Ricardo Acuña is president of the Association of Academic Staff at the U of A (AASUA), the union representing 4,000 professors, teaching staff, librarians, researchers and administrators on campus. He is on leave from his position as executive director of Parkland Institute, a position he has held since 2002. He has a degree in political science and history from the University of Alberta, and has over 20 years of experience as a volunteer, staffer and consultant for various non-government and non-profit organizations around the province. He has spoken extensively and written on energy policy, democracy, privatization and the Alberta economy. He is a regular media commentator on post-secondary and public policy issues, and is currently chair of Oxfam Canada and interim chair of Oxfam International.