Engagement Forum: International Women’s Day

Karen Dommett is a nationally recognized sport executive with more than 15 years of experience in major events, partnership development, and sport system leadership across Canada. She currently serves as Executive Director of the 2026 Grey Cup Festival, bringing a people-first approach to delivering Canada’s largest annual sporting event while building meaningful community and corporate partnerships. Karen previously led the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024, where she championed athlete-centered experiences, inclusive engagement, and cross-sector collaboration to advance sport participation for equity-deserving communities. Karen’s commitment to disability inclusion earned her name on Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 class of 2025. 

Rebecca Morley is the Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff to the CEO at AltaGas. In her role, Rebecca serves as a strategic partner to the CEO, responsible for driving alignment, execution, and communication across the Executive Leadership Team and broader organization on strategic initiatives and special projects. She brings a blend of strategic insight and operational rigor to ensure the CEO’s priorities are translated into actionable outcomes and works to provide clarity on complex issues, accelerate decision-making, and foster collaboration and communication across functions.

Prior to AltaGas Rebecca most recently served as Vice President, Investor Relations & Insurance at Enbridge, where she provided strategic leadership and oversight for all investor relations and insurance activities, Prior to moving into investor relations, Rebecca had a diverse career that includes serving as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company, where she advised senior executives on strategy, performance transformation, and organizational effectiveness.

Rebecca has also been a dedicated volunteer and community leader, serving on several boards including the YWCA of Calgary and Winsport. In recognition of her community service, she was named one Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 and in 2022, received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance, Honours) from St. Francis Xavier University, is a CFA Charterholder, and holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Outside of work, Rebecca is a proud mom of two daughters and loves spending time with her family, friends, and dogs. She is passionate about the outdoors, and you will often find her in the mountains riding her bike, hiking up trails, or skiing down slopes

Karen Ramchuk is a highly respected leader, award-winning advocate, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Women In Need Society of Calgary (WINS), a charity dedicated to empowering women and families facing poverty and adversity.

Recognized for her outstanding contributions to both social justice and the business sector, Karen has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal. She serves as a member of the Trico Foundation, where she helps to advance social change, and represented Canada at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, advocating for policies to promote gender equality worldwide. Additionally, Karen is an advisor to the Chiu School of Business at Bow Valley College, shaping the next generation of leaders who will continue the work of positive change.

Under Karen’s leadership, WINS has flourished, blending social impact with sustainable business practices. The organization generates approximately 75% of its annual revenue through a successful social enterprise model, ensuring the long-term sustainability of WINS’ community programs. These programs provide barrier-free, compassionate support to individuals and families in a safe, welcoming environment. WINS serves a diverse population, including Canadian residents, newcomers to Canada, refugees, Indigenous peoples, senior citizens, members of the LGBTQ+ community, children and youth, and women escaping domestic violence or living in poverty.

Karen is a strong advocate for female empowerment, inclusive leadership, and equal opportunities for all genders. Her leadership is reflected in her team at WINS, which is comprised of over 70% women and individuals identifying as female. Together, they work tirelessly to move others from surviving to thriving, creating lasting positive change in the lives of those they serve.

Through her guidance, Karen has not only transformed WINS but has also made a lasting impact on the broader Calgary community and beyond, inspiring others to embrace equity, kindness, and collective action

Kate Thompson is the President and CEO of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC). She is responsible for the overall direction, business strategy, and operations of the organization, overseeing more than $1 billion in development projects in East Calgary. In her day-to-day, she negotiates complex multi-party deals and champions critical city-building initiatives in support of a vibrant downtown.  

As an alumna of the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape with a Master of Architecture, Kate has extensive experience in design and development. She has worked for private firms in Calgary and Europe, focusing on institutional design; and ran her own design-build firm for several years, constructing environmentally responsible residential developments.  

Kate is a registered member of the Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) and a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC). She shares her vast knowledge of architecture by teaching at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design as an Adjunct Professor. Additionally, she is passionate about developing new talent and provides mentorship for many young professionals in the field.  

Over the course of her career, Kate has been instrumental in elevating Calgary’s design landscape and enhancing the culture of design appreciation in the city. She has been awarded the Certificate of Merit by the American Institute of Architects, was named one of Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40, and one of YWCA’s 150 Women to Shape Calgary in the Last 150 Years. Most recently, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022.  

In support of Calgary’s future, Kate sits on several boards serving Calgarians, including the Calgary Economic Development Board and the Real Estate Sector Advisory Committee. She is the mother of two teenage boys, a basketball coach, and an avid skier.   

Melinda Park is the Regional Managing Partner of the Calgary office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) and a Partner in the firm’s Securities and Capital Markets Group. With more than 30 years of experience in securities, governance, corporate finance and commercial transactions, she is a trusted advisor to clients across Canada and internationally.  She regularly counsels boards of directors, public and private companies and not-for-profit organizations on governance, strategic planning, risk and complex transactions. A dedicated mentor and leader within the firm, she previously served as Chair of BLG’s Partnership Board, becoming the first woman to hold the role, and has played a key part in developing the next generation of legal talent.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the TSX Venture Exchange Local Advisory Committee. Her past governance roles include 6 years  on the Board of Governors of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, where she served as Chair and Vice-Chair. A frequent speaker on public company governance and women’s leadership, she has received numerous honours, including her 2024 appointment as King’s Counsel, the Women’s Executive Network Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, and the Calgary Influential Women in Business Award for Professional Services, along with longstanding recognition in leading legal directories.