2025 Annual General Meeting – June 10th – info updated
Originally posted April 11, 2025
The Calgary Royals will be hosting the 2025 Annual General Meeting on:
Calgary Royals – Annual General Meeting 2025
Date: Jun 10, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Zoom Link update (added May 18, 2025)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84529940429?pwd=s9MCsI6BlHHhFBygBv4avkFr9Lh7rn.1
Meeting ID: 845 2994 0429
Passcode: 403099
Agenda 2025 – to be posted prior to meeting
CRAA Board Candidates Bios 2025 – 26
EXECUTIVE
Juanita Renwick – President
Juanita, a native of Edmonton, Alberta, has a strong background in community engagement, inspired by her parents’ involvement in non-profits and youth sports. She began volunteering early, notably in her son’s hockey association, where she held various roles and eventually joined the Southwest Board. Over a decade with Southwest Hockey and Hockey Calgary, she held significant positions like League Chair and Director of Community Relations & Evaluations. Later, she transitioned to the Calgary Royals, moving from Director to Vice President of Operations in 2020.
For six years, Juanita served with the Calgary Minor Soccer Association, supporting thousands of players as Assistant Executive Director. She’s deeply involved in initiatives like Empower HER, promoting soccer for female athletes, and the Alberta Soccer Diversity and Inclusion Committee, where she helps create safe spaces for young athletes.
In 2022, Juanita pivoted to a professional focus on human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion, joining Hockey Canada’s People Culture and Inclusion department. With her expertise in human resources, community engagement and diversity advocacy, she continues to drive positive changes in sports and beyond.
Diana Hartford – VP – Off-Ice and Administration
Diana has been involved with the Calgary Royals both as a parent and as a director since 2010. While involved with the organization, have held roles as Bingo Director, U16AAA Director, U17AAA Director, and now the Secretary position on the executive. Vice President of the Best Bingo Association, and Director at Bingo Barn.
Diana works full time with the Calgary Stampede and has been for the last 34 years, currently holding the role of Corporate Hosting and Group Sales Manager.
Her two sons played in the association right through to Junior B. Diana appreciates the opportunity to give back to the hockey community by volunteering with the Calgary Royals.
Lee Emond – VP – Hockey Operations
Lee has worked in the Oil & Gas Sector for 20 years supporting drilling, completion and
facility work for the first half of that time, then transitioning into the medical and safety
space for the past 10 years. Not someone who likes to sit still Lee has spent time as a
Red Seal Chef, Golf Professional and played Canadian College Basketball. In his spare
time Lee loves to stay active by walking with his wife, golfing, gardening and
volunteering. His volunteer activities include being on the Enserva STARS GALA
Committee, the Enserva Golf Committee, the Vice President On-Ice for the Calgary
Royals Hockey Association and a member of the Calgary Stampede Downtown
Attractions Committee serving breakfast for the Premier and other companies during
Stampede.
Brian Hernandez – Treasurer
Brian joined the Calgary Royals board during the 2022-2023 season.He graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Brian has a broad experience base ranging from running/executing a drilling program, being an executive and founding member of an exploration and production company to investment banking. He has a strong belief in a good balance between athletics, academics, family, and community.
Brian has three children that have been involved in multiple sports at elite levels. Through active volunteering Brian has stayed strongly connected with his children and has helped create a fun, competitive and enjoyable experience for everyone. He has two boys, one who played through and aged out at U18, and another who is entering his 5th year with the Calgary Royals.
Robin Petropoulos – Secretary
Robin Petropoulos comes from a hockey and ringette family. She has three children, a girl and two boys, all of whom have played hockey and/or ringette. They have been with the Royals for the last 5 years with their oldest boy just aged out from Junior B and the younger one having played to U18. Since 2021 she has been coordinating the team and credit bingos for the Royals with the guidance of Diana Hartford. Robin has coached, managed, and has board experience with her daughter’s ringette team and association as well. She has organized and managed fundraising events for her children’s sports teams and also with the private school they attended. Robin supports her kids in whatever they choose to do in sport, school and in life and loves watching them enjoy and play the sports that they love.
DIRECTORS
Josh Yarker
Josh Yarker is a Calgary business operator with 20 years experience, complete with operational and marketing expertise. Josh has a passion for hockey and has been active in many facets of the game including as a player, coach, volunteer and manager for the last 10+ seasons. Josh’s Marketing degree from the University of Calgary, business experience and passion for hockey will be utilized as the Marketing and Sponsorship Director for the Calgary Royals.
