Senior Leadership

Ed Gugenheimer

Chief Executive Officer

LEARN MORE ABOUT ED

Ed Gugenheimer joined the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) in 2019 as our Chief Executive Officer, bringing over 27 years of experience in executive leadership, fiscal governance, and operational expertise.

Since joining, Ed has been instrumental in leading ARMA’s strategic success, including bringing life to our vision of Inspiring a Future Without Waste, adopted in 2020. His innate talent for strategic execution, financial, operational, and risk management, and his passion for building healthy organizational cultures have allowed ARMA to reach new heights in the sustainability and recycling sector. This includes addressing red tape reduction and launching our 43M electronics pilot program during the pandemic, helping better position ARMA to support our communities in recycling initiatives and diverting unnecessary waste from landfills. Ed also helped deliver a new strategic plan for the organization, and a new corporate governance model, vision, and mission that are helping shape the future of ARMA.

Most recently, under Ed’s leadership, ARMA has been selected by the Government of Alberta as the province’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) oversight body. Securing this position was a serious undertaking, but with Ed’s leadership and commitment to creating a more sustainable, innovative future, the organization is ready to help move Alberta forward. As the oversight body, Ed and his team will be responsible for working closely with stakeholders to deliver an extended producer responsibility program for Alberta, an approach where the physical and financial burden of collecting, sorting, processing, and recycling waste shifts to the producer and away from local governments and taxpayers. As ARMA moves into its 31^st year of inspiring Albertans to reduce waste, Ed and his team are focused on shaping a strong, circular economy that sets Alberta up for continued success on the global stage.

Ed is a chartered professional accountant, bringing a strong background of financial acumen to his leadership role. He has held numerous positions across diverse industries supporting organizations. He resides in Edmonton with his wife, Leanne, and son, Addison. Beyond his professional life, Ed enjoys spending time at the lake and pursuing leadership, stewardship, and community development goals through his volunteer work.

Lee Heidecker

Chief Financial Officer

LEARN MORE ABOUT LEE

Lee joined ARMA over 11 years ago as our Director of Finance, bringing over twelve years of financial expertise and management with various non-for-profit organizations. Lee strives to balance high standards and attention to detail with the strategic leadership of her teams. These skills have been vital to the organization’s financial planning and fiscal responsibility while overseeing numerous projects, including the addition of the Used Oil Program.

She has also been instrumental in designing ARMA Connect, a new reporting system for Suppliers, Registered Processors, and Registered Collection Sites, reconfiguring internal processes to interact with the system more efficiently.

She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce and holds a Chartered Professional Accounting (CPA) and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation. In 2022, Lee was appointed to the role of Chief Financial Officer, a newly created position. In her spare time, Lee enjoys playing hockey and golf and spending time with her family.

Che-Wei Chung

Chief Operational Officer

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHE-WEI

Che-Wei joined ARMA in 2022, bringing over 15 years of experience working with local and provincial governments, including four years managing Saskatchewan’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) recycling programs and working with provincial authorities to implement recycling programs in local governments.

In addition to his knowledge of municipalities, program management, public policies, and recycling, Che-Wei led a team to start Canada’s first EPR for grain bags and managed advocacy initiatives that led to major policy changes in transportation, water management, infrastructure, immigration, and diversity.

He takes pride in his ability to connect with people from different backgrounds and interests and strives to make ARMA’s programs the best in Canada. He loves to share his knowledge of what happens to scrap tires, leftover paint, used oil, and old electronics.

When Che-Wei isn’t volunteering on various non-profit boards, he likes biking, snowboarding, and ice fishing. He loves travelling to new places, studying history, and visiting historical sites.

Dr. Gabrielle Betts

Executive Director of Extended Producer Responsibility

LEARN MORE ABOUT GABRIELLE

Dr. Gabrielle Betts brings over 15 years of public service experience to her position as Executive Director of Extended Producer Responsibility at ARMA. In her role, Gabrielle is responsible for shaping and leading the implementation of extended producer responsibility oversight in Alberta. This important recycling framework shifts the physical and financial burden of collecting, sorting, processing, and recycling waste to the producer and away from local governments and taxpayers.

Prior to joining ARMA, Gabrielle developed and led teams with diverse portfolios and expansive accountabilities in the ministries of Health, Community Services, Education, and Status of Women with the Government of Alberta and the departments of Employee Services and City Operations at the City of Edmonton. Most recently, with the City of Edmonton, she worked as Director of Strategy for City Operations, where she used emerging trends to lead the largest strategy team for the city while working collaboratively to optimize results.

Gabrielle is a member of the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services Board of Directors and has previously volunteered with REACH Edmonton and Sage Seniors Association. She has a BA and MA in political science from the University of Alberta and her Ph.D. in political science from Carleton University.