Events
Equity in Policy Panel Discussion
BPW Edmonton’s upcoming panel will bring together experts, advocates, and community leaders to examine how gender equity can be advanced across policy, community, and institutional frameworks in Alberta. The discussion will focus on areas where systemic barriers persist and where targeted policies can create meaningful change. By connecting lived experience, research, and policy perspectives, the panel will explore pressing issues affecting women, girls, and gender-diverse communities, highlighting opportunities for action and collaboration. This event is designed to engage participants in dialogue, raise awareness, and identify practical strategies for advancing equity in Alberta today.
Get your tickets here! BPWpanel.eventbrite.ca
Key Topics:
1. Trans/Gender Inclusion: Ensuring inclusive policies for trans and gender-diverse people is increasingly urgent in Alberta, where recent debates around education, health care access, and human rights protections highlight the need for evidence-based, equitable approaches. Policies that respect gender identity not only uphold fundamental rights but also create safer schools, workplaces, and communities for everyone.
2. Ending Violence Against Women: Rates of domestic violence and gender-based violence in Alberta remain among the highest in Canada, with rural, Indigenous, and marginalized women disproportionately affected. The issue places a significant burden on health, justice, and social systems, while undermining women’s full participation in society and the economy. Addressing violence is not only a moral imperative but a policy priority requiring collective advocacy, prevention strategies, and systemic change.
3. Equity in Sports: Sports are a powerful driver of community, health, and leadership development. Yet barriers continue to limit equitable access for women and girls, and participation for trans and gender-diverse athletes remains contested. In Alberta, where sport is central to community identity and youth development, advancing policies that prioritize fairness, safety, and inclusion is essential to ensuring all athletes can thrive.
Our Panelists
Elli McDine (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Alberta 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, leading advocacy and community-building for queer and trans entrepreneurs across Alberta. She is the co-creator of Coming Home, a documentary on queer and trans joy, and teaches innovation at NAIT. With over 15 years of experience in research, transformation, and equity-focused leadership across government, education, and nonprofits, Elli is committed to creating systems where diverse leaders can thrive. A parent of two, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work in building inclusive and resilient communities.
Ashley Lim is the Director of Counselling Services at YWCA Edmonton, a Registered Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor with over 15 years of experience. She specializes in supporting women and children impacted by domestic violence and works with diverse populations, including BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+ clients, and individuals with disabilities.
Ashley helped create Edmonton’s Integrated Domestic Violence Response Team (IDVRT) and co-chairs the Council of Service Providers with CIAFV. She also contributes to YWCA Canada’s national Anti-Gender-Based Violence Network. Her leadership and service has earned her multiple awards, including YWCA Canada’s Carolyn Bray Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. Ashley is also an Adjunct Academic Colleague at the University of Alberta.
Dia Syed has dedicated a significant portion of her professional career to sports, teaching, and business. Dia founded and is the CEO of Girls In Sports Canada. She has a wealth of experience in program development, implementation, marketing, sales, and management. Through her work in grassroots sports Dia has taught over 200 schools, engaging students from kindergarten through grade 12.
Through Girls In Sports Canada, Dia actively addresses disparities in girls’ sports and advocates for solutions. Her programs continue to reach many of girls’ and young kids’ year after year. She has spoken at teacher conventions, sport conferences, and as a guest speaker in university education, business, and kinesiology classes. Her insights have been featured on multiple podcasts, CTV Edmonton, and she recently appeared on 630 CHED radio in Edmonton. Girls In Sports Canada has empowered youth aged 5-17 through various sports programs and classroom presentations. Additionally, her company was highlighted in Desjardins’ small business tour and featured in a commercial during The Amazing Race Canada.
Dia’s vision is to empower girls to become confident change-makers and barrier-breakers through physical activity and sports. Her programs aim to equip girls with the knowledge and confidence to excel in adulthood, fostering champions in the workplace and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.
Dr. Miranda Pilipchuk is a gender-based violence scholar/advocate with expertise in community-based research, intersectional feminist theory, decolonial theory, critical race theory, and legal theory. She specializes in conducting trauma-informed, survivor-centered research that values the voices and perspectives of people with lived experience, speaks to the intersections of abuse and systemic barriers, and seeks to dismantle all forms of oppression.
Dr. Pilipchuk is the Manager of Research and Evaluation at the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, where she works with domestic violence and elder abuse shelters, community and academic partners, and people with lived experience to construct innovative, culture-shifting research programs that work to understand and end violence and abuse, and to establish and implement best practices for supporting people impacted by violence and abuse.