2023 CEO Year-End Message
As we close out another year, I reflect on the incredible work our association has completed in 2023. With the support of CPHR Canada we have developed a national network of over 31,000 human resources practitioners and professionals across the country and 6,240 in Alberta. We continue to work closely with our provincial counterparts to promote the value of hiring a designated professional and streamlining professional standards processes across Canada.
The association continues to grow with another record-setting year, including over 3,000 chartered members. Thank you to all our members for the incredible work you do every day.
This past year, I challenged my team to push initiatives that bring value back to our members. Our association delivered several priorities aligning with our strategic plan, with the support of our Board of Directors, while ending the year in a financially stable position.
In 2023, with support from our government relations firm, CPHR Alberta operations and board participated in various events and meetings to increase our visibility within the Alberta government. This has included our Board of Directors stepping forward to meet with local MLAs, engaging at local chamber of commerce events and connecting with organizations who can support our application. We continue to make strides with our application for self-regulation, and I encourage any members who are interested in supporting the association as an ambassador to please connect with us.
Our stakeholder work has not stopped there. In 2023 our work with provincial post-secondary institutions continued with several successful Work Integrated Learning (WIL) events, connecting businesses to HR students through practicum and co-op placements. We also delivered HRC West 2023, our premier student case competition bringing together 16 teams of students from post-secondary business programs across Western Canada to compete at a two-day event, hosted at Bow Valley College. The competition is presented annually, alternating between CPHR BC and Yukon and CPHR Alberta. We look forward to presenting again in 2025.
To further support our Student membership, the association introduced a new diploma scholarship to provide financial aid to qualifying student members. The recipient of this scholarship shows pride in academic merit, community engagement, excellence in the Human Resources discipline and demonstrates an interest to pursue the CPHR designation. We are proud to support and empower the future generation of our profession.
With our members at the heart of what we do, professional development (PD) is a key focus for our team. In 2023, we expanded our PD offering to include additional opportunities for certificate programs and introduced new offerings such as our DEI Symposium. We set a record number of attendance at paid PD offering in 2023 including our highly sought after Workplace Investigations Program and HR Law Conference. We also offered a variety of complimentary offerings including our HR Roundtables and partner webinars, which also yielded incredible attendance and engagement. Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2023 PD survey, your valuable input helps us shape our future offerings.
A highlight for our team this past year was our Annual Hybrid Conference held at the JW Marriott in Edmonton in September. The positive feedback we received from members was overwhelming and it was amazing to see the support and passion exhibited by members at our Excellence Awards on night one. With sold-out in-person attendance at over 300 and an additional 154 individuals from across our jurisdiction joining us virtually, Evolve 23 was an inspirational event that we plan on learning from and growing in 2024 in Calgary.
Showcasing our members and the incredible work they do is imperative to advancing our profession. This past year, we launched a Member Growth Campaign alongside CPHR Canada, to reach young professionals and business leaders to demonstrate the importance of hiring a CPHR and to raise awareness for CPHR Alberta. You may have seen us on Google, in mall directories, on your LinkedIn or in your local chamber communications, this work will continue into 2024 as we aim to increase the demand for the CPHR designation in workplaces across our jurisdiction.
I would like to say thank you to our members for the incredible work you are doing to protect the public and maintain such a high standard of practice for the profession. Your work does not go unseen, and it helps set us up to be a successful self-regulation profession in the near future! Thank you to my incredible team at CPHR Alberta for all their great work and to the many volunteers who supported us again this year!
Lastly, I would also like to thank our Board Chair, Lisa Watson and all of our Board of Directors for their support and guidance this past year. The work our Board has done engaging with stakeholders, attending government events and being visible and active within the business community is greatly appreciated and is setting us in the right direction for 2024.
I wish everyone a very joyous holiday season and a happy new year.
Ioana Giurca,
CEO, CPHR Alberta
The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.
Author: Rheya Patel, 2026 Social Media Committee Member As days become longer and the weather warms up, the first day of spring brings a sense of renewal and new beginnings. A time that feels more energizing and people are more motivated to reset their routines, look for new opportunities and clear away old habits. While spring is commonly associated with “spring cleaning” in the home, perhaps the same principal can be applies to the workplace. For organizations and HR groups, spring can be the perfect opportunity to encourage employees to reflect and construct new meaningful goals and “clean” out the “clutter” of goals that no longer help them grow or have already been achieved. Why is Spring the Perfect Time for Goal Setting? With the rush of returning to work after the holidays and resuming normal life, spring gives a perfect moment to pause and reflect. Employees can check on their progress, realign priorities and continue the year with renewed motivation. For HR teams, encouraging this reflection can re-engage employees and increase motivation. In turn, employees are more likely to be focused and productive while creating a space for meaningful conversations about growth, development, and career progression. How Can We Encourage Goal Reflection? Believe it or not, HR plays a crucial role in goal setting whether it is realized or not. Creating an open work environment where employees feel supported and encouraged with professional development is key in reflection and goal setting. Below are several ways organizations can use the season of renewal to inspire growth and goal setting. Encourage Reflection What accomplishments have employees made that they are proud of? What challenges have they faced? Asking these kind of questions and having one-on-one check-ins with employees can help support employees to openly discuss their goals and aspirations, and potentially create new goals. Promote Professional Development and Growth The arrival of spring can also create the chance to introduce new learning opportunities. Having a fresh mindset combined with training, workshops, mentorship initiatives, or skill-building programs, employees can feel more motivated and supported in pursuing growth. This helps employees expand their skillsets and strengthen the organization as a whole. Foster Collaboration and New Ideas Tying back to renewed energy, organizations can encourage teams to collaborate and share new ideas. Brainstorming sessions, innovation workshops, or team goal-setting can foster inspiration and connectivity, Having an open space for discussions can help teams align goals with organizational priorities to promote innovation and productivity. Celebrate Progress Recognizing progress along the way is essential. Celebrating achievements and acknowledging progress have a significant impact on employee morale. Employee recognition programs, team shoutouts, or words of appreciation can go a long way to remind employees how valuable their efforts and contributions are and continue to motivate them to strive towards their goals. Final Thoughts The arrival of spring represents renewal, growth, and new possibilities. For HR professionals, it’s also the opportunity to encourage employees to pause, reflect, and move through the rest of the year with renewed purpose. Encouraging goal setting, promoting professional development, fostering collaboration, and celebrating progress, can tie the season of newness to inspire meaningful growth. The new season reminds us that progress doesn’t need to start January 1st. Sometimes, a change in perspective, and a little springtime inspiration, can be the step towards pursuing new goals and growth with confidence.
