Our Team

Kate Boyd (she/her)

President

Karen Shelton (she/her)

Treasurer

Karen Thomson (she/her)

Secretary

After completing her degree in Management, Karen moved to Banff in 2019 to hit the hiking trails for what she thought would be a couple of months. Years later, she’s still here enjoying the lakes, trails, and everything else life in the Bow Valley has to offer.

Throughout her life, Karen has been fortunate to have mentored, and been mentored by, many strong women and girls. To continue this trend – and fuelled by a belief in a safer, more equitable society that empowers women – she joined the YWCA Banff Board in 2024.

Karen also works in strategy at Banff & Lake Louise Tourism and is passionate about the sustainable future of tourism in this special part of the world.

Jessica Wheatley (she/her)

Director

Jessica is a Professional Engineer living and working in the Bow Valley, taking particular pride in working on the projects that make a difference in the lives of people within her community. Away from work, you’ll find her enjoying the mountains mountain biking, hiking, camping, on a paddle board or advocating for active transportation within our communities. Looking to further support the many local initiatives the YWCA is leading, Jessica is thrilled to have joined the board in 2021.

Sarah Freeman (she/her)

Director

Rooted in compassion, grace, and kindness, Sarah (She/Her) is a coach, entrepreneur, endurance and pool swimmer, and community leader passionate about guiding women and girls to lean into their potential and pursue their vision.

As Executive Director of the Bow Valley Chamber of Commerce, she supports and champions businesses across the region while also advancing opportunities for women in business.  Sarah is also serving as a Board Director with the YWCA Banff.
 
For over 15 years, she has led a successful swim squad for all genders, alongside running women’s swim clinics and recently launching Girls Who Rise Together, a dry-land workshop for girls who are swimmers. Sarah also founded Swim It Forward, which sponsors two young women ages 18–30 each year who have faced adversity and are ready to pursue their swim dreams.

In all that she does —whether in the pool, the community, or in business—She is committed to creating spaces where women and girls feel seen, heard, and supported, knowing that each moment of growth creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond the individual.

Sarah Lonz (she/her)

Director

Sarah, originally from Ottawa, Ontario, spent the last 10 years working at Banff Mineral Springs Hospital as a Registered Nurse before advancing into a managerial role. She has since transitioned to Canmore General Hospital, where she currently serves as the Site Manager. With a background in nursing and healthcare leadership, Sarah’s career has been driven by her commitment to improving systems that directly impact the well-being of individuals and families.

Sarah is completing a Master’s in Leadership with a specialization in Healthcare at Royal Roads University. Her research is focused on strengthening inter-organizational collaboration in Banff to enhance the local mental health and addiction care system. Sarah also volunteers as the Board Chair for the Homelessness Society of the Bow Valley. Dedicated to people-centered initiatives, Sarah is committed to developing services and resources that address the diverse needs of the community.

Outside of her professional role, Sarah is an outdoor enthusiast where she spends her weekends hiking and trail running, finding balance in the natural beauty of the Bow Valley. Sarah’s leadership is defined by her commitment to collaboration and community engagement and is excited to bring her experience in leading teams and advocating for systemic change to YWCA Banff.

Anya Knechtel (she/her)

Director

Anya Knechtel joined the Board of the YWCA Banff in 2025, and previously served as a community member volunteer on the YWCA’s Program Committee. Throughout her career, Anya has worked with not-for-profit environmental and international development organizations on gender and environmental issues. Her work has focused on advancing rights-based approaches to climate action and planning; engaging in intersectional gender-based analysis, research, and policy advocacy, and; designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues and capacity building initiatives. Locally, Anya has worked with the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership (covering a parental leave) and volunteers for community-building initiatives such as the Bow Valley College’s Mentorship for Rural Immigrants program. Anya holds a Masters of Arts in Planning from University of British Columbia, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Politics and Development Studies from Queen’s University. Anya grew up in Banff, and now lives in Canmore. Anya is an avid skier and hiker, and finds the greatest joy in spending time in the mountains with family and friends.

