New Co-Chairs Announcement
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our outgoing Co-Chairs, Echo Keizer (he/they) and Jaycee Meneen (she/they), for their dedication, care, and leadership during their term. Our Committee is deeply grateful for the time, energy, and thoughtfulness they brought to this role, and for the guidance they offered to WAVE.
We are also thrilled to share that WAVE has elected two new Co-Chairs: Jess Smith (they/them) and Saniya Ghalehdar (she/her). Jess and Saniya bring a wealth of experience and insight across equity work, strategic planning, project management, policy analysis, and more. We are excited about the vision, care, and possibilities they bring to the Committee, and we look forward to the work ahead together.
thank you for volunteering your time and your leadership
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thank you for volunteering your time and your leadership 〰️
Notes from our new Co-Chairs
Co-Chair - Jess Smith (they/them)
Stepping into the role of Co-Chair with WAVE feels both meaningful and serious to me. This work matters, not just in theory, but in practice, and I don’t take lightly the responsibility that comes with helping to lead it.
I come from activist roots. I’m direct, I value honesty, and I don’t believe meaningful change happens without some discomfort. What I care about is doing the work well, having the hard conversations when needed, and making sure our values show up not just in what we say, but in how we operate.
I’ve volunteered on boards for over twenty years, and professionally I work in complex, high-stakes environments where governance, clarity, and follow-through really matter. I spend a lot of time turning big, sometimes messy conversations into clear decisions and next steps, including in spaces where issues are sensitive or politically complex. That experience shapes how I show up here.
On a personal level, growing up navigating systems that weren’t built with people like me in mind has made me very aware of how power, policy, and process affect real people. That awareness stays with me. It influences how I listen, how I lead, and how I think about responsibility in roles like this.
As Co-Chair, my goal is to help create clarity, support the people around the table, and keep the work moving forward in a way that’s sustainable and aligned with our values. I want WAVE to be effective, grounded, and strong; not just now, but over the long term.
I’m grateful for the trust placed in me, and I’m committed to showing up with care, focus, and integrity as we do this work together.
Co-Chair - Saniya Ghalehdar (she/her)
Stepping into the role as one of the new Co-Chairs of WAVE means so much to me. I am the child of two Persian immigrants who came to Edmonton in the late ’80s. They are two of the most courageous and hardworking people you could ever meet, and they shaped so much of how I show up and operate in spaces. They taught me the value of community care, human rights, and the importance of journalism and critical thinking. They worked hard to give me every opportunity to thrive and grow, and my goal is to return that love to the many incredible people in my community.
Watching the work of our predecessors on WAVE has inspired me to want to give voice and to help advance women and gender-diverse people, not only in political spaces, but in all spaces. I am tired of still seeing so many of us being “the first” or “the only” in so many rooms. My hope for this advisory is that we not only advise City Council on issues impacting women and gender-diverse people in Edmonton, but also serve as an example for youth who are watching. When you see yourself represented in the faces of leaders in your community, it gives you hope that you, too, can rise and thrive.
I bring a background in equity work to this role and have the honour and privilege of working with an Inclusive Leadership team at NorQuest College through the Colbourne Institute. I also sit on the College’s Living Library Committee. Through this work, I consistently bring an equity lens to the table, with particular strengths in human rights and gender equity. I have worked in educational settings for over 16 years, bringing experience in project management, facilitation, event management, and community development. I am also the Founder of a project called She Said (@1800shesaid on Instagram and LinkedIn). Alongside my team, I work to collect and amplify the stories of women in our communities, with the hope of addressing issues highlighted in the most recent UN Women Gender Snapshot reports.
My personal hope for WAVE is to help open the door for women and gender-diverse people to eventually take the baton from us and continue the work already in progress. We have a responsibility to keep the door open, to continue breaking glass ceilings, and to ensure that gender equity work remains active and valued. This work strengthens our economy, improves health outcomes, supports violence prevention, and contributes to the overall well-being of our communities. I look forward to helping shape a future where we are not the last of our kind and where we beat every odd.
