Dee Ann Benard - Alberta Rural Development Network

Dee Ann is the Alberta Rural Development Network's inaugural Executive Director. Dee Ann has over 15 years of experience as an Executive Director and has spent over 25 years working in rural Alberta. With this experience Dee Ann leads ARDN in helping communities navigate the landscape of rural development through ARDN’s initiatives such as affordable housing, homelessness, addictions, immigration and community sustainability. ARDN has a vested interest in seeing communities thrive, not just survive, and is well positioned to assist them through the complicated process. After earning her B.Sc. (Biology) and M.Sc. (Plant Pathology) from Simon Fraser University, Dee Ann moved to Edmonton in 1994 to work with Alberta Agriculture. She has worked for government, private industry and not-for-profits in her career.