The Women in Business (WIB) Committee is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where women in business can connect, grow, and thrive. Through meaningful programming, events, and initiatives, the committee empowers personal and professional development while strengthening relationships within the regional business community. Meeting monthly, the WIB Committee collaborates to plan impactful opportunities that inspire connection, elevate women in business, and support the continued growth of our local economy.
Meet the Committee!
Tamara Dabels
Co-Chair | Chamber Board Secretary/Treasurer | REALTOR®, REAL Broker | Next Home Hub
Tamara Dabels has spent over 20 years dedicated to the growth and well-being of our local business community. Her journey with the Chamber is a long-standing one, including foundational experience as a former Executive Director. After a rewarding career in branch leadership—where she focused on guiding people through important financial decisions—Tamara transitioned into real estate. Today, she serves the Greater Edmonton region as a Realtor® with the Next Home Hub team at REAL Broker. For Tamara, real estate isn't just about property; it’s about the people and the relationships that make a house a home and a town a community. She brings a warm, steady hand and a wealth of local wisdom to everyone she works with.
A true neighbor at heart, Tamara currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Fort Saskatchewan & Lamont County Regional Chamber of Commerce and is a Co-Chair of the Women in Business Committee. Her commitment to our region’s future is deep and varied, including her roles as a Member for the Town of Lamont Economic Development Committee and a Trustee for the Fort
Saskatchewan Public Library Board. In recognition of her two decades of heartfelt community work, Tamara was honored as a recipient of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Having lived in Fort Saskatchewan for over 20 years and the Greater Edmonton area for more than 30, Tamara’s vision is rooted in connection. She believes that our region thrives when we support one another, from the small business on the corner to the families moving in down the street. She is committed to ensuring the Chamber remains a welcoming, supportive voice that helps our local entrepreneurs and residents grow together. For Tamara, there is no greater joy than helping this region continue to be a place where people truly feel they belong.
Anke Schröder
Co-Chair | Chamber Board Director | Black Cat Design
Anke has moved to the Heartland region from Germany. She has vast business experience in a wide variety of industries. Anke is passionate about creativity and cares about her customers. As a small business owner and market manager, Anke is excited to be a part of the Fort Saskatchewan & District Chamber of Commerce where she can apply her work ethic and eye for detail, but also the frankness and honesty that she is known for. Her skills in connecting people, managing projects, and seeing how everything comes together will be a valuable asset to the Chamber.
Cathy Goulet
Committee Member | Chamber Board Director | Killick Leadership Group
Cathy Goulet is president of Killick Leadership Group, an integrated management consulting firm specializing in strategic and operational services for municipal, economic development and First Nations clients.
Killick’s team of twelve associates have real time, real world experience and, as we like to say, “have asked for the sale and closed the deal”. We relate to our clients because we have been in their shoes.
Cathy has spent 40 years building relationships and getting work done. She is known for creating trusting relationships that last for decades and her pragmatic problem solving. Killick currently has clients throughout Alberta, across the Northwest Territories and into British Columbia.
Cathy holds a Bachelor of Commerce, and a Master in Arts in Integrated Studies. Her research focus has been on how leaders create rural economy. Cathy’s current board appointments include the Alberta Motor Association, AMA Insurance Corporation , the Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities at the U of A and the Fort Saskatchewan and Lamont County District Chamber of Commerce.
Payton Lozinski
Committee Member | Digital Marketing Coordinator | The Fort Saskatchewan & Lamont County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Professional Snapshot: Payton holds a Bachelor of Professional Arts with a major in Communication Studies, giving her a solid foundation in strategic communication, digital marketing, and community engagement. In her role with the Chamber, Payton supports marketing and outreach efforts, promoting events, initiatives, and local businesses. With several years of experience coordinating events, she contributes to creating meaningful opportunities for connection within the regional business community. She is motivated by helping local businesses grow and strengthening the Chamber’s presence both online and in the community.
Committee Connection: Payton joined the Women in Business Committee as the Chamber's representative to support initiatives that empower and connect women across the region.
Local Link: Born and raised in Fort Saskatchewan, Payton brings a strong local connection and values the region’s growth while preserving its close-knit community.
