Meet Our Experts

Jessica McNabb
Sales & Marketing / Customer Service

Jessica is a highly experienced new home sales professional who has established a reputation for excellence in her field. With over 10 years of experience, she has worked as an Area Manager on-site, specializing in drawing plans and managing the custom-building process from start to finish. Her expertise in new home sales has made her a sought-after advisor for clients looking to build their dream homes.

Most recently she has started her own Real Estate team, Rise Real Estate Group with VIMA REAL Broker. This community of women hosts mindset mentorship events, speaks at women’s empowerment events and refers all preferred services and gifts to other women in business.

Greg Dudar
Construction Fundamentals For Sales/Estimating

Greg has been involved in the construction of over 1200 homes. Design experiences range from conceptual to architectural including 3D space planning and the interior design of details & finishes. Having been “hands on the tools” in every stage from Surveying to Service Tech provides a realistic understanding of “what really happens” in the field to make those plans become reality. On the business side, company positions have varied from fulfilling day-to-day operational positions through to General Manager, and entrepreneurial ventures from owning a Boutique Home Building Company to being on a Reality TV show. This combination allows Greg to speak from experience about specific topics, as well as how they interact and affect other areas of the home building industry.

Amelie Caron
Sustainability

Amelie is the Principal of EcoSynergy and holds a MSc Building Science degree. She is a LEED for Homes Green Rater, NRCan Energy Advisor, Net-Zero Energy Advisor, Passivhaus, Energuide and R2000 consultant, and is HRAI certified for multi-unit residential buildings.

Amelie is also a member of Canadian Association of Consulting Energy Advisors and previously a R2000 and Hot 2000 modelling trainer.

Umberto Cappella
Legal Issues / Law Fundamentals

Umberto is a dynamic lawyer whose expertise in civil litigation sets him apart from his peers. After earning his JD from York University – Osgoode Hall Law School in 2017, Umberto has dedicated himself to building a successful legal practice focused on representing clients in a wide range of disputes. His particular emphasis on residential construction and renovations has made him a sought-after advisor for clients facing complex litigation challenges.

Lena Fernandez
Plans & Specifications

With 19 years of experience in the Alberta residential market, Lena is a Designer/Architectural Technologist for a customer service award-winning Canadian single-family home building company.

Carmen Smilianov
Estimating Fundamentals/Advanced Estimating

Since beginning her career in the home building industry in 2001, Carmen has built a diverse foundation across Accounting, Estimating, Purchasing, and Procurement. Her experience spans a wide spectrum of residential construction, from efficient townhomes to complex custom estate homes. Over the years, she has developed a deep understanding of project workflows, cost management, trade relationships, and the strategic decisions that bring homes from concept to completion. As a course facilitator, Carmen draws on this practical, multi-disciplinary background to deliver clear, relevant guidance that helps learners build confidence, capability, and long-term success in the residential construction field.

Read Fenton
Radon

Read Fenton leads Metro Testing + Engineering’s geotechnical team with over sixteen years of geotechnical, materials engineering and project management experience on projects across western Canada. Read has an MBA with a focus on project management and leadership. Read has significant experience with geotechnical projects including high-rise buildings, schools, public buildings, highways, residential, commercial, large-scale industrial and rural developments. He currently holds stamps in BC, AB, SK, YK, and NWT.

Darrell Paul
Building Science / Moisture Control

With over 45 years in wood frame construction, Darrell Paul has done a bit of everything—from framing carpenter, through roles like site supervisor, construction manager, and marketing manager. He spent 14 years teaching the “Moisture Control Technician” course at SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) and later worked as a building envelope consultant.

In early 2024, Darrell sold his company and retired—but anyone who knows him knows he didn’t exactly slow down. He now consults for BTRboard, a Canadian-made insulated sheathing product, and still sits on a couple of building code and CSA committees. He’s passionate about building science and always looking for the real reasons things work (or don’t)—especially when it comes to what the code actually says.

He wrote and published Building Envelope Tie-in Details in 2022, and holds several certifications, including HRAI Certified Residential Air System Design Technician, ASNT Level 2 Thermographer, and Registered Energy Advisor—which, according to Darrell, gave him a great excuse to buy some of the coolest tools around.

Keith Jansen
Construction Technology / Codes

Having planned and built thousands of homes western Canadian families, Keith brings over 25 years of homebuilding experience and an extensive construction knowledge to PHBI. He specializes in condominium and multi-family project development. Formally trained as an Architectural Technologist, Mr. Jansen possesses exceptional skills in floor plan and project design, project management, fiscal responsibility, and construction supervision.

Steve Barkhouse
Business Management

Steve Barkhouse has been passionate about the construction industry since childhood, having grown up on job sites with his family of builders. After earning a degree in Business Management from Algonquin College and another in Human Resources, he launched Amsted Design-Build in 1989, building a successful renovation and custom home business. With 35 years in the industry, his company is now recognized as one of North America’s top 50 renovation companies. Steve remains committed to the community, leading 35 acts of service to mark his business’ anniversary and supporting local causes like the Boys and Girls Club.

Steve Cox
Building Science/Moisture Control

Steve has worked in the residential construction industry since 2009, with experience on both the supply and consulting sides. A Certified Passive House Consultant since 2016, he has been with the VT Group of companies since 2018 as a registered Energy Advisor and Building Envelope Technician. Steve now leads the team at Qualistat Building Performance Consultants, where he has worked on thousands of wood-frame homes, focusing on diagnostics, design review, and creating healthy, high-performing living spaces.

Dalpreet Virdi
Problem Solving/Estimating

Dalpreet is an Infrastructure Project Manager at the City of Edmonton. He has executed successful housing projects across Alberta for over 10 years, and shares his expertise in estimating, project management, and construction practices to industry stakeholders.

Rick Zolmer
Fenestrations/Window and Door Installation

Rick Zolmer is the owner of Zolmer Consulting Inc. He has 35 years of industry experience, and his company assists in Business Development, Brand Enhancement, Business Relationship Coaching, Fenestration Design & Performance Evaluation. Rick’s passion and purpose is to help businesses become more successful, influence continuous improvement and teach lessons learned from his years serving the residential construction industry.