Emily Morgan (she/her)

Director

Emily moved to the Bow Valley after completing her degree in Engineering in the UK, and has spent the past seven years working across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Now as the Founder and Principal of Cascade Collaborative, she partners with organizations and entrepreneurs to strengthen systems and strategies that enable them to deliver meaningful impact in their communities.

Emily also serves as the Executive Director of the Star 6 Ranch Foundation, where she stewards land-based programs that address health and wellness challenges through connection to community and environment.

She is honoured to join YWCA Banff’s Board of Directors, believing deeply in the power of women supporting women, and is excited to contribute to the Y’s mission of creating a safe, equitable community where women can thrive.

When she’s not working, Emily enjoys skiing and exploring the beauty of Treaty 7 with her husband.

Joanna McCallum

Director

Joanna McCallum is a former Town Councilor with the Town of Canmore, bringing more than 15 years of municipal governance and leadership experience to the Director role. Drawing on her own lived experience with homelessness as a child, Joanna spent her political career championing innovative non-market housing solutions for seniors, women, and families, driving results in poverty relief, and advocating for the expansion of public transportation in the Bow Valley.
Joanna has led teams and fostered municipal collaboration throughout her many years of service as Chair of Bow Valley Regional Housing, Chair of Canmore Community Housing, and Chair of Roam Transportation. She moves fluidly between policy and strategy, backed by a deep understanding of the Bow Valley’s social service and housing ecosystem.
Joanna’s connection to the Banff Y began through her daughter’s multi-year participation in the impactful Power of a Girl program starting in 2014, which led to further involvement in YWCA Banff initiatives such as Walk a Mile and the Change Makers Awards.
At this pivotal time for the Banff YWCA, Joanna is excited to pitch in and drive success in housing and supporting women and girls through the Higher Ground project in Canmore.

Melanie Weber

Director

Melanie has a combined engineering / business background, and is an experienced senior leader with executive experience in delivering a wide range of projects from the planning and development stage, regulatory approvals, through to engineering, construction and completion. She is a passionate and dedicated leader and mentor, and is proud of her successes in building strong, effective and diverse teams. She has extensive experience with Joint Venture and Board committee management (industry as well as non-profit), and executive-level project stewardship.

She retired from corporate life in 2023 to Canmore is enjoying many mountain activities including hiking, cycling and skiing.

She is excited to work with the YWCA board through the next transformational stage to support the evolving needs in the Bow Valley, while continuing to build a safe, inclusive community.

Lisa de Soto

Director

Lisa de Soto is the former Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Canmore and brings more than 30 years of municipal leadership experience to the Board. During her tenure as CAO, Lisa built a culture of integrity, openness, and collaboration with a focus on achieving real accomplishment. To do this she modeled the type of behavior, ethics, and accountability the organization wished to embody and connected the work of staff to citizen satisfaction and the betterment of community. Lisa is excited to join the YWCA’s Board a t a time of transformational growth. And is especially looking forward to lending her expertise to the development of the Higher Ground project in Canmore.

Stephanie Kuchurski

Director

Stephanie Kucharski, CPA, CGA, is excited to join the Banff YMCA Board of Directors, bringing over 30 years of Bow Valley roots and a deep commitment to the community she calls home.
As the owner of her public accounting practice in Canmore, Stephanie looks forward to helping the team understand the organization’s financial health. Living and working in the area for three decades has given her firsthand insight into the unique realities of mountain resort life—including the high cost of living, a transient workforce, and the isolation many local shift workers feel.
Stephanie has a long history of giving back to the valley where she and her husband raised their two kids. Her past community involvement includes serving on the Canmore Illusions Gymnastics board, the Canmore Collegiate High School (CCHS) council, and participating in Teepee Town community planning.
As a new board member, Stephanie is eager to channel her financial expertise into supporting the YMCA’s vision for diversity, inclusion, and safety, with a strong focus on championing women’s rights and gender equity.
When she’s off the clock, you’ll find Stephanie fully embracing the mountain lifestyle—outdoors biking, hiking, skiing, and running.