ACSRC People

Clark Banack

Director

Dr. Clark Banack is the Director of the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities and an Adjunct Professor of Political Studies at the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta.  Clark is the author of God’s Province: Evangelical Christianity, Political Thought, and Conservatism in Alberta (McGill-Queen’s University Press), the co-author of Faith, Rights, and Choice: The Politics of Religious Schools in Canada (forthcoming in 2023 with the University of Toronto Press), and the co-editor of Building Inclusive Communities in Rural Canada (forthcoming in 2023 with the University of Alberta Press).  He has also authored several academic articles and book chapters related to Alberta politics, rural issues, religion and politics, education policy, and populism in Canada.

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Kate McConnell

Coordinator

Kate is the Program Coordinator for the ACSRC, in addition to Special Initiatives Coordinator for the University of Alberta - Augustana Campus.  She holds a B.A. Major in Drama, Minor in Fine Arts from Bishop's University and a graduate certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management from Humber College.  Prior to the U of A, Kate's experience has primarily been in the arts sector, with an emphasis on communications, governance, organizational development, and strategic planning. Since 2021, she has been working with Clark to ensure the success of the ACSRC and its initiatives.