
2025 Year-End Message - Geordie MacPherson
As we close out 2025, I’m feeling genuinely proud of what CPHR Alberta has accomplished this year, and grateful for the members, volunteers, partners, and staff who made it possible. Together, we’ve continued to strengthen the value of the CPHR designation, expanded professional development opportunities, and deepened relationships with government, post-secondary institutions, and business leaders.
This year also brought some milestones worth celebrating. We’re ending 2025 in a financially stable position, and our membership grew by 7%, which is a nice reminder that the HR community is thriving, and that we are still the kind of people others willingly choose to join.
One of the most important pieces of work this year was launching our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan. This roadmap was shaped by member input, market research, and alignment with CPHR Canada’s national priorities. It’s the product of a truly collaborative process led by our Board and operations team, forward-looking, grounded in data, and practical in how it positions us for what’s next. At its core, the plan strengthens the HR profession and supports the people who drive it, reinforcing our commitment to a resilient and inclusive HR community. I encourage you to read it and see where we’re headed. View the Strategic Plan here.
Our pursuit of self-regulation remains a priority, and our advocacy efforts this year continued to deepen relationships with government and position HR as a trusted profession. We’re making progress, ensuring HR’s voice is present in key policy conversations and recognized where it matters most. If nothing else, we are getting very good at showing up, staying thoughtful, and keeping the conversation moving forward.
To build on this momentum, we’re currently recruiting two Chartered Members and up to one Public Members to join our Board. We’re looking for candidates with prior governance experience and strengths in areas such as strategic business leadership, financial management, legal expertise, or IDEA. It’s also important to us to have meaningful geographic representation from outside Calgary and Edmonton, because Alberta is bigger than two postal codes, and our Board should reflect that.
You can learn more about the process and requirements through our blog, and I’d encourage you to apply or share the opportunity with someone who’d be a great fit.
Applications close January 9, 2026.
- Chartered and Retired Members: Apply through your member portal
- Public Members: Contact Heather McMaster at hmcmaster@cphrab.ca for application details
As the holiday season approaches, I hope you find time to rest, recharge, and take a moment to acknowledge what you’ve contributed this year, professionally and personally. Thank you for everything you do to advance the HR profession. I’m confident that, together, we’ll continue building something even stronger in 2026.
And if your out-of-office message is already drafted, I respect the efficiency.
Geordie MacPherson, CEC, CPHR, SHRM-SCP
Chair, Board of Directors, 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.





