CLN Board of Directors

I was born in southern Saskatchewan, and our family moved to Alberta before I could walk. I grew up on a mixed farm by Two Hills, Alberta.

I have a formal education in Engineering Design and Drafting Technology and have worked for many years in this field. I also have a vast range of experience in the non-profit sector, both paid and volunteer. This includes working for Burlington Hamilton Wentworth United Way, Edmonton’s Food Bank and The Alberta Board Development Program.

My partner and I semi-retired in 2017 and moved back to my hometown of Two Hills. My volunteer work with the local Two Hills FCSS got me connected with the world of adult learning and I joined the Two Hills Adult Learning Council in 2022. Besides working with individuals in helping them realize their learning goals and potential, I also have a great passion for gardening, carpentry and love of artisan bread making.

I am nearing my five-year anniversary of being part of CALP! As a Coordinator with Ponoka & Rimbey Adult Learning, I have served both communities and am grateful to be part of a grassroots organization that serves people in such an impactful way. 

A country girl at heart, I can most often be found caring for animals on the farm I work with my husband.

In my CALP role, I have served as a member of the Professional Development Advisory Committee and took part in a focus group working with Advanced Education on developing the CALP Logic Model and Outcomes Measurement Framework. I pride myself on building strong relationships with Learners, Volunteers, Co-workers and the community at large and look forward to contributing to the Community Learning Network Board.

My family and I made Okotoks our home back in 2011 and we have loved living in this gorgeous part of the province.  We get out to enjoy it as much as we can with camping, hiking, fly fishing and skiing.

Prior to living in Foothills County we were living in Calgary where I worked in a non-profit for many years overseeing programs for adults with acquired brain injuries.  

I began my journey with CALP in 2013 when I was first hired at Literacy for Life as a Program Coordinator.  What I enjoyed most in that position was overseeing programs, supervising staff and doing intakes with adult learners.  It did not take me long to see that our programs were making a big difference in the lives of many.  

In 2020 I became the Executive Director and although I had a very steep learning curve, I now appreciate my own learning journey through that transition.  I have learned so much about Boards and Board Governance and I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the wonderful work that the CLN does throughout our province by being a team member on their Board.

I was born in Olds and raised in the farming community of Wimborne.  I moved to the Rockies for a summer job while attending the U of C, and never left.  Following a fast paced career in hospitality & tourism, I started a Hospitality Training and Consulting Business.  A life-long learner myself, after an extended - 25 year -  gap, I attended Royal Roads University and obtained my Master of Arts in Tourism Management, opening the door to becoming a post-secondary instructor for RRU, teaching hotel management in Jinhua, China. I then returned to the Bow Valley instructing business courses at Bow Valley College. This led to a leadership position as manager for Bow Valley College, overseeing the Cochrane, Canmore and Banff regional campuses. Shortly after the closure of the Canmore Bow Valley campus, which marked the end of my management contract, the role of Executive Director for our local CALP was vacated and I was successful in my application for the position, becoming Executive Director in 2021. My love of learning continued over the years and I  completed the U of A Indigenous Canada program, Inspired Leadership through Case Western Reserve University, and most recently, I received  a Professional Certificate in Adult and Community Education  from the University of Calgary. 

In terms of boards and policy, I have held several board positions, many in leadership positions.  This includes being a founding member of Mountain Homes for Humanity, the catalyst for what is now Canmore Community Housing, providing below market housing for Canmore residents, President of Canmore Kananaskis Chamber of Commerce, and Vice Chair of Tourism Canmore.  With respect to policy, I am what is referred to as a policy wonk. I have voluntarily created policy at a Provincial political party level, and professionally, working with a registered lobbyist in a business advocacy role, I reviewed and critiqued policy at Municipal, Provincial and Federal levels.  My portfolio was focused on workforce related policy including housing, access to labour, employment standards, and health & safety - including cannabis legislation. In this role I also created an Indigenous Labour Taskforce working primarily with the Stoney Nakoda Nation, and co-chaired the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership council.

In my free time I enjoy spending time hiking in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter. When not outdoors, I am often at our local pool with the other "Bow Valley Aqua Babes" and I am an active member of the Bow Valley Line Dance Club.