As the governing voice of CPHR Alberta, the Board of Directors meets quarterly to provide oversight and guidance in several key areas. The Board, alongside CPHR Alberta operations, have began delivery on the association's new strategic priorities developed in the 2026-2028 strategic plan. To ensure transparency between our Board of Directors, members and key stakeholders, we are sharing post-meeting messages to inform the steps taken towards advancing our profession and ensuring a financially stable association. The Board of Directors met on March 14, 2026 to review organizational performance, governance matters, and strategic priorities for the coming year. The Board’s key messages for the membership are as follows: Strong Association Performance in 2025 The Board reviewed the 2025 year-end financial statements and Q4 Management Discussion & Analysis. Key highlights include: 7,332 active members in 2025 (+409), a 6% year-over-year increase Student membership drove much of the growth, strengthening the profession’s long-term pipeline 76 professional development events delivered, reaching 7,000+ participants across Alberta 2025 CPHR Alberta Conference exceeded attendance targets with strong sponsor engagement 2026 conference outlook is strong, with sponsorship commitments nearing target levels The Board approved the 2025 audited financial statements, confirming the organization remains financially stable and well-positioned to support continued growth. Strengthening the Value of Recognition of the CPHR Designation The Board reviewed updates on thought leadership, marketing, and labour-market recognition of the designation. Key insights include that 52% of qualifying HR job postings now require or prefer a CPHR designation, demonstrating strong labour-market recognition. Strategic partnerships also continue to expand, including advancement in opportunities with the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR). Marketing initiatives and industry engagement are focused on building awareness of the designation across employers and HR professionals. The Board remains focused on protecting and strengthening the credibility and value of the designation. Self-Regulation and Advocacy The Board discussed the current self-regulation review. Governance and Board Leadership The Board received updates from its committees and discussed key governance matters, including the Finance & Audit Committee’s oversight of audited financial statements and financial performance and the Governance Committee’s work on governance policy and board practices. The Human Resources Committee also provided updates on governance processes, including expressions of interest and board director voting results. The Board also reviewed board effectiveness practices, succession planning, and interest in the Vice-Chair role as part of ensuring strong leadership continuity. Looking Ahead The Board discussed priorities for the coming months, including: Preparation for the 2026 Annual General Meeting (May 7) Continued membership growth and engagement Delivering a successful 2026 CPHR Alberta Conference (June 2-3) The Board remains focused on supporting members, advancing the HR profession, and ensuring the organization remains strong and sustainable. The next Board meeting takes place in June 2026, after which we will again share our key messages. If you have any questions regarding these key messages or the Board of Directors, please contact chair@cphrab.ca . We welcome your feedback!
The 2026 HRC West Case Competition, hosted by CPHR BC & Yukon and CPHR Alberta, concluded with outstanding student performances from across British Columbia and Alberta, showcasing the next generation of human resource professionals. The first-place team, ThriveSpire from Mount Royal University’s Bissett School of Business (Alberta), consisting of Nicole Sivertson, Brooke Jenkins, Jam Roda, and Gabrielle Vadnais, secured the $1,500 grand prize for their winning case presentation. Second place was awarded to HRInnovate from Bow Valley College (Alberta), followed by HRmony Solutions from Acsenda School of Management (British Columbia) in third and Innocore from Douglas College (British Columbia) in fourth place. This year’s competition featured 16 teams from post-secondary business schools across BC and Alberta. The exceptional quality of presentations reflected the passion, innovation, and practical expertise students will bring to the human resources profession as they begin their careers. CPHR BC & Yukon and CPHR Alberta extend their sincere thanks to all participating students, coaches, and judges for their dedication and contributions to the success of the event. Special appreciation is also extended to KPU’s Melville School of Business for hosting the 2026 HRC West Case Competition. Plans are already underway for the 2027 HRC West Case Competition, which will take place at Mount Royal University in Alberta on March 5 and 6, 2027. For more information visit: https://cphrbc.ca/hrc-west About the HRC West Case Competition The HRC West Case Competition is an annual student competition organized and co-hosted by CPHR BC & Yukon and CPHR Alberta, bringing together post-secondary students from across Western Canada to apply human resource theory to real-world business challenges while fostering professional growth, collaboration, and industry readiness. About CPHR BC & Yukon CPHR BC & Yukon is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, advocacy, awareness, and professional development opportunities. Established in 1942, the association is the Voice of the HR Profession with a mandate to enhance the profession and advance member value. The organization provides leadership to more than 8,500 members and is both a founding member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Canada (CPHR Canada) and the exclusive grantor of the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation in British Columbia and the Yukon. www.cphrbc.ca Media Contact: Quinne Davey Senior Member Relations Manager, CPHR BC & Yukon quinnedavey@cphrbc.ca 604-694-6943 www.cphrbc.ca
