Kimberlee Davis, Event Chair

Kimberlee Davis is the current festival chair. She has been a member of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge for 10 years and in that time has served on the board and many committees such as Lobsterfest.

Paul Henderson, Past Chair

My name is Paul Henderson. I am the Planning Chair for the 2024 Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival. With a passion for both community service and the sport of dragon boating, I bring a unique blend of experience and enthusiasm to this role.

As a former dragon boat paddler, I understand the spirit of teamwork, perseverance, and camaraderie that defines this ancient sport. This firsthand experience provides valuable insights into organizing an event that captures the true essence of dragon boating.

My commitment to organizing this year’s dragon boat festival began in February 2023 when I joined the planning committee and took on the task of listening and learning from a great group of dedicated volunteer mentors who have been involved in organizing this wildly successful event for numerous years. 

Beyond the festival, I am an active member of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East, which demonstrates my strong commitment to Rotary’s mission of community service and global goodwill. This involvement underscores my belief in giving back and making a positive impact in Lethbridge and beyond. Professionally, I have been the Executive Director and founder of Peak Vocational and Support Services, which is a non-profit human service organization providing services to individuals with: disabilities who either require community support, have issues with the justice system, or have addiction issues.

I am sure that because of the tremendous support of the Dragon Boat Planning Committee and all the volunteers who have donated their time, the 2024 Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival promises to be an exciting celebration of sport, culture, and community spirit.

Steven Urquhart, Past Chair

I am co-chairing this year with Paul Henderson who has generously volunteered to stay on and provide some continuity to this position. I very much appreciate all that he has done to make this event a grand success. 

Having competed in the past with the University of Lethbridge in the Dragon Boating competition in Lethbridge, I understand what a great event this is for the community. I am looking forward to being a more integral part of it after being present on site last year for the Festival side of things.

I am a fairly recent, but active member of Rotary Sunrise in Lethbridge and very much believe in giving back to the community. 

In terms of my career, I have been a French professor in Modern Languages and Linguistics at the University of Lethbridge since 2006. I am also the Director of the French Language Centre at the University which offers french-language competency tests, brings in writers, and organizes other events such as the French Film Week. 

Karen Johnson, Race Chair

Karen Johnson joined the sport as a team building activity with other City of Lethbridge employees in the first year of the festival, 2002, Dragn’ R Butz. Finding a new passion for the sport, Karen was instrumental in starting Team ID just after the 2003 festival in hopes of paddling through a longer season and travelling to other festivals.
Karen was assistant coach of Team ID for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In 2008, the Rotary Festival made a concerted effort to improve the skills of local dragon boaters and decided to “beef up” the training provided to the festival teams and Dave Hunt and Karen agreed to become Head Coaches. Karen has been the race chair of the ATB Financial Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival since 2010.
Karen has completed the Level A of the National Coaching Certification Program, and obtained Dragon Boat Canada Community Coaching Certification and the Competitive Coaching Certification. She has taken Dragon Boat Canada Officiating Level One, Critical Eye Coaching sessions, and several paddling technique workshops. Karen has attended Dragon Boat Conferences in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Karen has officiated in Lethbridge, Edmonton, Vancouver and Regina. She has paddled in Kelowna, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, and Elkwater, in the World Masters Games in New Zealand, and the Pan Pacific Masters Games in Queensland Australia, Pickering Dragon Boat Club Paddle camp (Tampa), and Pan Am International Festival (Tampa) . Karen is the Vice President for the Dragon Boat Association of Southern Alberta, and one of the coaches for the Coulee Classic Dragon Masters Womens crew.

Chris McLean, Festival Chair

Chris has been on the Dragon Boat Committee since 2004 and has all the t-shirts to prove it! She has been Treasurer, Chair, Secretary, and Site Manager, and helped at the equipment trailer for practices for several years. She has seen the festival grow from the initial 16 teams to over 65 teams. She has also seen the festival grow from local and southern Alberta teams, to inter-provincial with teams from Saskatchewan and British Columbia, and now International with a team from Montana. Chris enjoys the excitement and fellowship of the Festival but does not care to get wet. Chris is a member of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East and is proud of the work that Rotary does both locally and internationally with the proceeds raised by the festival.

Loralee Burton, Treasurer

Valerie McQuaid, Entertainment Chair

For 16 years, Valerie McQuaid has been a key contributor to the Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival, playing an essential role in everything from sponsorship development and public relations to managing and elevating the main stage experience. Her passion for local live entertainment has helped shape the festival into a vibrant showcase of Southern Alberta talent.

Valerie is known for her strong community connections, her dedication to volunteer-driven events, and her ability to bring performers, partners, and participants together. Her work ensures the festival delivers not only exciting competition on the water, but also a welcoming, energetic atmosphere for thousands of spectators. Valerie’s commitment and enthusiasm continue to make the Dragon Boat Festival one of Lethbridge’s most celebrated summer traditions.