John Mitchell
John’s years of experience started in Manitoba, when he was playing in the men’s league at 16 years old in a small town. After going to the U of M, he was very involved in the Boy Scouts of Canada; as a leader then the youngest District Commissioner and on to organizing the largest international non-Jamboree trip to the USA with 59 boys and 15 leaders under his direction. After moving to Calgary in 1995 he coached mostly midgets and junior B in NE Calgary, SW in Southland, then with the Buffs. After coaching Jr B Buffs for 3 years, John went on to the Board and Dale Peters was the coach. During this period, he was also a Director with Macs Midget for 12 years with hands on duties at Father David Bower and Flames Arenas in the S W. John has served 7 years on the Royals board as various team coordinators. Presently he runs his own legal business and has a contract with X Copper in Ontario with a local Calgary office.
Chris Ugbaja
Chris Ugbaja is an Engineering Technologist. For sports, he grew up competing in track & field and playing soccer. During the last ten years, he has enjoyed the game of hockey by being part of his two children’s love of hockey through their relentless commitment, mentoring them to work hard and have fun in the game. Also, he has gained some off-ice experience through volunteer opportunities in their teams. Chris enjoys giving back to our community; he and his family are volunteer members of Friends of Kananaskis Country. They are also volunteer members of the City of Calgary Adopt-A-Park program (keeping our community parks clean). Chris is excited to bring value to the Royals Hockey Association.
Kevin Magowan
Kevin Magowan, an engineer who works in the software industry, who specializes as a Product Manager. Beyond his professional journey, the hockey community has always been a cornerstone of his life. He has proudly taken on the role as a coach within the Trails West Hockey Association for 10 years where he had had the privilege of developing young athletes on and off the ice. I’m eager to lend my expertise to the Royals and hope to help in initiatives that positively impact our hockey community and its future. Kevin grew up playing in Ft. McMurray’s AA hockey system before he moved to Calgary as a teenager. He further developed his skills in the NW Calgary Athletic Association, progressing from Bantam AA to Midget AA and Midget AAA teams. Later, Kevin played for two years for the AJHL Canmore Eagles. He believes he can add value to the Calgary Royals Athletic Association again as he has served for a few years as a team director.
Mike Moore
Mike moved to Calgary in 1997 with his wife and young daughter for the role of General Manager, Flames Community Arenas, the position he still currently holds. Originally from Newfoundland, Mike received his Bachelor of Recreation Administration degree from Dalhousie University and his Master of Sport Administration degree from the University of Ottawa. He holds an NCCP – Hockey Advanced I level coaching certification and has considerable coaching experience at the Atom to Midget AAA levels, as well as Junior A. Mike coached with the Royals organization during the mid-2000s at the Bantam and Midget levels. Having retired from team coaching, Mike stays active as a skating coach for hockey players. He has completed two years on the Royals Board as Director for U15 and U17 levels and looks forward to continued work with the Royals team in helping this organization be amongst the best.
Rachel Barnes
Born and raised in England, Rachel grew up the daughter of a sports fanatic spending many a weekend at soccer and rugby stadiums around the country or supporting her father in the various sports that he participated in. Rachel, her husband and three children emigrated to Canada just over fifteen years ago. As a family they wanted to embrace the Canadian lifestyle so purchasing skates for their children and taking them to the outdoor rink was one of the first things that they did. Rolling forward, her two sons both played for the Royals Hockey Association with her eldest moving into a coaching role. Rachel embraces volunteering and values the opportunity to give back to the community. She has previously held roles with Hockey Calgary as a League Chair and for many years was the U18 Coordinator with Glenlake Minor Hockey Association, as well as managing both of her son’s hockey teams. Rachel works at Ernst & Young and in her spare time (when she is not at the rink) she enjoys spending time with her family, walking their Golden Lab and reading.
Lindsay Stilling:
Lindsey grew up playing a multitude of sports and developed a deep love and appreciation for sport and all that one can learn from it. She started playing Ringette when she was 5 years old and switched over to hockey when she was 15. Growing up in a small Northern Alberta town did not provide a lot of competitive opportunities for sports but it always allowed her to spend time with her sister and friends and a lot of her favorite childhood memories have sports as the background. Lindsey was able to make it to provincials for both fast pitch and badminton and was very grateful for both experiences.
