Host Kailey Armstrong welcomes the CEO of YW Calgary, Sue Tomney, to the show to reflect on her leadership journey and the pivotal moments that shaped her career. Sue talks about courage in leadership, saying ‘yes’ to new opportunities even when self-doubt rises up, and acknowledges the mentors and colleagues who saw her potential. Kailey and Sue uplift women, discussing the unique strengths women bring to leadership and how supporting each other creates communities of encouragement.
Sue explains how part of good leadership is empathy and understanding how decisions impact not just the person we’re communicating with but potentially their colleagues, friends, and family. She points out that leaders should preserve their authentic selves while also adapting their tone depending on the audience to ensure the message is received well. As Sue looks back on her fifteen years of being a CEO, she stresses the value of surrounding ourselves with friends who challenge our thinking and urges everyone to continually seek new challenges and embrace courage. The conversation is a beautiful glimpse into powerful leadership and empathetic communication.
About Sue Tomney:
As Chief Executive Officer of YW Calgary, Sue Tomney is responsible for the strategic leadership of more than 300 diverse team members who offer shelter, housing, counselling, language and empowerment programs to some of the most vulnerable women and families in Calgary. In recent years, Sue led transformative work at YW through the development of a new vision, mission and organizational values. In addition, her leadership ensured the completion of three new trauma-informed, state-of-the-art facilities – on time, on budget and with no debt.
Sue has held senior-level positions with both non-profits and corporations prior to joining YW in December 2010: VP, Marketing and Communications for Imagine Canada; Director of Communications and External Affairs at TransAlta Corporation; and Manager, Public Relations & Community Investment for Canadian Airlines International.
Recently, Sue was selected as a 2025 Calgary Influential Women in Business (CIWB) Social Enterprise Award winner. Additionally, Sue was honoured to be named the 2025-2027 Jarislowsky Co-Fellow in Business Management with the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. Sue also serves as the Alberta representative on the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference Alumni committee.
In 2022, Sue received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Women in 2020. Previously, Sue was the Chair of the Governance Committee for Calgary Housing Company, past-chair of CanadaHelps.org and participated in the Government of Alberta’s 2021 Childcare Advisory Group.
Sue loves spending time with her three (adult) kids Aedan, Liam and Abby and hiking with her beloved Golden Retrievers Rooney and Teddy.
—
Contact Kailey Armstrong | YW Calgary:
Contact Sue Tomney | YW Calgary, CEO:
