President, Torque Communications
Over a 30-year professional career, Lee has worked with politicians, agriculture producers, industry and government departments on land use, environment and energy policy issues. From 2010-2013 Lee served as the Alberta Government’s most senior communications professional in the role of Managing Director of the Public Affairs Bureau. He was a member of Executive Council and provided strategic policy and communications advice to Cabinet members, Deputy Ministers as well as Premiers Ed Stelmach and Alison Redford. Lee has also worked for the natural resources industry and as an advocate for Alberta’s oil sands sector. He has served as the Interim Executive Director of the Oil Sands Developers Group as well as the Oil Sands Communications Manager for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). Lee developed and implemented various initiatives designed to strengthen support for oil sand projects from stakeholders and communities across the province and the country. Lee has also consulted extensively with the agriculture sector throughout his career. He has worked with producer groups such as the Alberta Grazing Leaseholders Association to address regulatory, land use, and compensation issues. Lee also worked with the Intensive Livestock Working Group representing the province’s major livestock organizations to create the regulatory framework that now governs the province’s Confined Feeding Operations. Early in his career, Lee was the Communications Director for Alberta Environmental Protection and spent eight years with the department. During this time Lee was involved in the development of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Water Act, the Environmental Appeal Board and the Natural Resources Conservation Board. Lee has served as an instructor with the University of Alberta’s Executive MBA Course and is a committed business and community volunteer. He is currently Vice Chair of the Alberta Emerald Foundation, sits on the board of St. Mary’s University in Calgary, as well as the Little Warriors organization which raises awareness, prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse. Lee has also served as the Chair for the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Federal-Provincial Finance Torque Communications Committee and as a member of Strathcona County’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.