OUR TEAM
Katherine O’Neill
Co-Chair, Searching for Izena
Katherine O’Neill joined the YWCA Edmonton as Chief Executive Officer in March 2020. She is a passionate advocate for the rights of women and girls and inspiring people to hear the important call of community service.
She has worked in leadership positions in communications and politics throughout her career. A writer by trade, she spent most of her journalism career working as a national correspondent with the Globe and Mail, dispatching stories from across Canada and even the dusty battlefields of Afghanistan in 2008.
After leaving journalism, Katherine led several organizations, including the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta and Alberta Together, a non-partisan, not-for-profit that conducted political research and worked to attract more young Albertans to enter politics. She has also run for public office and worked on political campaigns at all three levels of government.
Katherine holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Journalism from Carleton University.
Follow her:
@katherineoneill @katherineoneill
Rajah Maggay
Co-Chair, Searching for Izena
A Second Generation Filipino-Canadian, raised by a network of strong women, Rajah and her family have lived in their community for over 20 years.
Her experiences with civic engagement first started with the City of Edmonton Youth Council. Her passion for mental health advocacy led her to join the Health and Wellness committee where she assisted with multiple mental health initiatives and research in community-based solutions to youth issues. During her terms on Youth Council she spent time in various leadership positions including the Vice Chair of the Health and Wellness Committee and the Chair of the Engagement and Outreach Committee where she planned events, participated in panels and continued her strong advocacy for young voices.
Rajah currently serves on the board of ParityYEG as Vice Chair of Research and on her local community league as Communications Lead. In 2020 she also spent time as a Research and Policy Advisor for a local city councillor.
Follow her:
@rajahmaggay @rajahmaggay
STEERING COMMITTEE
Katherine O’Neill – Chair
Rajah Maggay – Chair
Amy McBain – Project Manager
Jenny Adams
Stacey Brotzel
Olivia Butti
Cindy Caturao
Bev Esslinger
Sarah Hamilton
Lisa Holmes
Karen Leibovici
Patricia MacKenzie
Pilar Martinez
Christine McCourt-Reid
Hibo Mohamed
Justin Mohr
Sandra Muchekeza
Sithara Naidoo
Vy Nguyen
Amber Niemeier
Carrie Thuesen
Kate Toogood
Kim-Ann Wilson
RESEARCH / PODCAST -SUB-COMMITTEE
Stacey Brotzel
Beatial Hailu
Lisa Holmes
Xingyu Liu
Rajah Maggay
Pilar Martinez
Andrea Montes
Sandra Muchekeza
Anne Musiwarwo
Katherine O’Neill
Carrie Thuesen
Sejal Tiwari
Kim-Ann Wilson
MARKETING & PR SUB-COMMITTEE
Jenny Adams
Cindy Caturao
Ellie Huang
Amy McBain
Christine McCourt Reid
Hibo Mohamed
Vy Nguyen
Amber Niemeier
Katherine O’Neill
Kate Toogood
