Engaged women helping Canada thrive
Many women wonder if their voice can make a difference.
We’re here to tell you it will.
Our core values
Meet our team
Each of us brings a unique perspective, but we’re united in our belief that economic growth is necessary for the kind of Canada we want.
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Sue Riddell Rose
Founder & Board Chair
Sue is President and CEO of Perpetual Energy and Rubellite Energy, both junior oil and gas exploration and production companies listed on the TSX. A graduate of Queen’s University, she holds a BSc in Geological Engineering, and began her career with Shell Canada. From 1990 to 2002 Sue held various roles at Paramount Resources Ltd. culminating in the position of COO. With the establishment of the Paramount Energy Trust in 2002, she assumed the role of President and led the organization through its corporate conversion to Perpetual Energy in 2010 and the formation of Rubellite Energy in 2021. Sue has been a Director of Paramount Resources Ltd. since 2000 and is also a Director of Secure Energy and AltaLink, L.P.
Sue is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. She is currently a Governor of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and a member of the Business Council of Alberta. She’s involved with many organizations including UNICEF Canada and Fulbright Canada, is the past Chair of the United Way of Calgary and Area and Alberta’s Promise, and has served on the Board of Trustees of Queen’s University and Mount Royal University.
Tracey Bodnarchuk
Founder & CEO
Tracey is a business leader and C-suite executive with 20+ years of experience driving business and revenue objectives through marketing and sales. She has held a variety of senior roles with professional services firms such as Deloitte, KPMG, and Norton Rose Fulbright and in technology companies like SAP, J.D. Edwards and Microsoft. She led the revenue functions at Hopewell Residential and was the first-ever Brand Manager at Suncor Energy.
A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s (formerly Ryerson) Journalism school, she’s also completed the Executive Marketing Program at Queen’s University and the Not-For-Profit Governance Essentials Program with Institute of Corporate Directors via the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
In 2018, Tracey founded TAB Consulting Group which is a strategy practice specializing in all aspects of brand monetization and revenue generation. Tracey is an alumni of the Calgary Top 40 Under 40 and an active volunteer who is currently on the board of the Saddledome Foundation and the Alberta Hospice and Palliative Care Association.
Kristi Cawthorn, CPA, ICD.D
Founder & Board Member
Kristi is CEO of Startec Compression & Process, an integrated engineering and equipment fabricator with a passion for turning ideas into reality. She currently serves on their Board and also as a director on the Business Council of Alberta. Dedicated to self-improvement, Kristi is currently a member of The Executive Committee (TEC), and has completed both the Quantum Shift program (Ivey Business School at Western University), and the Institute of Corporate Directors program (Rotman’s School of Management, University of Toronto). She is a proud recipient of EY’s 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year in Manufacturing, and Canada’s Top Small & Medium Employer of the year in 2018 to 2022.
Always looking for new adventures, Kristi has a passion for exploring self-development through meditation, mind-body connection and sound, and enjoys spending time connecting with friends and her children through hiking, travel and trying new experiences.
Dr. Lucy Miller
Founder & Board Member
Dr. Miller retired as the President & CEO of United Way of Calgary and Area, a position she held from 2012 – 2016. Previously, she was Chief Superintendent of the Calgary Catholic School District. With a BA and BEd from St. Francis Xavier University and a MEd from Dalhousie University, she received a Doctorate of Education from the University of Toronto in 2006. She is currently an independent business woman and Director on the board of Tourmaline Oil.
Dr. Miller has developed expertise in the area of social responsibility, helping organizations have a positive impact in areas of social development, ethical, economic and environmental issues. She has served on a number of boards throughout her career, including St. Mary’s University, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, Advisory Council for the Haskayne School of Business, and the Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative. In 2013, the Women’s Executive Network named her as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women and Alberta Venture Magazine named her as one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People. Dr. Miller was named Calgary’s 2016 Citizen of the Year by the City of Calgary.
January McKee
Founder & Board Member
January is an accomplished executive driven by her core values of family and the triple bottom line – people, planet, and profit. With an undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, she started her career in banking and transitioned into the energy sector, never looking back. In 2008, she became the General Manager of AMGAS, an Alberta-based oil and gas services company specializing in hydrogen sulphide (H2S) control. Under her leadership, AMGAS transformed into a global industry leader providing cutting edge equipment, specialized chemicals, and on-site service. She was appointed as its first female President in 2011, breaking glass ceilings and inspiring the next generation of female executives.
In 2014, January joined the board of the Petroleum Services in Canada (PSAC) and in 2021, she made history as the first female Chairman of the Association, solidifying her trailblazing status and ability to drive change. January advocates for the energy industry and female empowerment, emphasizing sustainable practices, individual well-being, and the environment.
Blaire Lancaster
Founder & Board Member
Blaire is a founding board member of Canada Powered by Women, and was most recently Vice President of Commercial Development at Tidewater Midstream up until the Pipestone asset sale to AltaGas, which she played a key role in and which closed at the end of 2023. She oversaw day-to-day commercial operations and was responsible for driving growth in gas gathering and processing by contracting new infrastructure and adding to or re-contracting existing infrastructure.
