Our Team
Steel River Group's team is the heartbeat of the business, driving creativity, expertise, and dedication to delivering value for our clients and partners.
Meet Trent Fequet
Founder of Steel River Group
A proud Indigenous entrepreneur and business leader with 25 years of experience with some of Canada’s most prominent pipeline, infrastructure, and mining companies. Trent founded Steel River Group in 2017 based on the belief that there has never been a better time to reimagine how a private Indigenous business defines, creates, and captures value for Indigenous communities and people.
​
To achieve this goal, he established his company’s Governing Principles, which are deeply rooted in Indigenous values, beliefs, and culture.
​
As founder of Steel River Group, Trent drives the company's vision and provides support and guidance to his team and Ecosystem partners. He believes strongly in helping those around him to succeed and spends countless hours supporting and enabling his staff and mentoring entrepreneurs and individuals around him. His vision for the organization’s future is to support the process of collaborative engagement, foster the preservation of cultural and traditional values, and champion social sovereignty and economic sustainability for our people.
John Borrell
Project Manager
John is a forward-thinking project manager with extensive experience in the construction industry. He holds a PMP certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) and he excels in leading teams, managing schedules, and coordinating resources to keep projects on track.
​
In addition to his project management career, John has experience as a specialist day trader for a hedge fund in New York, trading significant volumes and leveraging his financial acumen to achieve impressive results.
Outside of work, John enjoys golfing, hockey, and skiing.
Madison Canyon
Executive Assistant
Madison supports key leaders by organizing information and managing communication. She brings extensive skills in client relationship management, company-wide communication, and business operations.
​
Passionate about community involvement, Madison has volunteered with organizations like 4-H, food banks, and international service trips. Madison has won awards for public speaking and a silver medal at a national rowing regatta.
​
She values the opportunity to work for an Indigenous-owned company and is committed to its vision and mission.
Noah Capannelli
Director, Marketing
Noah is a distinguished marketing professional with a robust background in the advertising agency realm.
He has honed his expertise in brand strategy, creative direction, and web design, catering to both B2B and B2C markets. He enjoys the creativity and problem-solving aspects of marketing.
Noah made a strategic move from a small town in Ontario to Calgary in pursuit of professional advancement and the allure of the Rocky Mountains. An avid hiker and skier, he embraces the rugged terrain of the Rockies with a sense of adventure and exploration.
Deanna Fequet
Manager, Human Resources
Deanna is a proud Indigenous woman whose career has been dedicated to “people."
As the Human Resources Manager, Deanna fosters a productive work environment through strategic planning for staffing, employee relations and efficient communication.
Deanna and son Bear are members of the Cowessess First Nation. She enjoys spending time with her family; camping, travelling, playing sports and all things animals! She is a huge advocate for all Indigenous Peoples; Especially our youth, who are the future.
TJ Galiardi
President
In 2023, TJ was named President of Steel River Group.
TJ Galiardi has been active in real estate for over 15 years as an investor and developer and has been a guest lecturer at Rice University and the Tuck School of Business.
He is also a former NHL forward, having played with the Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets after being drafted while playing at Dartmouth College. Outside of work TJ enjoys spending time with his wife Paulina and their 4 children as well as playing tennis.
Leon Gladue
Manager, Community Engagement
Leon has dedicated more than 20 years to various facets of the construction industry, amassing a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience.
He has leveraged this expertise to concentrate on fostering meaningful Indigenous relations.
​He has also excelled by applying his insights to establish and maintain relationships in numerous communities. His objective is to ensure that local and Indigenous opportunities are maximized on projects, contributing to a more inclusive and mutually beneficial approach.
Brock Henderson
Executive Vice-President
Brock’s role at Steel River Group is supporting the development and sustainability of all partnerships within the Steel River Ecosystem.
Before, he worked in the areas of banking, fabrication, and agriculture.
​
As a graduate of the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Management, his strategic thinking, networking, and research helps provide decision making depth for Steel River Group in advancing corporate initiatives and supporting the company’s mission.
​
Brock is a proud husband and father.
Cherag Kapoor
Director, Consulting Services
Cherag is a data-driven business analyst with a double specialization in Supply Chain and Business Technology from UBC Sauder.
Prior to joining to Steel River Group, he was working as a Strategic IT Business Analyst at Mastec Canada (Energy Construction). He has also worked at TC Energy and CNOOC International (Previously Nexen) in supply chain and a business analytics role, respectively.
