The ACC Calgary Section’s bylaws call for us to carry out our elections online. On-line polling has made elections easier to complete and reach more members. It will take less time than it takes to order a beer and can be completed from anywhere with an internet connection. Because it will be easier, many more members will participate than typically show up to an AGM, and most people will appreciate the abbreviated election part to allow for something more entertaining. We hope you find on-line elections fast, fair and efficient and hope to see you in the mountains soon. This year the following positions are due for election. While we do welcome new candidates for positions where the incumbents are running again, we ESPECIALLY need candidates for the first six positions below. Candidates have until Sunday February 15th 2026 @ 11:59PM to apply. Voting will be available from March 5, 2026 until March 18, 2026 11:59PM.
How to Vote
During the voting process, to vote, login credentials to this website are required and are available only to Calgary Section members in good standing at the time of the election. Members select their preferred candidate through an electronic poll.
Nominations
Nominations are open until Sunday February 15, 2026! Please see the Board Positions page for a role description for the open positions listed below. Please complete the form on this page: ACC Calgary Nomination Form
If you have any questions related to the election or nominations, please email elections@acccalgary.ca. As shown on the nomination form, nominees are required to provide a short “campaign” introduction to themselves in order to be put on the ballot.
2026 Election
Climbing Chair or Co-Chairs
Dave Cumming (Co-Chair)
I’ve been going on climbing trips with the ACC for the better part of a decade, and it started leading rips in the last few years. My own climbing experience is primarily single pitch with some bouldering and multi-pitch. I’ve been to almost all crags close to Calgary as well as some extended road trips into BC. In the last few years, I’ve also done some route development. I’m looking to give back to the Calgary section for all the great climbing trips over the years, as well as push for some more weekends away climbing and camping.
Wendy Rodgers (Co-Chair)
Hi! I’m Wendy and love the mountains and especially love ice climbing! I have been climbing for over 10 years and enjoy the continuous learning that this sport offers. I have been involved with ACC for over 15 years, co leading some trips and attending many events. I want to give back and encourage new people to get involved with the Club. I bring experience from my 35 years career that involved working with people, policy and governance which gave me life lessons for anything I get involved in. I am a person who likes to get things done and wants to contribute!
Access and Environment Chair
Steven Little – Incumbent
I have served on the Access and Environment Committee for four years and am seeking another term as Chair. My focus moving forward will be to identify access issues affecting ACC Calgary members and to work collaboratively with land managers and other stakeholders to reduce and resolve any impacts. Promoting responsible and sustainable recreation remains a key priority. I spend much of my time in remote places – climbing, mountaineering, and hiking – and I see firsthand how recreation affects our mountain environments. I am committed to protecting these landscapes while ensuring members can continue to responsibly enjoy all that the mountains have to offer.
Webmaster – Chair or Co-Chairs
Ben Morgan (Co-Chair)
Ben is a senior backend software engineer that currently works in health care. Previously, he has worked in e-commerce and distributed systems. Ben is interested in volunteering as a cochair for the Webmaster role with the ACC to help improve the usability of the website. His goal will be to maintain the current website and lead an initiative to rebuild the website from the ground up with Steven Chang and guidance from Cruz. The goal is to achieve feature parity, leave an application behind (while also maintaining for years to come) that many developers can be able to volunteer and look after, and to improve the user experience.
Steven Chang (Co-Chair)
Steven is a junior developer who graduated from the University of Waterloo. He is currently teaching snowboarding at Winsport, and working on his web project tourtogether.ca, a wiki for backcountry skiers and splitboarders. Before that he built and optimized digital twin models simulating a large-scale mining network. Steven’s goal is to maintain the current website while building a new and improved site under the leadership of Ben and Cruz.
Training Chair or Co-Chairs
Julie Morter (Incumbent – Co-Chair)
Julie is an avid rock and ice climber, skier, mountain biker and occasional mountaineer. She has been with the Calgary ACC since 2011 and enjoys mentoring others and helping people experience and ultimately share the skills and joy that our local Bow Valley guides bring to their courses.
Kate Snedeker (Co-Chair)
Having come to Calgary via the US, Scotland, Guelph and Edmonton, Kate has been a member of the Calgary Section for over a decade. Her introduction to the ACC came in Edmonton, but she moved southwards to cut down the mountain commute and joined the Calgary and Rocky Mountain sections. These days, she’s primarily a backcountry skier, rock/alpine climber and scrambler, but can occasionally be spotted with ice tools. She is the current Safety Chair for the Section, coordinates the BITS program for Calgary Section, is a BITS leader for the Rocky Mountain section, organizes ski leadership courses, and serves on the ACC National Safety and Leadership Committees.
Kate has also become a self professed avalanche/snow safety science geek, having served as a public member of the Canadian Avalanche Association Board for 6 years and passed her CAA Operations 1 and Intro to Weather courses. She is a current affiliate member of the CAA and serves on its DEI committee. In addition, she serves on the ACMG Public Engagement Committee and the Roger’s Pass Winter Permit Working Group. When not in the mountains, Kate can be found trying to improve her kayaking skills so she can do another sea-kayaking trip up in Greenland, working as team lead for the Epidemiology and Surveillance Team at Alberta Health Services and serving as staff to one very spoiled cat.
