Alberta's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 56
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ALBERTA’S TOP EMPLOYERS
Powered by people, driven by purpose at the Alex
S
cott Lister, vice-president,
operations and strategic
initiatives for the Royal
Alexandra Hospital
Foundation (RAHF),
came to Alberta from Toronto
25 years ago to be closer to
mountains, he says. His first
student job in Alberta was at a
kids’ outdoor education centre run
by a charitable organization, and
as far as careers went, that was
that.
“When I got my accounting
designation, I realized I wanted
to stay in the non-profit sector,”
says Lister. “The work is every bit
as challenging and certainly more
rewarding than anything else.”
Our offices are located
in the Alex, and we see
the impact of what we
do every day walking
the halls, seeing the
staff and patients. For
me, it’s the biggest
benefit of our work.
— Scott Lister
Vice-President, Operations and
Strategic Initiatives
The value of the work is
particularly evident in health care,
Lister adds, and nowhere more so
than in his work for RAHF, which
is physically located inside the
hospital its fundraising supports,
Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra. “In
the Alex, as everyone calls it, we
see the impact of what we do every
day walking the halls, seeing the
staff and patients,” he says. “For
Scott Lister, vice-president, operations and strategic initiatives (left), and Ijoema Webonga, a donor relations
associate, at The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation.
me, it’s the biggest benefit of our
work.”
For Ijoema Webonga, a donor
relations associate, the hospital
setting also helps keep the focus
on the RAHF’s work. “My job is to
steward donors who support our
foundation, to ensure they feel the
gratitude that we and the
community feel for them,” she
says.
“And that can take the form of
anything, from special notes from
patients or doctors to organizing
hospital tours. It’s great when I get
to plan opportunities for donors to
come in and see what their dollars
have supported and how they’ve
changed the lives of Albertans.”
As much as Webonga values her
work, she’s also appreciative of her
working conditions. Schedules at
the RAHF are flexible; employees
split work between office and
remote locations, with anchor
days for in-person collaboration.
Hours and workweeks are flexible
as well, with shared core hours
designed to support work-life
balance. “And we have a really
good benefits plan,” she adds.
Benefits are a significant factor
in non-profit organizations, says
Lister, because their salaries lag
behind those in the profit sector.
“We rely on top-notch benefits to
help bridge the gap, and the major
element there is our customizable
health plan,” he says.
“Every staff member gets seven
per cent of their base salary up to
a maximum of $11,000 to use in
buying into whatever coverage,
at whatever co-pay level, they
want. Any credits remaining can
go into the wide-ranging wellness
or health spending accounts or
into an RSP, and you can re-set
your plan every year.” Lister says.
“It’s full orthodontic coverage for
me now — I have a kid going into
braces soon.”
The Alex — which performs the
most surgeries in Alberta and has
the province’s busiest emergency
department — offers a challenging, innovative environment for
