Chair
Jill Thygesen has a Chartered Accountant designation (CA, CPA) complemented by a bachelor’s degree with a double major in Economics and French Language and Literature. She has a strong background in the fields of finance, accounting, and risk management, all honed during her time as an auditor at Ernst & Young LLP. During her career, Jill has become well-versed in the financial needs of NPOs. She is excited to bring her passion for accounting and finance to the Board Chair position.
Jill has a love for traveling that took her abroad during her undergraduate degree and backpacking through South-east Asia for 4 months - it was no surprise that she jumped at the chance to live in Cologne, Germany for 13 months while working for Ernst & Young. She enjoys spending summers at the lake, snowboarding in the winter, and, yoga and reading year-round. She is quickly becoming an avid, albeit amateur, rock climber.
Jill strongly believes in empowering women and girls, and in particular, ensuring women and girls have equal choice and opportunity when pursuing their goals. She is very excited to join InMotion Network where this empowerment and opportunity can be seen firsthand!
Vice Chair
Jaz Ramage has Bachelor's Degrees in Education and Arts, with a focus in English and History. She has also worked in sport and recreation for over 15 years, with experience in the non-profit, government, and private sectors. Currently, Jaz works as the membership and marketing manager for Rock Jungle Climbing. She seeks to promote an inclusive and equitable space for anyone who want to experience rock climbing, with a special focus on creating a welcoming environment for women and non-binary climbers.
Outside of work, Jaz spends a lot of her time reading and (you guessed it) rock climbing. In the summer, you'll find her camped out with friends at climbing crags in Jasper, Banff, and beyond. She loves reading feminist theory and socio-political analysis, as well as lots of fantasy and sci-fi. She is especially interested in the ways different narrative lenses are capable of actually constructing different realities, and wants to apply this understanding of story-telling to help change the cultural narratives we hold about women and girls in sport.
Treasurer
Jel's experience as a newcomer working with a non-profit organization has given her a deeper understanding of the obstacles faced by girls, particularly those who are new to the community. Because of this she would like to empower girls and help them build their confidence, self esteem and leadership skills through sports. To cultivate their enthusiasm for sports by providing opportunities for them to participate in different activities.
Joining the board of directors will provide her with the platform to make a notable difference in the lives of the girls as well as her skills to make a meaningful impact in the lives of girls who are committed to grow and develop through sports.
Secretary
Elizabeth Robert is a lawyer currently working as an associate at Brownlee LLP in Edmonton. She has a general commercial litigation practice, with a focus on public procurement and construction. Elizabeth is also familiar with the particular challenges of non-for-profit boards, representing Edmonton and area NFPs in a variety of contract disputes. A lifelong resident of the Edmonton area, Elizabeth has been an active member of a variety of girls and women's sports teams, primarily playing ringette and lacrosse. She has experienced first hand the benefits that regular physical activity and team sports can bring to a young girl's life.
In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys playing hockey with her fellow law alumni and spending time with her family. She is an avid reader and when not in the office, can be found at the library or curled up with a good book.
Director
Celestina Arubike holds the Chartered Professional Accountant designation (CPA, CGA), an international accounting designation (ACA), and an MBA. She has over two decades of professional experience gained both locally and overseas in finance, accounting, and business administration. Celestina was born and brought up in Nigeria and immigrated to Canada in 2010 with her husband. She is currently an entrepreneur managing an accounting business.
A strong believer in the power of quality interpersonal relationships, Celestina describes herself as a tribe builder, an advocate, and a facilitator assisting individuals who come her way stay positive enabling effective good mental health of persons. For these reasons, she volunteers in many organizations mentoring women and girls in three of them to play her part in society, and is excited about joining InMotion Network's board.
To keep a healthy work-life balance Celestina relaxes by taking regular long walks. She stays active by going to the gym and values the social atmosphere when she is there. She takes her curiosity to the kitchen by exploring varieties of recipes from multiple countries to learn more about people and their cultures.
Director
Jill Winther is a lawyer at Brownlee LLP, where she maintains a broad civil litigation and insurance practice. With experience defending commercial general liability, personal injury, Occupiers’ Liability, and municipal claims, as well as investigating insurance fraud and advising clients on coverage matters, Jill is skilled advocate for her clients. She brings valuable skills in strategic planning, risk management, and conflict resolution to the organization.
