Women of Influence Evening Series – Indira Samarasekera

On September 20^th, 2016, we welcomed guests to the Women of Influence Evening Series in Calgary. We turned the spotlight on Dr. Indira Samarekera for a riveting keynote to discuss her journey to becoming the first Chancellor and President of the University of Alberta.

What we learned:

• What did Indira learn from talking to students her first day as President? “Leadership does not stamp you with any recognizable mark, it is a journey and you have to learn it over time.”
• What does Indira have to say about passion? “Being passionate about something is not a gift you should ignore; on the contrary it is worth nurturing even if you feel the odds might be against you. And when you encounter road blocks it will be your passion that carries you through and will enable you to lead and take others with you.”
• How does she manage the work life balance? “It can’t be balanced, it is a juggle… balance is a myth” Indira goes on to say, “manage your energy, juggle your tasks, use disposable income to hire help and delegate, delegate, delegate.”

Congratulations to Karen Taguchi from Telus concluding the evening events, we announced the winner of our VIP Membership Experience Giveaway. Thanks to the generous contributions from our sponsors, Karen has access to a spot at the short-format executive education programs offered by the Smith School of Business as well as $350 childcare certificate from Kids and Co. as well as a spa package from Captivate.

Photography by Mike Bailey Photography