#SheLeads
In the October 2021 election, Calgary saw a record number of women run for City Council, School Board, and other elected municipal roles. This is no coincidence. The world is changing and we are here for it.
Introducing: #SheLeads
Throughout March 2022, we’ll be celebrating these women in the hopes of inspiring the next generation of women to pursue municipal leadership.
This page will be updated as each feature is announced. Follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and tag all the strong women you know.
Jasmine Mian, Ward 3 Councillor
🗳️ Elected
✅ Mentor Her Program Participant
Ask Her YYC Volunteer
Jasmine was elected to Calgary’s City Council in the recent #yyc election. She represents Ward 3 and is the youngest woman to ever be elected to Calgary’s City Council. She is a member of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure & Planning as well as Intergovernmental Affairs. She sits on the boards of the Calgary Public Library and the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation. Prior to being elected, Jasmine worked as a consultant and in administration at the University of Calgary. She is also a 2016 Olympian in Wrestling and former Logistics Lead with Ask Her YYC.
Angela McIntyre, Ward 4 Candidate
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Angela was a Ward 4 candidate in the October 2021 election and a participant in Ask Her’s Prepare Her program. For decades, Angela has committed herself to helping bring out the best Calgary has to offer, serving in positions such as Fund Development and Marketing Manager at the Confederation Park 55+ Activity Centre and Director of Special Projects at the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association. She has spent nearly two decades working in Calgary’s arts and non-profit sector. With three daughters at home, Angela emphasizes the importance of family and generational perspectives. When she’s not dedicating her time to helping make Calgary the best it can be, Angela can be found fly fishing, hiking, trying new foods or enjoying music and theater.
Erin Waite, Ward 7 Candidate
✅ Former Ask Her Board Member
A former Ask Her board member and the candidate for Ward 7, Erin is a dedicated leader in Calgary’s non-profit community, and a seasoned corporate communications and investor relations advisor. She is also a veteran community board member. Having lived in Ward 7 for over 30 years, Erin has seen the city and her community undergo many changes, understanding both the city’s opportunities and the challenges it still faces. She was inspired to run for city council after speaking with other Calgarians who she realized shared in her vision and passion for Calgary’s future.
Marilyn North Peigan, Ward 7 Candidate
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Marilyn was a Ward 7 candidate in the recent Calgary election. She is a specialist in the field of corporate, event, and private security, bringing a background in military training and customer service. She previously served with the military medical corps of the Canadian Armed Forces and also earned a BA in psychology and an MA from Athabasca University. Marilyn’s contributions to the community include having served as vice-chair of the Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee, which strived to improve the opportunities and quality of life for Aboriginal people living in Calgary. Marilyn is proficient in the Blackfoot language and Treaty 7 territory culture. She is currently the longest-serving member of the Calgary Police Commission. In 2012, Marilyn was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal.
Cornelia Wiebe, Ward 8 Candidate
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Cornelia ran as a Ward 8 candidate in the recent Calgary election. Cornelia is the founder of Leo Boutique, an independent Calgary-based boutique “featuring the best emerging designer collections from around the world.” As a small business owner, Cornelia brings forth economic leadership rooted in lived experience. She was inspired to run in this election after realizing that the priorities of many small business owners, as well as her friends and neighbors, were not reflected in city council decisions.
Lori Masse, Ward 9 Candidate
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Lori ran as a Ward 9 candidate in the recent Calgary election. She is a third-generation Canadian who describes her love for Calgary as “fierce.” Having grown up in a house where politics were openly discussed, Lori is no stranger to tough conversations and her interest in municipal politics can be traced back to these younger years. During this time, Lori’s mom was involved in several campaigns for a former Councillor, inspiring Lori to think and dream big. Today, with a career in Strategic Marketing & Communications, Lori considers herself a strong communicator and listener. In order to meet the needs of different communities while also acknowledging economic realities, she believes that information should be gathered from a diversity of sources.
Naomi Withers, Ward 9 Candidate
✅ Campaign School Program Participant
Naomi is a born and raised Calgarian, community advocate, and mother of two young boys. She holds two designations in supply chain and a degree from the University of Calgary in International Business. She is passionate about communities and sees the power in working together to make Calgary a City that we are proud to call home. As a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Naomi is also active in her community starting a scholarship for students pursuing Post Graduate Studies and sits on a steering committee supporting the Scouts Canada Reconciliation journey. As a City Councillor Candidate for Ward 9 Naomi ran a successful grassroots campaign and came within 160 votes of the incumbent with ten names on the ballot.
