Rose Council
YWCA Edmonton’s Rose Council is a passionate group of community members who are advocates committed to taking action on gender-based violence. As champions for the YWCA’s Rose Campaign and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, our Council Members are ambassadors and leaders, engaging the Greater Edmonton community on issues of gender-based violence, equity, and safety. We are proud to introduce you to our 2025 Council Members.
Felicia Michie, Rose Council Chair
Felicia is a management consultant specializing in strategy and governance and a partner with National Growth Partners. Her passion is helping leaders and boards overcome complex challenges that inhibit their growth potential. She holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Winnipeg and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Dalhousie University. In her governance roles, Felicia has brought her expertise to various boards, including Winnipeg Business for the Arts and HIV Edmonton, and she currently serves as the chair of YWCA Edmonton’s Rose Council.
Felicia’s WHY:
Felicia’s commitment to the Rose Council is deeply personal. She can speak firsthand about the transformative impact trauma services can have on children recovering from family violence. Sometimes, all children need is a safe space to explore and understand their experiences and feelings, which can help them to lead to a happy and healthy life. YWCA Edmonton provides these vital services, and Felicia hopes that all children in our community who need them will have access.
Anna Alfonso
Autumn Sorenson
Autumn grew up in Saskatchewan, attended the University of Alberta, and started a family in British Columbia. She is truly a Western Canadian! Autumn has worked with young children and their families as a Speech-Language Pathologist in two provinces and two states. Families of all types, across all walks of life, have graciously welcomed her into their homes and lives. She is incredibly humbled by the trust and vulnerability of families who are looking for support in communication and other areas of their lives.
Working with families in a variety of locations and systems has pushed Autumn to become a more competent professional and to enhance her understanding of the impact of community. She has seen first hand how systems, support, and education for families can create real, long-term, positive changes for both parents and their children. But when supports are not available, it can be devastating for the entire family unit. Autumn looks forward to partnering with the YWCA to promote healthy community and support for families dealing with domestic and gender based violence
Christa Eaton
Christa Eaton is a registered nurse with extensive experience in healthcare and has worked throughout AHS. She is currently working in community health, assisting in triaging and transition services from hospital to home and providing home care to the acute client population. Christa graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and continues to seek out educational opportunities. Christa has a passion for mentorship and volunteering with the more vulnerable members in our community.
Christa enjoys art and interior design as a creative outlet. Christa loves spending time outdoors walking her dog in the river valley, playing tennis and is just taking up golf.
Deborah Dodd
Deborah (Deb) Dodd is a Senior Partner with Aplin, a national staffing and recruiting agency headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. Deb works with organizations to source top talent in the technology industry and is the division lead for Aplin Information Technology. Deb has previously served on the Advisory Committee of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation Women’s Network and served as a member of the Edmonton Elks Women’s Dinner Committee from 2018–2021 to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer Research at the Louis Hole Hospital. She is a past member of the Edmonton Health City Working Group, an economic development initiative focused on retention and recruitment to advance the health innovation ecosystem in the Edmonton region. Deb holds a BA (Psychology) from Western University. She has received 11 consecutive top-performer awards in her industry and through her commitment to the community, Deb is working to set a good example for her children. She is looking forward to continuing in her role as a member of YWCA Edmonton’s Rose Council.
Dénes Németh
Dénes Németh leads AIMCo’s stakeholder relations function, responsible for establishing and strengthening the organization’s connection to our community and strategic partnerships. Since joining in 2010, Dénes’ responsibilities have included leading AIMCo’s corporate communications program, managing media relations, and overseeing the organization’s public affairs efforts. Prior to joining AIMCo, Dénes was responsible for European investment attraction at Edmonton Economic Development Corporation and later led the strategy for strengthening the region’s Financial Services and Petrochemical clusters. He has held marketing and consulting roles with local firms in Edmonton and earlier worked at MOL Group, Hungary’s national oil and gas company, based out of Budapest. Dénes holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours from the University of Alberta. A committed advocate for Greater Edmonton, Dénes believes the power of community can improve the quality of life for all. He is proud to serve as a member of the YWCA Rose Council and is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC).
Heidi Edgar
Heidi Edgar is a native Edmonton, Registered Psychologist, and mother of three. She currently runs Edgar Psychological, a psychology practice which she founded in 2014. Heidi focuses on many aspects of individual, couples, and family therapy, and is increasingly specializing in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy.
Through her work, Heidi has been witness to the for reaching impacts of gender-based violence on individuals, families, and communities, and she is eager to devote her time to the YWCA and its efforts to address this significant issue.
Outside of her work, Heidi enjoys running, travelling and spending time with her family.
