2025 Program Group

The Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation Board is honored to announce the 2025 cohort. Nineteen outstanding, talented women from across Canada will form for the class for the Certificate program in Catholic Women’s Leadership developed in partnership with Saint Paul University’s Providence School of Transformative Leadership and Spirituality.

Thank you to all the inspiring women who applied for the program. The Foundation was humbled to have a pool of women diverse in age, experience, and education from all parts of Canada who demonstrated strong Catholic values and lives of faith in service.

Lara Bechtel

My name is Lara Bechtel. Originally from Manitoba and now have been living in Alberta for over 20 years. After graduating from post-secondary studies in business I moved to Central Alberta from Calgary. After 6 years in the business community, I decided to start my own business which has been keeping me busy for over 15 years.

I am a parishioner at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Sylvan Lake, AB. Currently serving on parish council as well as several parish ministries such as sacristan and collections and counting. I am married to my wonderful husband Matthew of 17 years and have a little mini schnauzer named Misty.

Over the years I have volunteered with many different organizations, lending a hand where there was/is need. Some organizations that I have volunteered with are the Mustard Seed, Inclusion Foothills formally known as the Special Needs Association for Parents and Siblings, Inclusion Alberta formally known as the Alberta Association of Community Living, SPCA and the Town of Sylvan Lake. Volunteering is such a vital part of our community and church community; to be a part of that is truly humbling.

I decided to join the CWL 8 years ago to learn more about the organization, make new friends and take part in spiritual fellowship. The CWL has played a huge role in keeping me grounded in my faith. For that I am truly grateful. I have met so many amazing women who have been mentors, friends, second mothers and second grandmothers to me. CWL keeps me learning so many wonderful things about my faith, church culture and of course the many members I have met over the years. It is through the CWL I learnt about the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation Course.

In my spare time, I enjoy camping, fishing, whitewater rafting, traveling, crafting, hiking and axe throwing with my husband.

I look forward to getting to know more wonderful ladies and grow even more in my faith through this course.

Mary Ann Dayagbil

An immigrant of Canada since 2004 from the Philippines together with my husband Lloyd and only son, Ian. We settled in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories ever since. My work experiences were mostly in retail and financial industry. In 2013, I opened my own business offering financial services. My husband joined me in this business in 2015. In 2021, I opened a retail store selling yarns and other craft materials.

I love customer service and helping other people. I find fulfillment in working with people and accomplishing something for the people. I love spending time with my small family especially after dinner. Our family also spend time with friends that became our family here in Canada. We meet them every Sunday after church for brunch and laughter.

I spend quiet time alone, for reflection, meditation and prayer. I found it good for our soul. Other times, I spend on reading good novels or Christian books. I also love turning a ball of yarn into simple things like dishcloths, prayer shawls, hats or toques, and blankets, just for give away or fund raising for a good cause. I am always amazed of people's talents and arts. I am not an athletic nor an outdoor person but I could lost myself in time watching the beautiful scenery God painted for us. Unfortunately, singing does not agree with me, but Christian music sooths my soul.

Laura Eerkes-Medrano

I am a recently retired research scientist. Since 2013, the focus of my work was understanding changes on weather and ice and the impact on indigenous people’s subsistence activities. I have worked with indigenous communities in Mexico, understanding the impact of oil development on their lands and subsistence activities, in Alaska, understanding and assessing the impacts of storms on community activities and adaptation measures; in British Columbia and Yukon in Canada, conducting treaty negotiations and the Central and Western Canadian Arctic on changes on weather and ice on subsistence activities.

I have enjoyed volunteering at klosters such as the Maria Kloster in Tautra, Norway, and St. Birgitta Kloster, Vadstena. I also volunteer at my Parish here in Victoria, St Andrew's Cathedral bringing communion to the homebound.

As part of the CWLP, I want to focus on my leadership skills and aspirations of bringing people into a relationship with the Holy Spirit. I see a hunger for people seeking God in the wrong places. I see lonely people, particularly the elderly here on Vancouver Island, also people filled with fear given their current socio-economic situation and declining health. I think we all hunger for God in our lives and as Bishop Barron said, we must practice the acts of Mercy and evangelize. We are the current prophets, and we must give an example with our lives. I hope the skills I will gain through the CWLP will help me to make a difference wherever God calls me to. It is up to God and I want to be ready. As Bishop Barron said, when the Holy Spirit calls, we have to be ready to act, the time is now. Perhaps I will be able to conduct healing workshops or any other type of workshop or develop seminars to help people get closer to God.

