Roger Palmer

Roger has had a distinguished career in education and in the Alberta public service, serving in the position of Deputy Minister in four departments, including Health and Wellness. He now provides management consulting services in health care, education and information technology.

Roger was appointed Deputy Minister of Alberta Education in 1998 following a career as a teacher and school administrator. The next year, he was named Deputy Minister of the new Department of Innovation and Science where he created a broadband Internet protocol network. In 2001, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Alberta Environment where he put in place the process that led to the province’s water strategy, Water for Life, and was a strong advocate for air quality standards.

Appointed Deputy Minister of Alberta Health and Wellness in 2002, Roger focused his efforts on improving health information and health care delivery and creating the provincial on-line Waitlist Registry and the first provincial electronic health record in Canada. He also negotiated the agreement with physicians and health authorities that created Primary Care Networks to modernize family medicine.

In 2005, Roger was appointed Interim Dean of the School of Public Health, University of Alberta. In 2009, he joined the university’s School of Business as Director of the MBA Public Policy and Management Specialization and Director of the Centre for Effective Business Management of Addiction Treatment.

He is Chair of the Alberta Centre for Child Family and Community Research, a director of the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, and Chair of the General Insurance OmbudService of Canada.

Roger’s awards include the Institute of Public Administration of Canada 2004 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, and the Alberta Centennial Medal.