Jill Dean
Kira Gregson
Kira is a Partner with Sequeira Partners, a boutique corporate advisory firm based in Western Canada, where she specializes in business valuation. Kira brings more than 14 years of experience in accounting and finance, and has advised a diverse client base, ranging from independent businesses to large publicly traded companies, across a variety of industries including industrial services, engineering, construction, and technology. Outside of the office, Kira regularly presents on the topic of private company valuations at the University of Alberta and sits on an advisory board for a local Edmonton-based business. In her downtime, she enjoys road biking, fueling her coffee addiction, and spending time with her husband and two young sons. Kira is honoured to sit on the 2025 Rose Council; she looks forward to engaging in important conversations and bringing awareness to the issues of gender-based violence to her communities and network.
Marilyn Cox
Marilyn is a former nurse with experience in obstetrics in both Alberta and the U.S. She has lived in Edmonton for over 40 years, raising her four children alongside her husband, Ron.
An active volunteer, Marilyn has served on boards and committees with Edmonton Public Schools, sports organizations, and political groups at both the civic and provincial levels. In recent years, she has focused on non-profits that enhance the well-being of the city and currently serves on the Board of the River Valley Alliance.
Marilyn’s passions include grandparenting, gardening, and golf. She has long admired the work of the Rose Council and looks forward to expanding its impact.
Mike Saunders
As Senior Vice President, Qualico Properties, Mike oversees the investment, development, leasing, property management and asset management of all Qualico income-producing properties, which includes mixed-use, office, retail, residential, and light industrial buildings. With a goal to help build better cities, Mike is focused on delivering on the mandate to grow the portfolio throughout Canada. Mike enjoys building high-performing teams by understanding individual strengths, empowering staff members, and leading by example. He works hard to grow and foster strong relationships within the industry.
Mike is a strong advocate for corporate responsibility and believes in the role businesses play in fostering gender equality. His support for the Rose Campaign – a national advocacy initiative dedicated to ending violence against women, girls, and gender minorities – stems from both his professional values and his personal life as a father to two daughters. He understands the importance of creating opportunities for women to succeed, ensuring safe and equitable environments, and using his platform to drive meaningful change.
Mike Vivian
Morgan Edgar
Born and raised in Edmonton, Morgan completed her Bachelor of Arts and LLB at the University of Alberta, after which she practiced law with a national law firm in both Edmonton and Vancouver. She now spends most of her time raising her two young children and derives a lot of meaning from being involved in the community. Morgan is a volunteer with Pilgrims Hospice Society and the University Hospital Foundation, and in her spare time is an avid tennis player and loves to read and cook. Morgan is thrilled to be a part of the Rose Council, to do what she can to support women in her community, and to work towards ending gender-based violence.
Nafisa Bowen
Nafisa Bowen is the Director of Sponsorship at Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) where she is responsible for building strong relationships with corporate partners, identifying and creating new opportunities for collaboration, and managing Amii’s sponsorship portfolio to support key initiatives in the community. She is an experienced non-profit leader with experience working in the charitable sector with large health-related charities, including STARS Air Ambulance and the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. In 2022, she was inducted into the Association of Healthcare
Philanthropy’s 40 Under 40 class, designed to recognize future leaders within the international healthcare fundraising profession.
Nafisa holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Ecology from the University of Alberta and
earned her designation as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). In her free time, she is an active volunteer within the community having served on numerous non-profit boards including CCI-LEX, ParityYEG, AFP Edmonton and Area Chapter and campaign cabinet member for MacEwan University’s Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity.
Shannon Butler
Shannon Butler has been Executive Coordinator of the Butler Family Foundation since 2007, and believes the YWCA is an organization that aligns with her family foundation’s core values. She has a passion for connecting people and working collaboratively. She believes that conversations can inspire real change and that the true measure of a community is how it comes together to support and value its most vulnerable members.
Ted Bauer
Ted Bauer has an extensive and diverse background in the political, journalism and non-profit sectors. He has long been a supporter of the YWCA and its programs. His governance experience encompasses several board positions, including time at Drive Happiness, and the Homeward Trust Indigenous Advisory Council. Ted is a member of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 8 and is a graduate of the University of Montana with a degree in Journalism and holds a citation from the University of Alberta.
Vandy Lipinski
Vandy has recently retired from over 35 years in the Oil Marketing sector, 25 of those years operating a sales and distribution business with her husband Danny.
Being a woman in business has taught Vandy that its not always easy on many fronts but the rewards and accomplishments have certainly outweighed the challenges.
Having been fortunate to attend the Rose Campaign Breakfast for the last several years, Vandy has always walked away thinking this Campaign is making a difference and helping to build a stronger future for my daughter. Now with retirement upon her, she can hopefully help to keep the momentum going.
Vandy looks forward to being a part of a great organization and working along side some very talented individuals.
