A little more about me…
I grew up in a union household.
My mother was a provincial public service worker and my dad a millwright and proud steelworker. Some of my earliest memories are tied to what I believe solidarity looks like. I remember my father going on strike and the way the community came together to support one another. I clearly remember a communal food pantry, with juice boxes, which I was very excited about at the time because that was just something we didn’t have as a kid. I know it was a tough period for my dad and his coworkers, but people showed up for each other. No one was left to figure it out alone. I also remember the other side of union life, the Christmas parties, the family skates, the sense that the union wasn’t just about work, it was about community. That stayed with me.
I grew up in a small town, Castlegar, BC, and when it came time to go to post-secondary, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to study, but I knew I did well in science. So I applied to the University of Lethbridge to study biology. That decision ended up shaping my whole path.
Because the University of Lethbridge is a smaller university, I was able to get into the co-op program early and build strong relationships with my professors. That led to a co-op placement at the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre in 2005, and that’s where my career in the public service began.
Me at work, in the field, collecting samples as a term employee
Well… not quite that simple.
In typical government fashion, I finished my degree and then spent almost six years working in term positions before finally landing an indeterminate role as a research technician in 2011. That experience shaped how I think about job security, fairness, and why stable work matters.
Even as a term employee, I got involved in PSAC. I attended my first young worker conference in 2009 and took several union trainings to better understand our collective agreement and the role we all play in our union. But more than anything, I was learning about the power we have when we come together.
1st Young Worker Conference, Edmonton 2009
Over the years, I became more and more involved.
Listen to my whole story on the Alberta Worker Podcast.
In 2013, I was proud to be a founding member of the Lethbridge Regional Women’s Committee. There, I had the opportunity to sit alongside strong mentors, learn the ins and outs of the union, and be part of real, tangible wins like advocating for expanded birth control coverage under the Public Service Health Care Plan.
Marching in the March 8th International Women’s Day in Guatemala as part of the Education in Action delegation, 2015
In 2015, I took on the role of President of the Lethbridge Area Council. Around that same time, I was also part of an all-women delegation through Education in Action to Guatemala, an experience that broadened my perspective on solidarity and the global labour movement.
In 2016, I enrolled in the Union Leadership Development Program, which pushed me to grow as a leader and think more intentionally about how we build power within our union.
From there, I continued to take on new roles:
In 2017, I became Vice-President representing PSAC on the Alberta Federation of Labour Executive Council
In 2017, I was also elected to the Prairie Region Council as the Area Council Representative
In 2018, I became President of the Lethbridge and District Labour Council
In 2021, I was elected Alternate Regional Executive Vice-President, a role I currently serve in
Each of these roles built on the last. Each one grounded me more deeply in this work.
That’s what brings me to this moment.
Everything I’ve experienced , from growing up in a union household, to working as a term employee, to taking on leadership roles, has shaped how I see this work and the responsibility that comes with it. I care deeply about our union and the people in it.
I’m ready to bring that experience forward and continue building a strong, connected Prairie Region, together.
