric Shilts, P.Geo. (limited), QP_ESA

Managing Director

Eric is a principal and founding partner of Omni-McCann and serves as Managing Director, overseeing the business and corporate affairs of the company. A graduate of the University of Toronto, he has over 20 years of experience in environmental consulting, having also served as National Lead for the Environmental Business Unit at Concentric Associates and Sr. Policy Advisor on environmental issues for the Cement Association of Canada. As a seasoned project manager for a range of environmental services, with a particular focus on contaminated site assessment, remediation and monitoring, Eric also serves as a Sr. Consultant on geo-environmental assignments.

Pamela Fisher

Administrative Assistant

Pamela provides administrative support for corporate, regional and project-related functions. Her administrative role is a key aspect of the company’s QA/QC procedures for environmental monitoring programs and sampling events. In particular, Pamela is involved in groundwater data entry, processing of laboratory and field information, recognition of water quality parameter limits, exceedances and regulatory compliance/contravention. This initial administrative stage of data entry and review not only supports QA/QC but also contributes to project efficiency and cost control as Pamela also reviews analytical testing laboratory invoices for compliance with chain of custody requirements and agreed rate schedules.

Davan Russell, P.Eng.

Sr. Geoenvironmental Engineer

Davan brings over a decade of local and international experience in mining, construction and pipeline sector projects to Omni-McCann. His technical expertise spans environmental and geotechnical engineering applications including hydrogeological assessments, site investigation, instrumentation systems, materials testing and cold weather engineering. Davan has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Environmental Specialization) and additional coursework in Permafrost Engineering from the University of Alberta. He has also completed certification through the Australian National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training. Davan is professionally licensed in the company’s key operating regions, providing technical support across all service areas but with particular focus on the Earth Engineering & Testing portfolio.

Chayla Exner, B.A.Sc., Engineer-in-Training

Technical Specialist

Chayla is a technical specialist and project manager at Omni-McCann, co-ordinating and executing field work, managing/analyzing data, drafting and reporting. She is a graduate of the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Systems Engineering. Chayla joined Omni-McCann with a diverse range of co-op experience, serving in health & safety and environmental positions with the Governments of Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, SaskEnergy and Yara International. She also worked for the Winter River – Tracadie Bay Watershed Association in Charlottetown, where she was involved in field sampling as well as stakeholder engagement on watershed initiatives such as riparian restoration, environmental studies and conveyance control system design.

Lee Paulow, B.Sc.

Field Technician

Lee provides field and desktop support on projects across all of Omni-McCann’s service disciplines. He is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a B.Sc. in Renewable Resource Management. During his time at the University of Saskatchewan, Lee worked as a Research Assistant at both the Kernan Research Farm and the Jon Bennett Ecology Lab. Lee also brings several years of surveying experience having worked as a Surveyor’s Assistant/Technician with a Prairie-based surveying and land development consulting firm.

Mona Genovey

Design Drafting Specialist

As Design Drafting Specialist, Mona oversees the company’s drafting output, working with our technical teams to provide clients with design plans, profiles, sections, report figures and presentation drawings. Her career in engineering design drafting and CAD spans over four decades and has included a wide-ranging portfolio of civil engineering projects, engineering construction, geotechnical and environmental studies. Mona has studied AutoCAD at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and is trained in AutoCAD Civil3D through IMAGINiT Technologies. She is also certified in Lean practices.

J.R. (Bob) Beattie

Sr. Technologist

Bob is a multi-dimensional technologist with extensive experience in geotechnical/hydrogeological drilling programs, environmental site assessments, surface and groundwater sampling, quality control testing and inspection for precast concrete, leachate collection, compacted clay and geosynthetic liner/containment system installation, bridge structures, piles, roadways and various other structures. He has conducted numerous subsurface drilling programs in and around the Edmonton area as well as throughout Alberta and his experience includes working with various drilling techniques and equipment as required to meet the variable and often challenging subsurface soil and groundwater conditions present across Alberta. Bob also prepares reports and documents for various quality control testing projects including landfill cell, leachate collection system and liner construction, bridges, piles, underground utilities installation and subdivision developments.

Jaclyn Lesko, A.Sc.T., P.Eng.

Geoenvironmental Engineer

Jaclyn provides technical and project management support for a range of environmental and engineering assignments in all regions of operation, with particular focus on the company’s Prairie region. She has over 12 years of experience working in technologist and geo-environmental engineering capacities for large consultancies as well as the Saskatchewan Department of Highways and Infrastructure. Prior to joining Omni-McCann, Jaclyn provided administrative oversight and engineering expertise on water resource projects for the Saskatchewan Conservation and Development Association. She has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Lakehead University and a Civil Engineering Technology Diploma from SIAST. Jaclyn is licensed with APEGS, APEGA and TPS and is a member of Saskatoon’s Female Engineers, Architects, and Technologists organization.

D. Royce Sather

Sr. Project Advisor (Civil)

During his three decades serving as Project Manager, Design Technologist and Civil Engineering Lead for Omni-McCann, Royce was responsible for the design and construction of numerous civil/municipal projects throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. He has extensive experience preparing pre-design reports, detailed designs, contract documents and specifications for a wide variety of projects including sewage lagoons, sewage lift stations, sewage collection systems, water supplies, water treatment facilities, water storage facilities, water distribution systems and solid waste disposal and handling facilities. Royce currently serves as a senior advisor and mentor for the civil engineering group.