Much of her focus switched to academics later in high school and she attended the University of Alberta where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. However, sports was always a part of her life during university on intramural and pick-up teams. After graduation Lindsey moved to Calgary where she was able to make new groups of friends through recreational hockey, ringette and slo-pitch groups. In 2015 she was lucky enough to be asked to sit on the Mac’s Tournament board (now the Circle K Classic) and has been a committee member ever since. In 2023 she was asked to manage a Royals U18AA team. Although she had never managed a hockey team before I was excited for the opportunity and humbled by the confidence that the Royals put in her. It has truly been a gift and the people – players, coaches, parents – that she met have left an indelible make on her, in only the best ways.
Lindsey was never the best player on any team that she was on but always appreciated that sports was a place where she could try her hardest and the efforts would be rewarded. It was always a place where strangers at the start of the season were good friends by the end. Unfortunately, as a female growing up in the 80s/90s in a small town, hockey was not an option for her at the start of my sporting endeavors. It wasn’t until she was 15 that there was enough interested females to make a female team, and that the association opened it up to a female team. This instilled in her an appreciation of those who went against the grain to include new groups and a desire in her to do the same. She was never going to be able to do this as a player but have grown to appreciate her involvement in the Circle K Classic and now the Royals can hopefully allow for that in a different capacity. She is committed to making these experiences the best they can be for all of the players and ensuring that spaces feel safe and inviting for every individual. Lindsey loved seeing the different personalities that the kids on the U18AA and U15AAA teams have and strongly feels that they all came to make the team so much better than the sum of their parts.
Mark Stephen
Mark’s connection with Junior B is two-fold. His son, John Stephen, played four years with Gold. He absolutely loved his time with the team and wishes he could turn back the clock, so he could suit up again. Mark attended virtually all of his games. In Johns’ final year, he became the team manager and enjoyed that experience. Subsequent to that, Mark was involved with Hockey Calgary as the Junior B Governor on the Elite Council for the last two seasons.
Mark’s background has kept me around sports for virtually all of my life. Through broadcasting, mostly in Calgary, I have been in contact with high-paid professional athletes all the way to dealing with high school soccer players. Those experiences have given me great insight into sports and the great impact in can have on children. His wife also was a referee coordinator for CRAA, in previous years.
Born in Calgary and have lived here for all but two years of his life, Mark is at a stage in life where he is not retired, nor wants to be. But he is not quite working full-time either. And that’s good.
Byron Nelson
Byron W. Nelson is a trial lawyer and an experienced corporate and commercial lawyer and litigator. He also advises companies and non-profit organizations on governance issues. In his 26 years of practice, Nelson has appeared in all levels of court across Western Canada and at the Supreme Court of Canada. He has represented corporate and individual clients in a variety of corporate and commercial issues.
Born in British Columbia, Nelson was raised in Calgary. He received a Bachelor of Arts in
Political Science from the University of Calgary in 1994 and received his law degree with
honors, from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1997. Nelson was admitted to the bar of the Law Society of Alberta at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench in September,1998 by Justice Rooke.
In his final year of law school, Nelson was the first non-Brit to ever serve as president of the Cardiff Students’ Law Society in the 100-year history of the university. Nelson was also active in the Inns of Court Society and formally dined at the Inner Temple and Gray’s Inn in London, England. Byron has been a coach on the CRAA association for the past 2 years.
Angus Cooke
Angus Cooke is a CPA-CA and grew up playing hockey in the Calgary area as well as British Columbia. He has been involved in minor hockey in various volunteer capacities over the last fifteen years and is a strong proponent of the benefits of youth sport. He is the father of three and enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and family when not at the rink. He was the President of the Glenlake Minor Hockey Club from 2021 – 2025.
Sam Samadi
Sam has over 20 years of experience in the residential mortgage industry, with a
background in both underwriting and business development. Currently, he supports
mortgage brokers across Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan as an Associate Director
at CMLS Financial.
Throughout his career, Sam has been recognized for contributions to the industry and
has remained actively involved through professional associations and community
engagement.
Outside of work, Sam is a proud father of two competitive hockey players and an active
volunteer in the local hockey community. Whether it’s helping at bingos, keeping score,
or organizing bottle drives, he is passionate about supporting youth sports in Calgary.
Sam has been married to my wife, Dori-Ann, for many years and values the importance of
strong communication and teamwork in all aspects of life.