Meet Our Experts

Real-world experience delivers real results.
Every PHBI instructor is an expert and a leader in their field, often backed by decades of experience working on site, selling and marketing homes, operating homebuilding companies, or working in trades and other industry-related professions.
They enhance your learning experience by sharing their proven expertise in the development of our courses and in the classroom. Education for builders, by builders – it’s the PHBI difference.
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 Jackson
Plans, Specs & Drawings/Construction Fundamentals
Carmen brings over a decade and a half of experience in the design and construction industry and over six years of instructional experience in an institutional setting. With a range of experience from small scale additions to multi-million dollar projects she has been involved with many aspects of construction from zoning analysis and conceptual design to permit application, from cost analysis to progress monitoring, and from drawing out the details to completing the finishing touches. She is passionate about sharing the knowledge gained from her breadth of experience with future designers and industry experts.
Sia Oveissi
Estimating
Sia holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. He has over 10 years of experience in the residential home building industry, specializing in estimating for both production and custom-built projects. He currently serves as the Estimating Manager for a production home builder delivering over 400 units annually.
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.
Nancy Clarke
Condominium Fundamentals/Sales & Marketing
Nancy Clarke is an experienced sales professional with a career spanning over 20 years in Alberta’s residential construction industry. She has worked in both single-family and multi-family housing, progressing from junior sales roles into senior management positions. Nancy brings deep, practical knowledge of the sales process, customer experience, and team development. Her background includes extensive hands-on experience in condominium and new home sales, and she is passionate about helping others build confidence and capability in their sales careers.
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.
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