President
Vice President
Director: District 1
Director: District 2
Director: District 3
Director: District 4
Director: District 5
Vice President
John Burrows is RMA Vice President and a Councillor for Woodlands County. Prior to being elected as RMA Vice President in fall 2024, John served as RMA District 3 Director for several years. John’s focus on Woodlands County council has been on sustainable land management and improving local infrastructure—critical concerns in a largely rural area with a diverse landscape. Woodlands County includes both agricultural lands and forests, and he has been an advocate for balancing economic development with environmental sustainability.
President
Kara Westerlund was elected President of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta in November 2024. She is the first female president in RMA’s 116-year history. Prior to this, she served three terms as Vice President, having been elected in November 2017 and re-elected in 2019 and 2021. In her role as Vice President, Kara represented the RMA on various committees, including chairing the Resolutions Committee.
Kara entered politics in 2010 and is serving in her fourth term as a Councillor in Brazeau County. As an active council member, she has sat on and chaired several committees, including the local Municipal Planning Commission, the Agricultural Service Board, the Eagle Point/Blue Rapids Provincial Parks Council, the Drayton Valley Library Board, the Brazeau Seniors Foundation, and Subdivision Development Appeal Board.
A long-time resident of rural Alberta, Kara was a 4-H member with the horse program for a decade. After receiving a diploma in broadcasting from Mount Royal College, her media career has taken her across the province to communities including Calgary, Lethbridge, Rocky Mountain House and Drayton Valley.
Kara is passionate about serving her community and strongly believes that the decisions made around the council table affect the community in the short term and have long-lasting effects.
Vice President
John Burrows is RMA Vice President and a Councillor for Woodlands County. Prior to being elected as RMA Vice President in fall 2024, John served as RMA District 3 Director for several years. John’s focus on Woodlands County council has been on sustainable land management and improving local infrastructure—critical concerns in a largely rural area with a diverse landscape. Woodlands County includes both agricultural lands and forests, and he has been an advocate for balancing economic development with environmental sustainability.
Director: District 1
Jason joined the RMA board in 2020 as the Director for District 1 (South).
He was elected to Vulcan County Council in 2013 for Division 3 (Vulcan/Champion) and has served as Reeve of Vulcan County since 2016.
Jason is active in the farming community in Vulcan County and operates a 4th generation grain farm along with his wife and 2 kids. Prior to returning to farming, Jason worked in the IT sector specializing in mainframes and large storage systems.
In addition to his duties as RMA District 1 Director and as a board member for Genesis Reciprocal Insurance, he sits on numerous boards and committees on behalf of the RMA and Vulcan County.
Director: District 2
Amber Link has deep roots in rural Alberta. She grew up on her family farm and ranch near Rockyford and, except for a few years of university to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree, she has lived in Wheatland County her whole life. She and her husband, Kevin, a paramedic moved to an acreage in Namaka in 2007 because they knew it was the best place to raise their five children.
The majority of Amber’s current work is in governance. As Reeve of Wheatland County, she is responsible for chairing Council meetings, media relations, acting as the spokesperson, and frequently representing Council at public events. She has experience in strategic planning, visioning, service capacity review, policy development and review, and human resource management (hiring, performance review, and contract negotiations).
Director: District 3
Josh Bishop serves on the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) Board as District 3 Director, a role he was elected to in November 2024. He is involved in advocacy and numerous committees, both internal and external as well as setting the direction of the organization through strategic planning and budget. Growing the RMA group of companies including; Canoe Procurement, Canoe Benefits, RMA Insurance, as well as serving as a Director for the Genesis Reciprocal Insurance Exchange.
Josh is currently the Reeve for the County of Wetaskiwin, where he brings a strong commitment to community, agriculture, and rural development. He plays a vital leadership role in shaping the County’s policies and advocating for residents across the region. He has served as an elected official since 2017.
Rooted in a deep understanding of rural issues, Josh has been an active voice on council and RMA, focused on advocacy efforts, improving infrastructure, supporting local industry, and ensuring transparent, accountable governance. With a background in small business and volunteer boards, he brings both practical experience and a collaborative approach to municipal leadership.
As the owner and operator of Acryltek Drywall, Josh has supervised and contracted projects ranging from high rise and residential buildings to hospitals. His interests include coaching, football, hockey and snowboarding.
Director: District 4
Karen Rosvold was elected to the RMA Board of Directors in November 2022 as the Director for District 4.
Karen has served as a councillor for the County of Grande Prairie since winning a by-election in May 2016. During that time, she concurrently served on the board for the Family Community Support Services Association of Alberta (FCSSAA). She also continues to serve on the boards for the County of Grande Prairie Library, Grand Spirit Housing Management, and many more.
Committee work for the RMA includes the Affordable Housing Task Force, the AFRRCS Council and the FCSS Steering Committee.
Karen and her husband live near LaGlace, Alberta. They continue to farm approximately 3,000 acres of land and raise around 300 head of cattle together with their son and his family.
In addition to farming and her public service, Karen has worked in customer service, property management, automotive service, and finance. Being a proud mother and grandmother, she feels driven to make a difference for her family in her community.
Director: District 5
Kevin Wirsta serves on the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) Board as District 5 Director, a role he was elected to in November 2021. As a member of the Board of Directors, he also oversees associated companies, including Canoe Procurement and RMA Insurance.
Kevin has served as a Councillor for the County of St. Paul since 2017. He sits on numerous boards and committees on behalf of the RMA and the County of St. Paul. He is also on the Board of Directors for Cornerstone Co-op. Kevin has experience in strategic planning, asset management, emergency management, municipal governance, municipal corporate planning, and finance.
He is a third-generation rancher/farmer and owns K-Cow Ranch, established in 1999 in Elk Point, Alberta. Kevin has always been around cattle, growing up in the 4-H program and attending other cattle shows to improve his knowledge and increase the quality of his own herd. He operates the ranch with his wife and two daughters. Kevin has dedicated an extensive amount of time to volunteering, including involvement with the Stoney Lake Community Association, Elk Point Canada Day Planning Committee, and Farm Fair International.
