This month I had the privilege of stepping up as keynote speaker for the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Calgary — BPW Calgary — to talk about the work of Every Woman Foundation, the organization I founded and lead as Executive Director.

BPW Calgary is a supportive network of professional women from diverse industries, all focused on developing the leadership potential of women across the city. Through education, awareness, advocacy, and mentoring, their mission is to improve the economic, employment, political, and social conditions for all working women. It’s a mandate I recognized instantly, because it mirrors so much of what Every Woman Foundation was built to do.

Their regular events bring in guest speakers to discuss topics of local and global importance, and members have access to a free mentorship program tailored to their needs, along with quarterly professional development sessions on the issues that matter most to women. Being invited to join that lineup and speak about our foundation felt like a natural fit.

In my talk, I shared the story behind Every Woman Foundation: why it exists, the outreach programs and cultural events we’ve built to promote equality and inclusion for women from all backgrounds, and what it’s meant to grow this work here in Calgary. Rooms full of women like the ones BPW brings together are exactly the audience this mission is for — professionals already invested in each other’s success, already asking how to do more.

Founding an organization is one thing. Standing in front of a room and explaining why it matters, and watching people nod along because they’ve lived the same barriers, is another. That’s the part of this work I never take for granted.

Thank you to BPW Calgary for the invitation, and for the work they do connecting and elevating professional women across this city. I’m looking forward to seeing where our paths cross again.