For Kenneth (Ken) Letander, BSW, MBA, finding new and innovative ways to serve his community is a lifelong calling. With a professional background in social work, risk management, and marketing, Ken has put his skills to use as a board director, a chief executive officer, a keynote speaker, and a consultant across diverse sectors including government, non-profit, Indigenous communities, and the private sector.
On September 24, 2024, Ken took on a new role to serve his community—he was appointed to ACP Council as a public member for a three-year term.
“When this position came up, it seemed like a really great opportunity to expand my knowledge and learn new things about governance,” said Ken. “I’m often driven by my curiosity. I am always interested to learn about how systems work and how I, as part of that system, interact with it.”
Ken was also drawn to the public member position because he felt he could make a meaningful contribution as an experienced advocate with a commitment to driving realistic positive change.
“My experience allows me to really consider the mission, the process, and the interested parties, while also knowing what the overall system looks like,” said Ken. “For example, my background in social work allows me to really look at issues from a community perspective. My experience with risk management allows me to consider issues from a macro perspective—of course you want to look at all ideas or solutions, but an important part of that is evaluating impacts and risks with a broader lens.”
Ken applies these different lenses in a professional capacity, working with businesses, organizations, and governments to identify practical solutions for operational challenges. He said one of the most important values he brings to any project—whether it is developing a risk management strategy or serving as a government advisor—is empathy. Ken said he plans to bring that same approach to the table in his role as a public member.
“I think a role like this requires empathy. Just trying to understand that each person—every pharmacist, pharmacy technician, and patient—has their own experiences and truths, and recognizing that you bring your own personal biases. I always try to bring empathy and objectivity.”
Ken added that empathy allows him to better understand the different people he represents as a public member.
“Some folks don’t always get a seat at the table, so it’s important to make sure their voices are elevated and processes and decisions reflect the reality of the general public. Making sure different communities’ voices are heard is always a priority for me.”
With his wealth of experience working across sectors, Ken has a deep appreciation for the diverse voices across Alberta.
“We’re not just trying to serve one segment of the population—there are so many different folks who make up our communities,” said Ken. “From urban office workers to rural farmers to construction workers to people who live in remote communities five hours north of Edmonton, they all have diverse experiences and they all make up our province.”
Ken has already participated in his first Council meeting, and he’s looking forward to taking on this new opportunity to learn, apply his experience and expertise, and serve Albertans as a public member.
“We talked about governance and risk and what a culture of innovation is—I’m really glad to see that we’re having these conversations and thinking about the future of pharmacy.”
