Dana Downey – Wards 1 & 2
“I believe that every student deserves every opportunity to succeed."
Teacher by day and mother of three by night, Dana Downey has a clear vision for her role as School Board Trustee. Dana will advocate for a public school system that works for everyone. She’ll work collaboratively with teachers, parents, and subject matter experts to develop a curriculum that’s based on facts and research. She’ll also provide more choices for students and prioritize funding for local community schools.
With all three of her kids currently enrolled in the public school system, Dana has over ten years of experience working with the school board as both a parent and a teacher.
If you want to learn more about Dana and see where she stands on critical issues facing Calgarians today, check out her responses to our School Board Trustee Questionnaire:
Dana Downey for Wards 1 & 2 – Calgary's Future Candidate Survey
Laura Hack – Wards 3 & 4
“Not only am I a parent of two children who attend public school, but I have classroom experience; I know what students need to be successful.”
Where to Find Laura:
Laura Hack currently sits on the School Council for Coventry Elementary and is active with the Northern Hills Community Association. She is a strong supporter of the Langevin School name change and wants to see a school system that is free from racial, gender, and other biases.
As a teacher and parent of two daughters in the public education system, Laura has seen the impact of overcrowded classrooms. She’ll advocate for more resources and smaller class sizes so every student has the same opportunity to succeed.
If you want to learn more about Laura and see where she stands on critical issues facing Calgarians today, check out her responses to our School Board Trustee Questionnaire:
Laura Hack for Wards 3 & 4 – Calgary's Future Candidate Survey
Humaira Falak – Wards 5 & 10
“I want to make sure that the unique needs of the student base from Wards 5 & 10 communities are met and the diverse voices of parents and families are heard and included in decision making impacting their children’s education.”
Where to Find Humaira:
Hamaira Falak believes in a strong public education system. As a community development practitioner, a graduate student at Athabasca University, a co-chair of the Calgary Domestic Violence Collective, a passionate community volunteer, and a mother of two daughters who attend public school in Ward 5, Humaira has the theoretical knowledge and the practical experience to address complex challenges as a School Board Trustee.
Wards 5 and 10 have the most culturally diverse students and, as an immigrant herself, Humaira understands the struggle many culturally-diverse students face. Humaira is working in her community to implement an anti-racism framework and to support immigrant women fleeing domestic violence. She wants to reduce barriers for students with diverse needs so they can have an equal opportunity to thrive.
Hamaira is deeply concerned by the proposed K-6 curriculum and believes that we must engage with indigineous communities, students, teachers, administrators, and subject matter experts to craft a curriculum that is reflective of our past and inclusive of today’s realities, challenges, and developments.
If you want to learn more about Humaira and see where she stands on critical issues facing Calgarians today, check out her responses to our School Board Trustee Questionnaire:
Humaira Falak for Wards 5 & 10 – Calgary's Future Candidate Survey
Susan Vukadinovic – Wards 8 & 9
“I believe in our kids and I believe in public education.”
Where to Find Susan: 
Susan Vukadinovic wants to make sure that Calgary continues to have one of the strongest public education systems in the world. With three kids attending CBE schools near her home in Ward 8, Susan’s seeking election for all the right reasons.
Susan wants our elected MLAs to listen to regular Albertans and shelve the draft K-6 curriculum that was released in March of 2021. She believes our kids deserve better, and Susan would like to see an independent, full, and open rewrite of the curriculum that is developmentally and instructionally sound.
If you want to learn more about Susan and see where she stands on critical issues facing Calgarians today, check out her responses to our School Board Trustee Questionnaire:
Susan Vukadinovic for Wards 8 & 9 – Calgary's Future Candidate Survey
Nancy Close – Wards 11 & 13
“This is a critical moment in the history of public education. Ensuring every child in our city goes to an excellent public school is the foundation for our success.
Where to Find Nancy:
Nancy Close will advocate for you and your kids. She served as your School Board Trustee over two decades ago and is looking forward to serving her community and representing you once again.
With her previous experience working at the City of Calgary and as a School Board Trustee, Nancy knows the important role that the school board plays. With her granddaughter attending a public school this year, Nancy wants to build a better public education system for everyone. For Nancy, that means re-drafting the existing curriculum, building more publicly-funded and community-focused schools, and including the local community in CBE decision making.
If you want to learn more about Nancy and see where she stands on critical issues facing Calgarians today, check out her responses to our School Board Trustee Questionnaire:
Nancy Close for Wards 11 & 13 – Calgary's Future Candidate Survey
Charlene May – Wards 12 & 14
“Our communities deserve a trustee who attends all their meetings, communicates, engages stakeholders, attends parent council meetings, and has student success at the forefront of decisions."
Where to Find Charlene:
As a mother with two kids in the public school system, Charlene has seen the lack of engagement between school boards and families. Charlene sits on the Parent Council at Coventry Elementary School and wants to do more to improve CBE. Wards 12 and 14 are growing, and yet there isn’t a single publicly-funded high school within their boundaries. Charlene will make sure that a South Calgary high school is built to serve this community.
Charlene feels that the new draft K-6 curriculum was created without adequate consultation with educators, specialists, and curriculum experts. She believes our children’s future and education needs to be protected, and she’d like the CBE to create a report that clearly outlines specific concerns.
If you want to learn more about Charlene and see where she stands on critical issues facing Calgarians today, check out her responses to our School Board Trustee Questionnaire:
Charlene May for Wards 12 & 14 – Calgary's Future Candidate Survey