Equine Canada is very pleased to announce that Kalie McKenna has been promoted to the newly-created position of Director of Technical Programs at Equine Canada. McKenna’s new role was created as part of ongoing improvements being made within the administration at the national office.

McKenna came to the Equine Canada office on July 8, 2013 as the new Manager of Coaching. With her extensive knowledge of sport and administration, she transformed the Coaching Department into a highly productive, forward-thinking team that benefitted from the strengths and experience of the coaching committees and made advancements in the coaching programs at Equine Canada.

Capitalizing on McKenna’s many strengths, the new position of Director of Technical Programs will lead a diverse administrative portfolio, which will include competition services, coaching, Long-Term Equestrian Development, national recreation initiatives, technical development of coaches and officials and Equine Canada’s Learn to Ride programs.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to help improve and strengthen the programs and services offered to our members in collaboration with our volunteers, stakeholders and partners across the country,” said McKenna.

McKenna holds a Bachelor of Sport Management with Honours from Brock University and is currently working towards her project management designation. She is a competitive athlete in the sport of curling and a certified Competition Coach, a Learning Facilitator for the Competition Coach program, as well as an Official. Her diverse sport employment history includes a student internship and part-time employment with Equine Canada, as well as working with provincial and territorial sport organizations as the Executive Director of the Northwest Territories curling and softball associations and most recently as the Technical Programs Coordinator and then Interim Executive Director of Biathlon Canada.

“Kalie is a talented administrator who has the right combination of professional qualifications and personal demeanour to lead the Technical Programs department portfolio,” said Eva Havaris, Equine Canada CEO. “She has demonstrated her ability to work effectively with Equine Canada staff and volunteers to achieve results, and I look forward to having her as part of the leadership team at Equine Canada”.

Over the next several weeks, McKenna will transition into her new role of Director of Technical Programs while maintaining the national coaching program portfolio in the interim. Equine Canada is very pleased that McKenna will be assuming this new leadership role at the national federation, and we look forward to the progress and successes that will be realized under her guidance.