Anjali
Committee Member | Founder of Applied Grant Services
Professional Snapshot: Anjali is the founder of Applied Grant Services, where she supports organizations and businesses in finding funding opportunities and building strong relationships with public and private funders. She has worked on Parliament Hill and in government relations for a national nonprofit, where she helped forward key priorities through stakeholder engagement. Anjali brings her experience in policy and relationship building to help clients navigate the grant process and put forward strong, competitive funding applications.
Committee Connection: Anjali joined the Women in Business Committee to share her perspective and connect with others supporting the local business community. She values the opportunity to build relationships with women leaders who understand the experience of starting and growing a business.
Local Link: Anjali has called Fort Saskatchewan home for the past two years. She values connections with other professionals and looks forward to supporting the growth of the business community.
Laina Neudorf
Committee Member | Founder & Success Strategist | LPT Success Solutions
Professional Snapshot: My career began in revenue operations and large-scale industrial project environments, where structure, coordination, and execution were critical. I started working in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland in 2008 and was on site for several major projects, including the Scotford Upgrader Expansion 1 and North West Redwater (NWR). Those experiences shaped how I think about systems, sequencing, and operational clarity long before I became an entrepreneur.
I run LPT Success Solutions, where I work with founder-led businesses that have grown successfully but are now feeling the strain of growth behind the scenes. Many are in the $750K–$2M range with growing teams and steady clients, yet key decisions, processes, and responsibilities still concentrate at the founder level. My work focuses on strengthening the structure underneath a business so it can continue growing without increasing pressure on the founder or team. Working across many businesses allows me to see patterns that individual founders rarely have the vantage point to spot inside their own company.
I often describe my role simply: I help founders strengthen the structure underneath their business so growth stops feeling harder than it should.
Committee Connection: I joined the Women in Business Committee because I care deeply about creating spaces where women can connect honestly, learn from one another, and feel supported at every stage of business. One of my goals this year is to help strengthen programming that balances practical business insight with real community connection.
Local Link: That same desire for meaningful connection led me to create Cringe Stories, a community networking event built around honesty, humour, and shared experience. It offers an alternative space where people can connect authentically, share lessons openly, and support one another without the pressure of traditional networking.
While I’ve been building my business in the Fort Saskatchewan & Lamont County community since 2024, my connection to the region goes back much further through my work in the Industrial Heartland. One thing that stands out about this region is how deeply relationships matter—people collaborate, support one another, and show up when it counts.
Coffee Chat Fact: Strong coffee, a good book within reach, and a Wordle puzzle to start the day — simple joys go a long way.
Marguerite (Rita) Hemmes
Committee Member | Associate Financial Advisor | Co-operators Financial Investment Services
Professional Snapshot: Attending accounting courses led to an interest in finance which now spans 40 years. A 20 year career in banking included a role in business planning and financial analysis in addition to helping business owners, including farmers, with their business and personal investments. I left a position of Business Advisor to focus on helping people with their personal financial goals. Those roles included addressing personal financial needs including income protection with life insurance and culminating with a stint as a stockbroker prior to partial retirement. I decided I wasn’t ready for retirement and still felt a passion to help people wade through all the information to reach their financial goals.
Part of my banking career included working in the Fort Saskatchewan & Lamont areas and when an opportunity came up to work in this community again, I jumped at it.
I’ve earned several financial licenses etc over the years and currently achieving yet one more. The financial industry changes and so do the education requirements. Currently working on the Professional Financial Advisor designation.
Committee Connection: I Joined the committee to make financial literacy/information more approachable for business and personal goals.
Local Link: We have such a diversity of industry and agriculture and that coupled with the ability to improve the financial lives of people in all sorts of careers is very gratifying. I feel I can make a difference in their financial futures including improving financial literacy at all levels.
Coffee Chat Fact: I used to teach running clinics when I was an avid runner….I completed 35 full marathons (marathons are 42 km) and half a dozen ultra marathons (over 42 km). Now just going much shorter distances.
So you could say that I’m not only a fiscal coach but also a physical coach.
Contact me by calling our office: Ph 780.998.9888 or email me at rita_hemmes@co-operators.ca
Shirlene Cuaresma
Bio coming soon!
Ellisa Wilson
Bio coming soon!
Tamara Whitton
Bio coming soon!