Accessing Mentorship & Skill-Building Opportunities

 

One of the many perks of being a WIA member! The Mentorship Program was developed with the goal to build upon the organization’s value of “honouring those that have paved the way” and our mission of “connecting” individuals that otherwise may not have had the opportunity to meet. This program provides a platform for WIA members to seek advice, both on personal and professional growth, as many don’t already have that privilege available to them.

This Mentorship Program is designed to suit our members and mentors their busy schedules and meets their unique needs - it can be formal or informal, depending on your preference. 

 Please email membership@womeninag.ca if you have questions or require further details. 

 

    • Gain skills and knowledge in areas you are seeking to develop or enhance.

    • Learn how to navigate the barriers and challenges you face to achieve the next step in your personal or professional growth.

    • Connect with others who have encountered similar life or career experiences.

    • Get advice and build skills in the following areas (and more):

      • Financial literacy

      • Technical skills

      • Work-life balance

      • Conflict resolution

      • Entrepreneurship

      • Communications

      • Ag advocacy

      • Board governance

  • The WIA Mentorship Program is open to all current WIA members.

    The program involves one-on-one mentorship with one of the WIA Mentors, as well as several virtual group workshop/networking session.

    To become a member, visit our Membership page.

    • After completing our Mentorship Intake Form, WIA’s Mentorship Coordinator reviews your form to determine a mentorship opportunity and/or mentor that best suits your needs. A further connection will be made via email, and more details provided.

    • If desired, members can request to be connected with a specific mentor based on their specialty areas.

    • Once a mentor-mentee connection is made, it’s up to the mentee to drive things, and the mentor to support in any way they are able.


    Note: All mentors are involved on a voluntary basis and have varying capacities to support mentorship initiatives. We ask that expectations are discussed at the onset of the mentorship arrangement to allow for quality understanding between all parties. Thank you to our mentors who generously volunteer their time and expertise to our organization.

 

How do I get involved?

To become a mentor or participate as a mentee, please complete our Mentorship Intake Form below (completion time: 5 mins. If the form does not appear, please try reloading the page):

 
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Meet Our Mentors

Featured
Shelley Jones, BSA
Shelley Jones, BSA

Shelley is a proud AGvocate and is currently enjoying semi-retirement as a consultant. She is a certified facilitator of Appreciation at Work and develops and delivers training in the areas of client service, human resource management, and marketing. Shelley was elected to the 4-H Canada Board of Directors in 2021.

In her previous roles with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Shelley's work toward improving the public perception of agriculture led to the development and delivery of agriculture awareness, youth leadership, career promotion, and training programs under Growing Forward 2 and the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. A few of her celebrated successes include the creation of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, the expanded reach of Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan, and the establishment of a Public Trust unit and agriculture program specialists across the province delivering Ministry programming and support to producers and amplifier groups.

Shelley is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, College of Agriculture, and grew up on a ranch near Crane Valley, SK. She is also an active community volunteer and was recognized as Moose Jaw’s Citizen of the Year and awarded the Canada 150 and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medals for her efforts.

Specialty Areas: Leadership, Management, Marketing, Board Governance, Public Speaking, Ag Education + Training, Public Trust

Adele Buettner
Adele Buettner

Founded 1993, AgriBiz Communications serves the management, marketing and communication needs of agricultural and food organizations with a local, provincial and national reach.

The success of AgriBiz is grounded in Adele’s leadership skills and natural diplomacy, her focus on collaboration, and an innate ability to problem solve. She has exceptional insight into board governance through her experience as a manager and senior executive, as well as serving on several boards including an executive member of Canadian Western Agribition and serving as President of Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corporation, SaskTel Centre and Agriculture in the Classroom (SK) Inc.  

Adele is a passionate foodie and farm girl based in Saskatoon. She was raised on a mixed grain/beef operation east of Saskatoon and resided in that area until 2009. Today, Adele lives and works in Saskatoon while maintaining involvement in the family farm. Her daily life combines elements of urban and rural Saskatchewan.

Specialty Areas: Leadership, Management, Board Governance, Marketing, Communications, Public Trust

Dianna Emperingham,
Dianna Emperingham,

Born and raised in rural Saskatchewan, Dianna lives at Katepwa Beach, where she and her husband Gord and chocolate labs Colt ad Tikka enjoy lake and outdoor life. In her spare time she keeps busy fishing, camping, hunting and spending time with her grandchildren.

Dianna has been in the Agriculture Industry for most of her career including 28 years with private industry. Dianna was Executive Director with the Crops and Irrigation Branch for 5 years and was strategically involved in the Production Technology Unit Org Design Project, Irrigation unit design to support asset transfer and expansion, and the Plant Industry review. Dianna joined the Lands Branch as Executive Director in May of 2024.

Her personal interest is in developing people and teams, with a focus on what inspires each person to be the best that they can be so that collectively we can best serve our ag clients and stakeholders.

Dianna is truly passionate about agriculture and finding sustainable ways to feed a hungry world.

Specialty areas: Leadership, Management, Public Speaking, Communications

Penny McCall, MSc, PAg
Penny McCall, MSc, PAg

Penny is truly passionate about agriculture in this province, and her roots are deep – being a farm girl herself.  She is no longer active in the family farm but is proud to be a public servant and dedicated to her hard-working team that is helping build a vibrant crop sector in the province.  

Penny is currently Assistant Deputy Minister of Regulatory and Innovation, and this is her fifth position within her 20+ year tenure with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Prior to this role, she was Executive Director of the Crops and Irrigation Branch.

Penny would be happy to work with you on finding your voice and using your passions to serve your purpose in whatever work you do.

Specialty Areas: Leadership, Management, Public Speaking, Public Trust

Patti Durand
Patti Durand

Patti Durand, based in Humboldt, SK, is a Strategic Action Planner, Speaker and Author at Brightrack Consulting, bringing skills honed in agricultural and small business advising within finance and the private sector. 

Born and raised in Teulon, MB Patti holds a BSc - Agriculture from the University of Manitoba and is a certified Family Enterprise Advisor and Professional Agrologist.

In her 25+ year career, Patti has guided hundreds of Canadian farm business families to confidently navigate the paths of transition decision making. Her favorite definition of coaching, which she works to accomplish is "holding people capable".

Specialty Areas: Conflict Resolution, Leadership, Communication