YW Calgary recently hosted their 111th Annual General Meeting which highlighted some of the amazing accomplishments of the past year, as well as welcoming the new Chair of the YWCA Board of Directors, Sharon Carry.

Lara Murphy, who filled the role of Board Chair since 2020 – in the midst of the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, officially concluded her term. Co-founder of Ryan Murphy Construction, Lara joined the YW Calgary Board of Directors in 2016 bringing with her a wealth of industry expertise which was critical to the success of the YW Hub facility and has had a significant impact on the YW Sheriff King Home Redevelopment Project.

Despite having spent the vast majority of her term as Board Chair virtual, Lara dug in and continued to bring her knowledge, humour, and passion for the work YW Calgary does to the role and to the organization.

Sharon is a passionate visionary who has transformed post-secondary education for adult learners. From 1997 to 2017 Sharon served as President and CEO of Bow Valley College, overseeing its transformation from a quiet vocational school under direct day-to-day management of the Alberta Government when she took the role, to the largest college in the province and an entrepreneurial leader in online learning today. Sharon joined the YW Board in 2018 and starting in 2020 she worked alongside Lara as Vice Chair throughout the pandemic.

YW congratulates Sharon as she takes on this new role and extend our most heartfelt thanks to Lara for her time, her talent, and her commitment to YW Calgary over the last six years. Having such an incredible group of volunteer community members who contribute their time to YW ensures that we can continue to support women and their families while striving to meet the needs of an ever-evolving community.