I look forward to collaborating with other catholic women and be part of a supportive network with other women sharing the same goals and values and to be a voice for Catholic Women in Canada.

I am a mother of two kids, one in Mexico and one in Scotland and have one grandchild in Scotland. 

Carol Egan

I have a strong desire to grow in my faith; the women in my league are inspiring and I endeavor to be like them in acts of mercy, and in advocacy for issues important to the Church and our Parish. I feel able to share my gifts and. Make a difference in the Church and in society.

Irene Hensel

Irene Hensel is a seasoned HR and organizational development leader with over 25 years of experience driving people strategies that deliver measurable impact. Known for her strategic insight and hands-on approach, Irene has designed and led innovative, people-focused programs that align talent with business priorities across a wide range of sectors.

She began her HR career in Singapore, launching the HR practice for a regional executive search firm and advising leading multinationals across Asia Pacific. Back in Canada, Irene held senior roles at top executive search firms, including Boyden Canada and the Caldwell Partners, where she led executive-level searches for private and public organizations locally and internationally.

After 17 years in executive search, Irene transitioned in-house, leading global talent acquisition and later heading HR portfolios for three Vice Presidents at the University of British Columbia—one of the world’s top-ranked public universities.

Irene is recognized for identifying opportunities, building high-performance cultures, and delivering practical, people-centered solutions. She holds a BA from UBC, is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR), and is certified in Prosci Change Management and Fierce Conversations. Committed to giving back, she has volunteered with the YWCA, Canadian Board Diversity Council, Canadian Cancer Society, and her local school community.

Jordan Lancaster

I grew up on Vancouver Island and studied languages at UBC in Vancouver, before moving on to the University of Toronto, where I completed my PhD in Italian and French. After some teaching experience in Canada and the US, I completed my post-doctoral fellowship in Naples, Italy.

Leaving academia behind, I then worked in the City of London as a translator and interpreter for over 20 years. During my time in England, I also began legal studies, with a goal to qualifying as a solicitor. I served as chairman of the board of trustees of a Catholic charity for 15 years and was honoured to be named Britain’s “Catholic Woman of the Year” in 2011, receiving my award from Cardinal Vincent Nichols.

Following a few years living in Albania, where I still have a holiday home, I returned to Canada to care for my widowed mother. We live in Vancouver and are active members of St. Augustine’s parish in Kitsilano. I’m not a mother but I am very excited to be getting married in May 2025 to a family friend I have known since I was 4 years old. He is an Orthodox Christian, currently exploring conversion to Catholicism.

My mother and I look forward to returning to live in Victoria and settling into life at Holy Cross parish. After my marriage, I hope to find work in a legal or charitable role where I can use my skills to help others.

Kate Mallon

Retirement from the field of conflict transformation marked not an end, but rather the beginning of a profound new chapter in my journey of faith and service. Life unfolded in unexpected yet beautiful ways, guiding me towards a fresh calling and a deeply meaningful mission: championing Catholic education.

This transition has allowed me to anchor my days around the grace of daily Mass and the contemplative practice of praying the Rosary. The blessings of this enriching routine have gifted me with clarity, peace, and a renewed sense of purpose.

During this reflective time, I revisited a promise made to God in my youth—a promise that became vividly present once again. Scarcely had I recommitted myself to this vow when I was graced with the opportunity to actively live, work, and serve my Catholic faith as the Executive Director of GrACE.

Today, with grateful awareness, I am actively fulfilling that sacred promise. Indeed, God's ways are wonderfully mysterious.

"Jesus, I trust in Thee."

Mary-Anne Neal

After raising 2 children for 11 years as a single mom, I remarried and had 2 more children. All four are now grown, so I am free to pursue my childhood dream of serving marginalized communities. My volunteer work takes me to remote Indigenous communities north of the Arctic Circle as well as countries in the Global South where people need skills and, most of all, hope for the future.

Patsy Salzl

My husband and I live on a farm outside of Paradise Hill Saskatchewan. We raise some chickens and turkeys and we have about 30 cows. I am a massage therapist and work 3 days of the week. We have 5 adult sons and 8 grandchildren. I am the secretary on our Provincial CWL council and this is my second term. I am very involved with my Church and community activities. We loved to go and watch our children and grandchildren play their different sports.

More Coming Soon!