2025 Election
Chair
Laura Flinkfelt
Hi I’m Laura! Some of you may know me as the current Interim Chair/Vice-Chair of our Section.
I’m officially running for the Chair position as I would love to continue to build on the successes of our Section and lead us in our future direction!
I bring a wealth of fresh ideas for possible events/programs (gear workshops, technical sessions, mentorship, trail clean-ups). I also want to hear your ideas and feedback on what you love, what you’d like to see us do better, or anything else! (A member had commented on interest in family activities for example). I would like to strengthen our existing partnerships, expand our community with new members and connections, and to consider what our goals are as part of a larger community!
I’m from Calgary and the Rockies are my second home. I love spending my free time backpacking, hiking, backcountry camping, climbing, x-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Recently, I’ve been building up my mountaineering skills; summiting my first 6000’er in Nepal last spring, and pretending to practice my downhill ski skills enough for a backcountry tour!
I’ve been an ACC member since 2018, frequenting monthly Socials, volunteering as Vice-Chair this past year, attending local events on behalf of the Section, and participating in some ACC courses (Crevasse Rescue, AMP 1– Mt. Athabasca, AST 1, and Remote & Basic First Aid).
I also bring experience from my professional life in governance and policy to this role. I currently work in strategic governance, data access/security, and policy development/evaluation in the public sector. I was a University of Calgary Senator for 3 years, and sat on a few academic committees while I worked for U of C. I was Chair of the Graduate Students’ Association’s Governance Committee when I completed my Masters degree in Public Policy, and was Vice-Chair for Ch. 1 Local 052 of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.
Communications Chair
Alex MacQueen
Ski Chair
Simon Trudel
Climbing Chair
Jeremy Dixon
Dave Cumming
Adam Currie
Alpine Chair
NO NOMINATIONS
Webmaster
NO NOMINATIONS
Member and Leadership Chair
Oakley Werenka – Our returning Member and Leadership Chair!
Secretary
Katherine Morianos – Our returning Secretary!
Social Chair
Chuck and Lesley Young – Our returning Social Co-Chairs!
Safety Chair
Kate Snedeker – Our returning Safety Chair!
Treasurer
Juergen Schmidt – Our returning Treasurer!
2023 Election Results
For more information on the 2023 election, visit: https://www.acccalgary.ca/2021/11/upcoming-election-agm-2023/
Chair
NO NOMINATIONS
Vice Chair
Laura Flinkfelt
Training Chair
Elizabeth Dupuis
Elisabeth joined the ACC many years ago hoping to find companions with whom to travel on glaciers. She soon started volunteering by sitting on various committees and coordinating outings. She continues to organize ski trips, climbing trips, scrambles and hikes, and enjoys meeting people who share her love for the mountains.
Julie Morter
Julie is a rock and ice climber, skier, mountain biker and occasional mountaineer. She has been with the Calgary ACC since 2011 and enjoy mentoring others and helping people share the skills and joy that our local bow valley guides bring to their courses.
Communications Chair
NO NOMINATIONS
Climbing Chair
Chelsea Darrach – Incumbent
My name is Chelsea Darrach and I’m putting my name forward for another term as Climbing Chair on the ACC Calgary Section Board! I’ve participated in a lot of courses/events through ACC over the past few years and am so grateful for this organization as it’s allowed me to meet many wonderful people who have become lifelong friends and climbing partners as well, I’ve been able to progress my skills/experience quite quickly.
I moved to Calgary from PEI in 2018. My first hike was Ha-Ling and I was hooked after that! I started getting out hiking every weekend, which transitioned into longer and harder hikes/scrambles. I soon learned about what mountaineering, skimo and alpine climbing were and soon realized that that was what I wanted to do. I started working towards developing the necessary skills for them by teaching myself how to ski at the resort, taking intro courses for rock climbing, ice climbing and mountaineering/glacier travel etc., as well getting out as much as possible, especially with people more experienced than myself. I participated in a handful of the AMP courses with Brent and his crew, a couple of which I was the trip leader.
Webmaster
Cruz Miraback – Incumbent
I have worked in the tech industry for over a decade but my true passion is being in the mountains. I learned to snowboard at a young age and spent years going to the resorts but it wasn’t until I discovered climbing in 2015 when the mountains became the centrepiece of my life. Since then, I have evolved from a newbie gym climber into an aspiring alpinist with a never-ending tick list. Through ACC Calgary I am able to combine my tech skills with my passion for the mountains to help others get out to the mountains too. Let’s get after it!
Access and Environment Chair
Steven Little – Incumbent
I served on the Access and Environment Committee for 2 years and have been Co-Chair of the committee with my wife Renee for the past 2 years. We also took leadership of the submission to Parks Canada for the Back of the Lake trail maintenance request. We are both avid climbers and hikers and have a strong sense of stewardship to the environment. We see the impact of climbers and hikers on the mountains and desire to ensure that the environment is preserved while enjoying all the mountains have to offer. We also know that the Ghost is a very important ecological and recreational area and are interested in helping preserve both.