Sara’s Evolution Part 2: From Pipelines to Purpose
Picture this: a small-town 5’2” blonde gal being thrown into the bush, driving a dually diesel, or riding an Argo through the muskeg.
Like many Albertans, my first job landed me in oil and gas. Big surprise, right?
I tried – really tried – to break into the community sector, but I kept hitting the same wall: not enough experience. So, I took what I could get.
For a short period I worked for an environmental company and liaised both in the office and in the field. My role was working with Indigenous communities and collecting their traditional knowledge. This was a mandated regulatory requirement on any future pipeline or natural gas project. I worked in the field first and was wildly out of my element.
Did you miss Part One: The Early Days. Read it here.
Picture this: a small-town 5’2” blonde gal being thrown into the bush, driving a dually diesel, or riding an Argo through the muskeg. If you’re unfamiliar, an Argo is an eight-wheeled vehicle designed for rough terrain – essentially, a mini tank-meets-ATV hybrid that can scale mountain sides, cross rivers or trek through the swamp.
Yeah, I was definitely in over my head.
But despite the extreme learning curve, this job shaped me in ways I never expected. The biggest lesson? Integrity.
I learned that honesty mattered more than having all the answers. Saying ‘I don’t know,’ was better than making empty promises and scrambling later. Trust was and is everything—especially when working with communities whose voices have been historically ignored or attempted to be erased. I learned what it means to listen with the intent to understand, not the intent to respond. That mindset shift – be a listener first – was foundational. It’s a lesson I carry into my business today.
my time in the field
I will never forget my first field stint—my company had placed me on a logging road, a few hours north of Grande Prairie. As I checked in at camp, the other facilitators asked, "Who’s on your crew?"
I hadn’t met anyone yet, so I shrugged and showed them my participant list.
They nodded knowingly and wished me luck. I’d been paired with Darren (name changed for privacy), someone known to be tough, outspoken, and not the easiest to work with. I was already feeling completely out of my depth and totally inexperienced. This didn’t help put me at ease.
Over two projects together, I earned Darren’s trust. He took me under his wing, sharing insights, stories, and lessons that stretched far beyond the work itself. We kept in touch even after my time in the field ended, exchanging letters, and then one day, eight years later, he sent me a gift. It was so unexpected I started tearing open the parcel before I left the post office.
In that parcel was an extraordinary gift—one that is not given lightly. It symbolized trust, respect, and deep recognition. Receiving it was an honour beyond words, one that I still hold close to my heart. In that parcel was an eagle feather. I wrote more about this moment in a past blog post here.
That summer job wasn’t the career path I had envisioned for myself. But it gave me lessons I didn’t even know I needed—about humility, listening, respect, and the kind of leadership that isn’t about titles but about the way you show up for others.
My transition to the nonprofit sector
I stuck around in the oil and gas industry for a bit – stuck being the key word there. I never really settled and didn't feel like I belonged there. And thanks to the nonprofit gods, a former coworker reached out to me one day, “There’s an opening at the nonprofit I work for now. Are you interested?”
That call changed everything. The door to my dream had finally opened.
Enter my time at Parks Foundation Calgary where I started as a baby program coordinator. Within a couple years, I had risen to a manager role and, eventually a director role – all thanks to the belief and confidence my prior bosses loaned me before I had it myself.
I owe a huge sense of gratitude to Myrna Dube, who initially hired me before she retired, and even more to Sheila Taylor, the CEO who shaped, mentored, and guided me for almost five years. Sheila saw my potential before I did, giving me the guidance to execute on my ideas and the push I needed to step up into leadership.
This role was everything I had hoped for and more. I got to work directly with communities, helping them bring their big ideas to life. The cherry on top? I also got to give away money in the form of grants.
But it wasn’t just about handing out funds. At Parks Foundation we were building capacity—ensuring these communities had the skills and support to fundraise, develop strong project plans, and see their projects come to life. This lit a fire in me. Grants were just one of many resources required to make their dreams a reality, but pairing capacity building with those funds, was the game changer to their success.
This anchored my passion for teaching skills and strengthening the capacity of this sector. Communities, organizations and volunteers are wildly capable with a little extra support, guidance, and encouragement to keep going.
And while I didn’t realize it at the time, this job was giving me the ultimate education.
I built evaluation rubrics. I formed grant committees. I was immersed in the decision-making process. I was getting a behind the scenes look at funder mechanics and how funders choose which projects get funded.
This is just one reason why I’m so good at what I do today.
For years, I loved this job. I was the person who was excited to come back to work after vacation. I actually looked forward to opening my inbox. I loved reconnecting with community members, seeing their projects unfold, and knowing that my work was making a real impact.
But as much as I loved the work, one day it started to shift. And when it did, I had a very difficult decision to make.
Enjoying the evolution story? Check out Part 3 – Choosing Fulfillment here!
Curious about working with me?
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I’m Sara (she/her), the leader behind this mission, and I want you to believe in your power to make a difference. Just as a circle has no end and no beginning you too have the infinite potential to evolve, transform, and create change in your community and I want to help you achieve it.