Prior to Tidewater, Blaire spent 10 years at Ferus Natural Gas Fuels developing the small-scale LNG industry in western and northern Canada. In her role as Vice President, Business Development and External Affairs, she was responsible for business development, sales, marketing & communications, Indigenous partnerships and government relations. She has also held positions at Rainmaker Global Business Development, Calgary Economic Development and the Consulate General of Canada in Boston.
In addition to Canada Powered by Women, Blaire sits on the board of WinSport chairing the Risk and Safety Committee and on the Governance Committee, and is a nominated member of the International Women’s Forum.
Jodi Kasten
Board Member
Jodi is the General Manager and Vice President at Indeed, the World’s and Canada’s #1 job matching platform. She is responsible for setting the organization’s vision and go-to-market strategy for Canada and Latin America. She also sits on Indeed Canada’s board. Jodi’s expertise includes a deep understanding of the Canadian job market, workplace trends, and what millions of job seekers and employers need to find the right fit. Jodi has over 25 years of marketing and revenue leadership experience having worked for high-profile brands such as Microsoft, SAP, eBay and The Weather Network. Her responsibilities have spanned the Canadian, US and Latin American markets throughout her career.
Passionate about removing barriers for women in the workplace, Jodi holds an Image Consulting Certificate from George Brown and supports Dress for Success Toronto–an organization dedicated to transitioning women from unemployment to economic independence in the Greater Toronto Area. Based in Toronto (but born and raised in St. Catharines), Jodi holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from Brock University.
Alma Hadzic
Board Member
Alma also leads the Sustainability & Climate portfolio within Deloitte’s National Technology, Media, & Telecom (TMT) practice, a pivotal role to assist technology clients in attaining their decarbonization objectives. Notably, Alma led the inception of the Deloitte Cleantech Platform, fostering collaboration with solution providers, industry stakeholders, and governmental bodies to bolster the commercialization and adoption of clean technology.
Her credentials include a Bachelor of Business degree from the University of New Brunswick, a degree in Sustainable Development, Strategic Management, and Human Resource Management and Tourism from L‘École Supérieure de Commerce et de Management (France), and certifications from the MIT Sustainability Accelerator and The Future of Sustainable Business: Enterprise and the Environment (Oxford University, 2023).
Patricia van de Sande
Board Member
With a career spanning over two decades, Patricia van de Sande has held a variety of executive roles in finance, financial reporting, FP&A, investor relations, compliance, risk management and internal audit. Since 2018, Patricia has served on the Arts Commons Board of Directors Governance & Compensation Committee, the Nomination Committee and she formerly served on the Finance Committee. She holds the ICD.D and GCB.D designations.
Previously, Patricia held a variety of senior executive positions including executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Nexii Building Solutions Inc., senior vice-president, finance at Green for Life (GFL), several executive roles at Parkland Fuel Corporation such as vice-president, finance and corporate services and served in the corporate finance department of the Alberta Securities Commission. She also worked for several large multi-national organizations in Canada and in Geneva, Switzerland. Patricia is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Professional Accountant.
Shelley Powell
Board Member
Hanna Tomory
Board Member
Hanna Tomory leads Palantir Technologies’ commercial business in Canada. Previously, she led complex projects with Palantir in the UK, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico and the United States, in sectors including banking, insurance, telecommunications, manufacturing, energy, healthcare and more, as well as projects with various government ministries on both sides of the Atlantic.
Hanna studied Systems Engineering and Philosophy at the University of Toronto (complementing physics with metaphysics) and Bioelectronics at ETH in Zurich. She advises a number of technology startups, charitable non-profits and foundations globally in strategic capacities.
Kate Fischer
Board Member
Kate brings more than 15 years of experience in governance, law, risk management and sustainability in Canada and abroad. She has spent her career working for and in the Canadian energy sector in a variety of legal and business roles.
A dedicated Calgarian, Kate lends her time to charitable and community initiatives, including acting as co-chair to the Calgary Health Foundation’s Newborns Need campaign, a trustee of the Calgary Health Foundation and member of the Strategic Advisory Board of the Charbonneau Cancer Institute. Previously, she served on the boards of the YWCA of Calgary, Contemporary Calgary and Young Women in Energy.
Kate holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and an Honours B.A. in Economics and Ethics, Society and Law from the University of Toronto.
Mary Anne Aldred
Board Member
Heather Taylor
Board Member
Heather is a trusted and experienced leader with over 25 years of experience in the energy sector.
She is currently the social performance manager for LNG Canada, based out of Vancouver, where she is responsible for managing social performance as LNG Canada completes the facility’s construction, prepares for commissioning and safe start-up, operations and growth. She has an extensive background in stakeholder and indigenous engagement, working in western and northern Canada and internationally.
Heather has a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies and an MBA.
After living overseas for nine years, Heather moved back to Canada and chose to make North Vancouver her home, where she is active in her community, focusing on affordability and food security issues.
Erin Campbell
Board Member
Erin is a capital markets and investment banking expert with over two decades of hands-on financing experience, specializing in projects requiring complex solutions involving multiple stakeholders, private equity, venture capital or public markets across multiple sectors ranging from energy and industrial technology to funds and telecommunications. Erin also has unique experience as a funder/investor and supports institutions and family offices access the kinds of opportunities they are seeking.
