A Festival, A Movement, A Legacy.

Running a Pride organization isn’t just about rainbows and glitter (though, obviously, those are important). It’s about strategic growth, community impact, and making sure the celebration of 2SLGBTQ+ identities is sustainable, inclusive, and powerful.

When I stepped in as Executive Director of Calgary Pride, the organization was already making waves—but it needed a serious glow-up to match the growing needs of the community.

Over five years, I led a complete transformation, turning Calgary Pride from a scrappy, underfunded nonprofit into a thriving, powerhouse organization that was financially stable, strategically savvy, and more inclusive than ever.

Alchemy in Action

Financial Growth & Stability

Secured 171% more funding through sponsorships, grants, and strategic partnerships, ensuring Calgary Pride wasn’t just surviving—it was thriving. Expanded the operating budget by 498%, creating space for ambitious programming, top-tier events, and long-term sustainability.

A Pride for Everyone

Expanded accessibility initiatives, increased ASL interpretation, and created designated safe spaces for marginalized community members. While no event can be truly accessible to all, every effort was made to remove barriers and create a Pride that welcomed and supported as many people as possible.

Beyond the Parade

Transformed Pride from a festival into a platform for education, advocacy, and community connection with impactful programs, including:

  • Reading With Royalty – A children's literacy program celebrating 2SLGBTQ+ representation, featuring drag performers and community leaders reading inclusive stories.

  • Queerly Festive – A holiday event providing a safe, welcoming space for community members, especially those without affirming families.

  • Ally Toolkit Conference – A three-day intensive conference bringing together community organizers, healthcare professionals, and corporate leaders. It provided a holistic model of wellness, practical allyship training, and strategic tools to help organizations build more equitable communities​.

Leading Real Change

  • Conversion Therapy Ban – Played a key role in pushing for and supporting Calgary’s municipal ban, setting a precedent for broader legislative change.

  • Equity & Inclusion Initiatives – Championed intersectional programming, centering BIPOC and marginalized voices within Pride’s events, leadership, and decision-making.

  • Blind Jury Selection for Parade Entrants – Introduced a blind jury process to select parade participants based solely on their applications, without jurors knowing how others voted. This removed bias, prevented political favoritism, and ensured the parade lineup truly reflected Calgary’s diverse 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Evolving in a Crisis

  • Virtual Pride Festival – Produced 60+ hours of online programming, bringing drag performances, panel discussions, and interactive events to 30,000+ households.

  • The Learning Series – Curated 174 free educational workshops, covering everything from gender diversity to workplace inclusion, reaching businesses, community leaders, and individuals.

  • Our Pride Fundraising Initiative – Launched "Our Pride", a fundraising initiative designed to support local 2SLGBTQ+ businesses and community organizations struggling due to COVID-19. This campaign connected Pride supporters directly with small businesses, helping sustain vital community spaces and services.

Organizational Efficiency

  • Policy & Procedure Development – Developed and implemented 300+ policies and 130+ operational procedures, streamlining operations, strengthening governance, and creating consistency across all initiatives.

  • Project Management System Integration – Transitioned Calgary Pride’s workflows into an advanced project management system integrated with Google Workspace, ensuring seamless coordination across events, programs, and advocacy work.

Revolutionizing Leadership

To move away from hierarchical leadership and foster a more equitable and resilient organization, I led Calgary Pride’s shift from an Executive Director model to a collaborative management team. This:

  • Replaced the President and Vice President roles with Co-Chairs and Board Officers, ensuring more distributed decision-making.

  • Created a three-person management team responsible for key operational areas: event production, communications, and fund development​.

  • Developed a framework for ongoing accountability and intersectional leadership, including an Intersectional Advisory Council to ensure decision-making remained community-driven​.

The Legacy

By the time I passed the torch, Calgary Pride was more than just a festival—it was an evolved movement backed by financial stability, strong community partnerships, and an infrastructure built to last. It had grown into one of Canada’s largest and most dynamic Pride organizations, ensuring that the fight for visibility, equity, and celebration wasn’t just an annual event—it was embedded in the city’s cultural fabric.

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    Website
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    Co-Founder, Evolved Organizational Development

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    LinkedIn
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    Fund Development Professional

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    Executive Director, CQAS & Calgary Poert Laureate

    website
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    CEO, Alchemy Communications

    website
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    Marketing Director & Digital Media Strategist

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