IAEM Canada announces 3 career excellence award winners for 2023

IAEM Canada announced the recipients of this year’s IAEM Canada Career Excellence Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the field of emergency management. The awards went to Ryna Brideau-Thombs, Lorri Laface, and Scott Davis for their remarkable achievements and dedication.

With over 25 years of experience in emergency management across British Columbia and Alberta, Ryna has been instrumental in supporting numerous local authorities in preparing for and responding to emergencies. Her contributions are vast, including establishing Canada’s first comprehensive critical infrastructure protection program and designing a national mutual assistance program for the electricity sector. Ryna’s leadership in post-COVID recovery efforts and continuous improvement models has been invaluable, making her a true asset to the profession.

Lorri has made invaluable contributions throughout her career. As the deputy director of emergency management with the City of Airdrie, she has been instrumental in co-ordinating and managing major emergencies. Her commitment to training and preparedness is commendable, and she consistently goes above and beyond professionally and as a volunteer. Lorri’s extensive work with Canada Task Force 2 and her dedication to community engagement truly make her a role model in the field.

With over two decades of experience, Scott has left a lasting impact on the emergency management industry. As a practitioner, teacher, and mentor, he has set up resilient emergency management and continuity programs, benefiting stakeholders, communities, and organizations. Scott’s leadership in incident management, curriculum development, and civil response programs has been transformative. He has brought stakeholders together through his efforts, engaged and trained leaders from non-governmental organizations, and implemented numerous emergency response and management groups.