In addition to her leadership in accessing capital markets, Erin serves on several corporate boards and, having completed the University of Toronto Rotman School of Business’ Institute of Corporate Directors program, she holds the ICD.D designation.
Active in Canadian politics since the late 1980s, Erin has managed and advised campaigns at all three levels of government, as well as in several party leadership races. She has also served on the staff of federal and provincial cabinet ministers and leaders including the leader of the opposition (B.C.) and the ministers of National Defense and Indian and Northern Affairs (Canada). Erin has developed a deep network of contacts in government as a result of her years working in politics.
Jenn Lomas
National Marketing Director
Jenn is a seasoned communications, marketing and brand leader with expertise building and deploying solutions that measurably progress business goals. With more than 20 years of experience across a variety of sectors, including energy, healthcare and banking, Jenn brings expertise in corporate and internal communications, public and community relations, and marketing.
Through her career, Jenn has managed teams and held advisory roles within Suncor Energy, the Calgary Health Region, the Canadian Bankers Association and at the University of Calgary. Jenn is a former president of the Calgary chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and enjoys being a mentor to professionals who are building their careers. She gives time and energy to a variety of causes, including mental health and education.
Jenn and her husband, Will, are the proud parents of an 11-year-old daughter. As a family, they enjoy travellling, being outside, and getting to the mountains whenever they can.
Natalia Villett
Corporate & Strategic Events Director
Natalia is an experienced global marketing director with a strong background in international events, strategic business planning, marketing alignment and PR. With over 20 years of marketing experience, Natalia brings a wealth of expertise in the corporate and strategic event aspects of the business, particularly in the telco, hi-tech and non-profit industries. She has a proven track record working at renowned companies such as Microsoft, Deloitte and Axon Public Safety, where she successfully built out the event strategy as well as and managed various teams.
Originally from British/Italian descent, Natalia was raised in Amsterdam (NL) before relocating to Calgary over 25 years ago. Throughout her career, she has lived and worked in various countries including Italy and Australia. Natalia is a proud mother of two sons who are both pursuing their education at universities in the UK, prompting her to frequently travel back to be with them.
Beyond her professional life, Natalia’s passions include traveling and immersing herself in different cultures, as well as indulging in her love of reading.
Angela Cheung
Executive Assistant
As an executive assistant, Angela holds a pivotal role in supporting an organization’s day-to-day operations. With years of C-level administrative experience, she is a master in organization, multi-tasking, productivity and efficiency. Her expertise spans across diverse industries such as consulting, oil & gas, insurance, tourism, and non-profit sectors.
Angela, a native Calgarian, earned her Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Psychology from the University of Calgary. Driven by a creative spark, she delved into photography as a pastime, and her work has been published in numerous magazines and websites.
Angela’s true passion is travelling – seeking new experiences and destinations. One of her favourite quotes is “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list”. She is a big advocate for dog rescues and breast cancer research. Above all, her greatest joy is being a mom to her daughter and planning their next big adventure together.
Meghanne Uptigrove
Content Manager
Meghanne is a journalist with a background in academic writing, editing and media relations. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia in 2019, where she received her first publication in the UBC Journal of Political Studies for her work exploring transitional justice in post-conflict regimes. Meghanne then started her career in public relations before transitioning into her role as a journalist and producer at Postmedia Network. Her work, including a range of non-profit and International Women’s Day features, has been published on the National Post, Vancouver Sun, Montreal Gazette and more.
A born-and-raised Calgarian, Meghanne loves to spend her free time outside, playing sports and exploring Alberta’s backyard.
Barb Williams
Fractional Controller
Over the past 38 years, Barb has dedicated herself to collaborating with business owners, enhancing their business management capabilities, and fostering the growth of their enterprises. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in teaching bookkeeping and accounting, impacting thousands of small business owners by empowering them to manage their own financial tasks effectively.
With a demonstrated ability to tailor communication to her clients’ needs, she excels in fostering their skill development and financial understanding. She eagerly explores new methods, applications, and processes to benefit her clients, often designing personalized solutions in Excel and researching and implementing compatible technology stacks. Balancing a full-time workload and overseeing her own retail corporation, Barb also provides comprehensive bookkeeping services and support to her personal business clientele.
Charlsey Brunne
Stakeholder Engagement Director
Charlsey is a seasoned business leader with more than 20 years of experience in the multi-residential real estate industry. As a senior operations executive, she led a team of regional leaders and hundreds of front-line teams across Canada with a focus on providing exceptional customer experience through thoughtful and collaborative communication.
A proud Canadian, Charlsey was born and raised in Brampton, Ontario, where she still lives in her family home. She has a great respect for our nation and a keen interest in Canada’s economic stability and natural resources.
Her passions include fitness, travel, cooking and entertaining. You can solidify any relationship by breaking bread together! She is most herself near the water — whether it’s her backyard pool oasis or on a lake in northern Ontario, the ocean or sea. Her favourite place to travel of late has been Europe; Spain, Portugal and France are some of her favourite destinations.