He has industry experience in Education, Event Management, Energy Construction, Financial Services (Sales), Public Accounting (Tax and Financial Compilations), and Oil, Gas & Energy.
Mackenzie Kreutzer
Consultant Business Analyst
Mackenzie is a forward-thinking individual with a Bachelor's degree in Business Technology Management and a keen pursuit of a Master's in data science.
Within Steel River Group, Mackenzie serves as a Consultant Business Analyst, driven by an unwavering passion for leveraging data to tackle challenges and innovate solutions.
Outside of work, Mackenzie finds fulfillment in volunteering at animal shelters and indulging in the thrill of competitive horseback riding. She is always looking for her next adventure.
Leroy McKinnon
Vice President, Consulting Services
Leroy joined Steel River Group in 2021, bringing over 20 years of experience across various sectors such as oil and gas, sports, consulting, social services, and not-for-profit organizations. Leroy is dedicated to supporting First Nations across Canada.
His approach blends strategic insight with a profound respect for Indigenous culture and traditions, fostering impactful partnerships.
He is committed to aligning Indigenous Nations, people, and businesses to create greater opportunities and mutual benefits.
Mike Meaney
Chief Operating Officer
Mike had previously worked with Steel River Group as the Project Manager supporting the Alberta’s First Nations Site Rehabilitation Program, which administered ~$113 million to 36 First Nations to develop lands and conduct inactive wellsite closure activities.
​
Establishing relationships with many of these Indigenous Nations fuelled Mike’s passion for economic reconciliation, along with the need for building and maintaining capacity within the Nations.
​
Living an active lifestyle outside of the office, Mike is very passionate about coaching CrossFit, snowmobiling, and mountain biking.
Trish Mills
Manager, Health & Safety
Trish is the seasoned safety manager at Steel River Group, boasting over 20 years of expertise in occupational health and safety. Throughout her career, she’s diligently responded to and managed a series of serious workplace incidents.
​
Beyond her professional pursuits, she find solace and inspiration in the great outdoors, as an avid camper and certified ocean kayak guide.
​
Trish's dedication to safety and environmental protection makes her an invaluable asset to Steel River Group, guiding the company towards a future where safety is paramount.
Jamielyn Masicampo
Payroll Lead
Jamielyn has been with Steel River since February 2021.
Before joining Steel River, she worked as a bookkeeper, ATM processor, payroll coordinator, and accounts payable analyst for organizations like Maxium Mechanical Ltd., STRAIT Group Ltd., etc.
Coming from the Philippines to Canada and working for an Indigenous owned and operated company, Jamielyn feels privileged to be immersed directly with Indigenous Nations and Groups and has learned about the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples in Canada.
​
When she is not in the office, Jamielyn is gardening.
Alexander Slobadian
Architectural Technologist
Born and raised in the picturesque mountains of the Kootenays, Alexander's passion for construction and design was ingrained in him from the get-go. Graduating from SAIT in 2014 with a major in International Architectural Design, he embarked on a journey that took him from interning with a groundbreaking Green building firm in San Francisco to winning accolades in Avenue Magazine's "Laneway Home Design Competition."
His travels to Istanbul, Nicaragua, and exploring the vast American landscapes have served as wellsprings of inspiration for his designs.
Now, he's thrilled to bring his expertise to Steel River Group.
Peter Timmins
Managing Director
Peter brings a wealth of operations knowledge and experience to Steel River Group, having previously held the position of Vice President, Operations at a notable engineering firm as well as a role as Business Operations Manager of a pipeline construction company. He holds a BSc. in Biology from the University of Alberta, a BSc. in Computer Science from the University of Victoria, and MBA in Executive Management from Royal Roads University.
Peter oversees the overall operations for the business and is responsible for implementing our organization’s vision, strategies, polices and procedures, and direction.
Peter’s passion for people inspired him to join the Steel River team.
Ronaye Wilson
Director, Developments & Projects
Ronaye brings over 18 years of project management experience in a multitude of disciplines in the commercial and residential construction spheres to Steel River.
Renowned for her adept leadership and commitment to precision and efficiency, she boasts a track record of successfully overseeing numerous high-end projects, guiding them seamlessly from development to completion.
​
A consummate professional, Ronaye possesses the proven ability to navigate challenging situations, demonstrating excellent decision-making skills and diplomatic acumen.