South areas district representatives

It is an incredible privilege to officially represent the dedicated, hardworking teachers of the South East for the next two years. I deeply appreciate the value of relationships and the essential need for teacher support. I remain committed to working closely with local presidents and their executives, as well as providing individual teacher support. I visit schools as often as I can and am devoted to continuing this important work.

Advocating for education and supporting teachers has always been my passion. My journey with the ATA began during my university years, and now, with nearly 30 years of service at both local and provincial levels—as well as participation on numerous committees—I have gained a broad provincial perspective on the challenges our locals and the broader education system face. This wealth of experience enhances my ability to serve you effectively.

I strongly believe in holding the government accountable for its actions—or lack thereof—on key issues. Teachers must be recognized as the experts in education. As professionals who shape the lives of children, we also have a responsibility to help parents and communities better understand and appreciate the work we do.

At the provincial table, it is crucial to have representatives who approach issues thoughtfully, who avoid reactive decision making, and who are prepared to take meaningful action that benefits teachers. I am proud to be willing to fight for teachers and be a strong advocate who listens attentively, acts assertively when necessary and always strives to meet the needs of our profession.

As a teacher in southeast Alberta, I am honored to serve as your district representative. I will continue to support our locals and represent your voice at the Provincial Executive Council. Together, we can ensure a stronger future for teachers and education.

Platform

Public education is the backbone of Alberta society. We accept students from around the world into our schools. We teach every student, no matter what their background, we nurture them, we help them find their passions, and we turn out contributing members of society. Public education is worth fighting for, and I promise to continue that fight.

Government policies that don’t account for contextual needs, social media vitriol, and active campaigns to undermine public education and the professionalism of our teachers are taking a toll. The new curriculum needs to be fixed, and we must advocate to depoliticize the process. Excessive assessment and reporting of data in elementary is time consuming with little useful information gained. Our elementary teachers have better things to do, like getting to know their students, establishing routines and actually teaching!

ATA priorities must include advocating for a salary increase, reductions to class sizes and support for complexity. We need to continue to engage our members as we fight for better working conditions whilst maintaining our status as the authoritative voice of the profession.

Biography

It is an honour to represent the teachers of the South West and I look forward to continuing to be your voice on Provincial Executive Council (PEC). Besides my work with locals and on provincial committees, I am the PEC liaison to the South Western Alberta Teachers' Convention Association, to the University of Lethbridge Teacher Education Advisory Committee and the Lethbridge Area Field Experiences Committee, and to the Mathematics Council and Le Conseil français. Prior to running for district representative, I served for eight years as local president and five years as treasurer of Palliser Local No. 19. I have taught with Palliser for 27 years, and currently teach high school mathematics, physics and French at Noble Central School.