In addition to her legal career, Jill is a passionate sports enthusiast and continues to play women’s hockey and baseball. Growing up in a small town in south-central Alberta, she understands the challenges that young girls face in accessing sports opportunities in rural areas. Outside of work, Jill enjoys playing hockey, baseball, and golf. She also has a love for reading fantasy novels and writing fiction, and spends an excessive amount of time cuddling with her cat.
Director
Jen Goeres has been involved in sport and recreation for over 25 years, working and volunteering for not-for-profit, municipal, provincial, and national organizations. She obtained a Bachelor of Kinesiology (Adapted and Therapeutic Physical Activity) and a Bachelor of Education (Secondary Physical Education) from the University of Calgary and currently works as an educator with Calgary Catholic School Division as well as a Practicum Advisor in the Faculty of Education - St. Mary's University (Calgary). She also is the owner and founder of WordPLAY Consulting Inc., an all-women team focusing on creating innovative learning and development opportunities across the sport, recreation and education sectors with a particular focus on empowering organizations to engage more girls and women in sport. When Jen is not cheering on her twins at the hockey rink, rugby pitch, or golf course, she enjoys being outdoors, hiking, downhill skiing and camping with her friends and family. She is excited to join the InMotion Network to support and advocate for more girls and women getting involved and becoming leaders within the sport, physical activity, and recreation (SPAR) sector within Alberta.
Director
Chelsea Stellick has a Masters degree in Economics from the University of Alberta and is currently completing her PhD in Psychiatry. She currently works for Deutsche Bank in New York where she is able to mix both of her experiences and expertise in finance and healthcare in her role in equity research. Prior to that, Chelsea was a Bay Street Equity Research Analyst covering the Canadian Biotech and Healthcare sectors.
Born and raised in Calgary, AB Chelsea has grown up around the Alberta sports and arts scene through her time with The Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede and the Calgary Stampeders Outriders Cheer Team. In her spare time, Chelsea enjoys traveling, hiking and being active with her two boys under two. She is passionate about gender equality and breaking down the glass ceiling in the workplace. She looks forward to sharing her experiences and passion to support and empower women and girls to participate in sport and physical activity.
Director
Director
Amanda has invested the last 20 years working and volunteering in the non-profit sport and recreation industry. With a Diploma in Exercise Science and a Bachelor of Business and Entrepreneurship she comes equipped to help tackle the barriers that women and girls face in physical activity today. Specializing in programs and leadership, she is keen to put her skills to work to create more opportunities for girls in sport and recreation with InMotion Network.
Outside of work, you can find Amanda spending time with her family, going on road trips, enjoying the outdoors, camping or playing sports.
Director
Director
Omaima Waqar is a dedicated professional with a passion for both immigration law and sports. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Omaima is currently pursuing a Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law at Queen’s University. As a Legal Assistant, she has extensive experience in the field of Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada, combining legal expertise with a commitment to community development.
Beyond her legal career, Omaima is the co-founder of the Calgary Women’s Cricket Organization, the first and most active women's cricket group in Calgary. With over 10 years of experience in sports management and an ICC Level 1 coaching certification, she is deeply committed to empowering women and girls through sports. Her role as a coach has allowed her to develop women’s cricket at various levels, fostering a safe, inclusive environment where athletes can break barriers and realize their full potential.
Omaima believes in the transformative power of sports to challenge stereotypes and build confidence, both on and off the field. She is passionate about creating opportunities for young women, so they can experience the same empowerment she once wished for as a young athlete.
Director
Kyla Meyers is an accomplished professional with over a decade of experience in the sport and recreation industry. She holds a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management. Through her education and professional experience, Kyla has a strong focus on fund development, program management, event planning, communications, and community engagement. She excels at building and nurturing relationships with diverse stakeholders to drive successful initiatives and foster long-term support.
Outside of work, Kyla enjoys running and being active, being outdoors camping, and always has multiple books on the go. She also loves to travel, taking every opportunity she can to explore a new corner of the world.
In addition to her technical and leadership skills, Kyla is passionate about inclusion in sport and strives to establish safe and equitable environments for all participants. Kyla has previously led initiatives promoting diversity and safe sport and is excited to continue advocating for inclusion while working with InMotion Network.