Kourtney Penner, Ward 11 Councillor
🗳️ Elected
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
✅ Mentor Her Program Participant
Kourtney ran a successful campaign, securing her role as Councillor for Ward 11. For the past 25 years, she has lived, worked and gone to school in Ward 11, establishing deep roots in the city she calls home. As an active volunteer and business owner, Kourtney has demonstrated continued commitment through her involvement in multiple community-driven organizations. She understands that Calgary is a city undergoing significant change and that the challenges facing our community require balanced action. Today, she lives in Garrison Green with her partner and three children.
Lauren Herschel, Ward 11 Candidate
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Lauren ran as a Ward 11 candidate in the recent Calgary election. When she was first transferred to Calgary for work fifteen years ago, Lauren figured she’d only stay for a few years. It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the city and begin putting down roots in her new community. With experience in strategic business planning, leadership and community engagement, Lauren saw many opportunities for her to apply her skills and expertise as a city council member. She feels that government has become too adversarial and suggests we need to “ditch the idea of partisan politics in municipal elections.” At the end of the day, Lauren is driven by her care for people, and works to show up equipped with kindness, optimism and honesty.
Humaira Falak, Ward 5 and 10 Calgary School Board Trustee Candidate
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Humaira Falak ran to become the Calgary Board of Education’s (CBE) next School Board Trustee for Ward 5 and 10 in the recent Calgary election. With the CBE facing many new and unique challenges, Falak’s campaign centred on the need to be “reflective and responsive.” She has lived in Calgary since 2013 and holds her Masters in English Literature, a diploma in Human Services and works as a community development practitioner in wards 5 and 10. Humaira has also led several mental health and domestic violence initiatives, additionally volunteering her time for various organizations including her work as co-chair for Ethno-cultural Diverse working group of Calgary Domestic Violence Collective.
Olga Barcelo, Ward 6 and 7 Calgary School Board Trustee Candidate
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Olga ran as a Public School Trustee for Wards 6 & 7 in the recent Calgary election. Her platform centered on four main concerns. First, she wanted to ensure that Alberta’s curriculum is setting students up for success in a modern labour market. She also called for more COVID-19 testing and tracing in Calgary’s schools, as well as smaller classroom sizes. Finally, she called for more action and focus on reconciliation, in addition to better support for BIPOC students.
Tanya Thorn, Mayor, Town of Okotoks
🗳️ Elected
✅ Mentor Her Facilitator
Tanya was first elected as a Councillor with the Town of Okotoks in 2013 and elected as Mayor in 2021. She attributes her family’s strong interest and involvement in community and politics for instilling in her the desire to be involved in the shaping of her community. Tanya has worked with the Alberta Water Council, Sheep River Health Trust and as Director, Towns South on the board of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. While she is always working in the best interests of Okotoks, Tanya understands that what benefits her home community can also benefit others across Alberta. As a graduate of the University of Calgary’s Political Science program, she has been very effective in navigating changes in provincial government and shepherding important issues such as water resource concerns, economic development, and creating more transparency and open dialogue in government.
Rachel Swendseid, Councillor, Town of Okotoks
🗳️ Elected
✅ Prepare Her Program Participant
Rachel was elected to Okotoks Town Council in the recent 2021 election. Born and raised in Okotoks, she has called this community home for over 30 years. She holds a BSc in Environmental Conservation with a major in Land Reclamation and has worked in the oil sands, forestry, and conventional oil and gas reclamation, allowing her to become acquainted with many of Alberta’s diverse landscapes and communities. Wanting to help Albertans understand where their energy comes from, Rachel was inspired to transition her career into education where she now works as a Natural Resources Educator in schools across Western Canada.
Heather Spearman, Councillor, City of Airdrie
🗳️ Elected
✅Mentor Her Program Participant
✅ Campaign School Participant
Heather Spearman was elected to Airdrie City Council in the recent 2021 election. For most of her life, Heather has been involved or interested in politics. She grew up learning about the ins and outs of government and exploring how best to advocate for others. Since 2007, she’s lived in Airdrie with her three children and her husband where she’s experienced life as both a stay-at-home mom and as a working professional. She is a community member at heart, with her actions reflecting this passion for others. She is particularly interested in supporting a number of organizations, including the Airdrie Judo Club, local arts and theatre ventures, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Canada, and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada, all of which she has fundraised.