Ben has lived in Ward 4 for 26 years. He currently lives in the community of Rossdale, along with his wife Laurie Blakeman, who is provincial MLA for the constituency of Edmonton-Centre.

Ben working in his community

Ben believes in strong communities and has worked hard to make his own community stronger. He served as an Executive Member of the Rossdale Community League, organizer of the coalition to Keep Drainage Edmonton, as a board member of the Old Strathcona Foundation, and a member of the Sierra Club Smart Growth Civics Committee.

Ben working for Edmonton

Ben believes in a vibrant, modern city. He has been a VP of the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL), Chair of the EFCL Planning and Development Committee, a member of the City of Edmonton's Infrastructure Technical Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee on the Tax Status of Non-Profit Organizations, and the Peer Review Panel for the Tax Status of Non-Profit Organizations, as well as the A Better Edmonton Committee.

Ben working for the arts

Ben believes that an excellent quality of life is what makes a good city great and that the arts play a key role in enhancing quality of life. He helped to create the Edmonton Arts Council as a member of its original steering committee. He has been an Edmonton Arts Council VP, Chair of the City's Policy Committee for the Community Investment Program, President of the Professional Arts Coalition of Edmonton, and served as a board member for the Edmonton Street Performers Festival.

Ben's professional career

Ben has also been a theatre professional for over 20 years. He was the founding Artistic Director of Nexus Theatre and the Artistic Director of Theatre Network, both in Edmonton. Ben has also built a career as a trained mediator and negotiator whose practice area focuses largely on resolving family and community conflicts. He is currently mediating largely with the Catholic Social Services Family Mediation Program. He is a member of the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society and the Mediation and Restorative Justice Centre. He is also a member in good standing of the Canadian Actors Equity Association.