As Chief Executive Officer of YW Calgary, Talia leads YWCA’s strategic priorities, including service innovation, systems resilience and community partnerships to advance safety, equity and opportunity with women and their families. Talia brings strategic depth and operational excellence by driving cultural transformation to ensure YW Calgary is a workplace of choice.

Talia has spent the past two decades in progressive leadership positions within the non-profit sector, with a focus on prevention services, evaluation, product design, social innovation, and impact. Since joining YW Calgary in 2019 as Chief Programs and People Officer, she advanced service innovation, strengthened key partnerships and championed a culture rooted in impact and accountability.

Holding a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Fraser Valley, Talia focused her thesis on preventing sexual exploitation of youth in Canada. She has completed the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Governance Essentials and Working Effectively with Boards programs, strengthening her commitment to effective governance and board leadership.

Prior to her role with YW, she led the development and launch of The Social Impact Lab, a place for exploring new models to address philanthropic disruption collaboratively in downtown Calgary. She held leadership positions with United Way of Calgary and Area and Mount Royal University as a part-time instructor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Boys and Girls Club of Calgary.

Since 2023, Talia has served as a Board Member with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, contributing her governance expertise and passion for the arts to support the organization’s mission.

Beyond her professional and volunteer commitments, Talia fuels another passion: RACING! With a self-diagnosed heavy right foot, Talia has had the need for speed her entire life! Talia’s first car was a 5.0 L Mustang and she didn’t have any trouble finding out where the speedo stopped. In 2025, she competed as the co-driver for team TADA Motorsports in the Targa Newfoundland 8-day, on-road rally event.

As Chief Financial Officer at YWCA Calgary, Bruce oversees the Finance, Facilities and Information Technology areas of the organization in addition to Risk Management, Compliance and Special Projects. Bruce has been the executive sponsor of several significant YWCA projects, including construction of the YWCA Crisis Shelter and Taylor Family Home as well as the implementation of the organization’s Enterprise Resource Planning and Human Resource Management software systems.

Experience and Expertise:

Bruce is known for his strategic leadership of finance and administrative teams at Board governed organizations. Prior to joining YWCA, Bruce held the role of Vice President, Administration and Chief Financial Officer at Banff Centre. Other roles include CFO of a TSX listed public company in Calgary and before that, partner at Grant Thornton LLP in Calgary and Toronto where he held numerous senior leadership positions.

Board and Volunteer Roles:

Bruce has a long history of community involvement. He has served on the boards of Banff Canmore Foundation, Discovery House Family Violence Prevention Society in Calgary, Rotary Club of Calgary Heritage Park as Vice President, the Calgary Chapter of Financial Executives International and York Support Services Network (YSSN) in Ontario. While at Banff Centre, he served on the Board of Trustees of Universities Academic Pension Plan (UAPP). Currently, Bruce serves on the Board of artPlace Canmore as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee.

Stacey Ashton brings more than 16 years of progressive leadership experience at YWCA Calgary, where she has played a key role in shaping and strengthening programs that support women, children and families. Her leadership has contributed to the growth and integration of core program areas, with a strong focus on responsive, trauma‑informed approaches that reflect the realities and strengths of the communities served.

Driven by a commitment to meaningful impact, Stacey brings expertise in strategic leadership, program design and cross‑sector collaboration. She is passionate about advancing systems and services that promote safety, stability and long‑term wellbeing while reducing barriers for individuals and families navigating complex challenges.

Stacey holds a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a focus on Organizational Leadership. She is committed to community service beyond her professional role and demonstrates that through her volunteer work on national and international boards, currently serving on the board of Baby’s Breath Canada.

Jennifer English serves as Vice President, Advancement and Engagement at YWCA Calgary, where she provides strategic leadership for the organization’s advancement and engagement portfolio, including fund development, marketing and communications, community engagement and government relations. In her role, Jennifer works to strengthen community partnerships, grow philanthropic support, advance YWCA Calgary’s mission, while expanding their reach and impact.

Jennifer brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in the charitable sector. Prior to joining YWCA Calgary, she served as Vice President, External Relations at Inn from the Cold, where she led a broad portfolio encompassing fund development, marketing and communications, community engagement and meal services. During her tenure, she played a key role in a period of significant organizational growth, helping to expand revenue, strengthen donor and community partnerships and support the organization’s evolving response to families facing homelessness.

Jennifer is recognized for her collaborative leadership style, strategic thinking and ability to build meaningful relationships with stakeholders. She is passionate about bringing people together around a shared purpose and creating strategies that drive sustainability and lasting impact.

Jennifer holds a Certificate in Leadership from Trinity Western University and is deeply committed to community involvement and volunteerism.

Aalia Ratani is a Partner with McKinsey & Company based in Calgary. She serves clients in the energy industry across a range of topics, including strategy, operations, organization and capability building. Prior to joining McKinsey, she worked at Husky Energy in various engineering roles. Aalia is passionate about giving back to the community and she also sits on boards and other strategic committees across Calgary. In 2019, Aalia was named top 40 under 40 in Calgary by Avenue Magazine.

She holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary and an MBA from INSEAD.

Gloria has worked as Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer in various organizations since 2004, providing financial literacy and experience in treasury to Private equity firms and shareholders. She has gained experience with mergers, acquisitions, and divestures including the structuring thereof and has expertise in implementing and improving corporate policies, accounting controls and finance and accounting systems.

She has worked extensively in acquiring debt and equity financing in both the private and public sector and has a strong hedging background in commodities, interest, and foreign exchange.

She is well known to the Finance committee of the YWCA Calgary as she has been an active Community Member for 14 years.

Deborah brings with her more than 20 years in the legal field with a particular focus on land planning and property assessments with Alberta Justice as Legal Counsel. She holds a Law Degree from the University of Calgary and has nearly a decade of experience as a member of a non-profit Board of Directors in the theatre and education sectors.

Emily Wang, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Senior Director, Clinical Advancement & Centre

Dr. Wang has worked in the field of mental health for over 30 years, starting as a front line worker at the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Wang holds a Master’s of Science in Educational Psychology, a Master’s of Art and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology.

Dr. Wang has been an invited speaker both internationally and nationally on many occasions, speaking most frequently about the impact of trauma on development to professional groups like educators, clinicians, Indigenous populations, ministries in Alberta and British Columbia and caregivers. She was responsible for the provincial training of the Neurosequential Model (NM) concepts and implementation in Alberta from April 2017-October 2018.

She currently works as a Senior Director of Clinical Advancement and Trauma Informed Services at Hull Services. Dr. Wang was an appointed Fellow of the Neurosequential Model Network between 2012-2020, and a specialist in Infant Parent Mental Health. She is an Adjunct Lecturer at Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, and a Sessional Instructor with the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. Dr. Wang is an Associate Member at Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education at University of Calgary, and as such is involved in several research projects related to child maltreatment and mental health. She has completed 445 hours of training in Reflective Practice and Supervision, and utilizes this skill as a tool to support others in leadership roles. Dr. Wang is the 2020 recipient of the University of California, Davis Continuing and Professional Education Parent-Infant and Child Institute “Bruce Perry, Spirit of the Child Award”.

Pritma is a Yale educated nurse executive and award-winning serial entrepreneur with 18 years of healthcare experience caring for patients at the bedside and in the boardroom. With her expertise in health informatics, Pritma co-founded Lavender, an online psychiatry and therapy office based in New York, and serving clients across the United States. She serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Victoria and the University of Calgary where she co-hosts: Now Innovating, A Research to Impact Podcast. Pritma is a member of the American Nurses Association Innovation Advisory Council and is particularly passionate about advocating for the profession of nursing to advance access to timely mental health care. Pritma has lived and worked in Calgary since 2006 and enjoys spending time with her husband & two young children.

Devon obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Alberta in 2023. Prior to entering law school, she completed a Bachelor of Commerce from MacEwan University with distinction. She is currently articling at MLT Aikins LLP and will be called to the Alberta bar this coming July. Devon will then be continuing in the Corporate practice group at MLT Aikins LLP.

Devon has a published paper with Dr. McKay White regarding the prevalence of economic abuse in Alberta. She has also developed and acted as the project lead for the immigration project for Student Legal Services at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law.

Devon also has experience volunteering with the King’s Bench Court Assistance Program, Edmonton Food Bank, MacEwan University, and UNICEF. In her free time, Devon enjoys traveling, yoga and spending time with her niece.

Megan is the Chief Information Officer for The Calgary Airport Authority. Proficient in driving technology and automation adoption, with over 15+ years of senior IT leadership experience with Air Canada, Enbridge Pipelines, WestJet and Shaw Communications Megan has developed initiatives, strategies and IT visions that advance corporate objectives.

Megan holds a Master of Business Administration and Management degree from Athabasca University and is a graduate of the Executive Business Program for Women Leaders from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is skilled in developing executive level strategic plans for enterprise business but also firmly believes in the concept of Tech for Good – the use of technology for positive social or environmental impact through collaborative efforts between technology companies, not for profits and individuals.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Megan proudly supports her grown children as they embark on their journeys. She also demonstrates her commitment to her community through various projects and volunteer opportunities, most recently with the Calgary Health Foundation as a Fund Development Council Member.

Jessica is a lawyer and associate in the corporate and capital markets group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. A proud Calgarian, she attended the University of Calgary for both her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Commerce.

As an associate at BLG, Jessica has developed a keen interest in corporate law and honed her skills assisting organizations secure funding, enter public markets, and establish strong governance structures and internal policies. Jessica is an adept strategic thinker and excellent communicator, and she excels at synthesizing complex legal concepts into concise, easy to understand ideas.

During her legal education, Jessica volunteered with Pro Bono Students Canada and Student Legal Assistance. She is particularly proud of her time spent as a law student volunteer on the Consent Project, where she helped educate high school students about legal consent and sexual assault. Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Jessica enjoys exploring Calgary’s thriving food scene, traveling to new places, and spending time with her dog, friends and family.

Lisa is an innovative entrepreneur and chartered accountant with experience in international finance.

As the CEO of Neal’s Yard Remedies Canada, Lisa is the strategic leader and visionary for development and operations across Canada. With vast experience ranging from public accounting to B2C sales and strategic consulting, she also shares her passion and expertise as a Senior Consultant at Citrus Capital Partners where she provides business planning support and coaching.

Lisa is a graduate from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce. She is a member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Finance and Audit Committee, the Director of the 4th Street Calgary Business Improvements Area and Treasurer of REAP Calgary.