Grad Student Association Council Members 2026/27
President
Jade Oldfield
Pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience, Jade's goal as President is to focus on initiatives geared towards student awards and funding, food sustainability and improving the University of Lethbridge graduate Student experience.
VP Finance and Services
Brannon Sumner
An Msc student in Neuroscience, committed to transparent and strategic financial leadership, Brannon aims to advocate for stronger and more sustainable graduate funding while aligning financial decisions with Alberta’s 2030 sustainability plan. He is committed to ensuring the GSA budget responsibly and effectively supports graduate student success.
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VP Academic and Student Life
AKEEM BAMIGBOLA
Akeem is a PhD student in Theoretical and Computational Science. As VP Academic, he is committed to ensuring strong representation for graduate students on academic matters, improving communication around policies and deadlines, and supporting research and professional development. He believes in fostering an inclusive and empowering environment where all graduate students at Uleth can thrive academically, socially, and professionally.
Independent Representative
Clara Juliano Cunha
Clara is a MSc. student in Chemistry, and as an international student, she values the importance of community, accessibility, and clear communication in shaping a positive graduate experience. In her role as Independent Representative this year, Clara focuses on strengthening communication between students and leadership, promoting student engagement, and advocating for concerns that impact the graduate community.
Sexual Awareness Representative
Tara Laverty
Tara is a neuroscience graduate student committed to fostering a graduate community that is informed, inclusive, and accountable. She believes in providing LGBTQIA2S+ representation to the GSA, and advocating for accessible educational & support resources regarding sexual health, informed consent, and safe spaces in the community.
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Fine Arts Representative
Olympia Tomasta
Olympia is an MFA student with a focus in Theatre & Dramatic Arts. Her current artistic practice centers around devised and contemporary theatre as well as Czech and Slovak folklore.
Olympia enjoys serving the university community and advocating for fellow students. She has a passion for working in collaboration to provide students with beneficial experiences and to provide support throughout their university career. She admires the work that the Graduate Student's Association is doing and is excited to continue to help with what is already in place and to support new initiatives.
International Representative
Razeen Mujarrab
Razeen is an MSc student in Management (Marketing) and an international student dedicated to supporting and representing the diverse needs of the graduate student community. Drawing on his previous experience as Vice President Finance on the GSA Executive Council, he brings both a data-driven and thoughtful perspective to his role as an International Representative.
Natural Science Representative
Madison Gal
Madison Gal is an M.Sc. student in Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge. Her research explores decision-making and gambling-related behaviour, with a focus on what makes gambling addictive.
As the Natural Sciences Representative, Madison is interested in helping represent graduate student voices and supporting connections within the Natural Sciences. She hopes to contribute to a welcoming and supportive graduate student community.
Social Sciences Representative
Kelly Grannon
Kelly Grannon is a PhD student in Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Jamal Mansour. Her research has been presented at numerous national conferences, and she has collaborated with international teams on memory conformity projects. She has experience in statistical modeling, science communication, and cross-disciplinary outreach.
Kelly enjoys facilitating engagement among students and supporting initiatives that reflect diverse interests and challenges. During her time as Co-President of the University of Victoria's Psychology Under-graduate Students, she successfully adapted their program during COVID-19, helping move events online to Zoom and Discord.
Kelly is enthusiastic about supporting the GSA's objectives and representing the Social Sciences graduate student community with diligence and integrity.
Student Parent Representative
Mary Siever
Mary Siever has an undergraduate degree in English and Women and Gender Studies, as well as a Master of Arts in Women and Gender Studies. Her research interests include student parenting, reproductive justice, mothering studies, and social justice. As a current PhD student in the CSPT programme at the University of Lethbridge, Mary is looking at mothering experiences with children with autism or ADHD in Alberta. She lives in Lethbridge with her spouse Kim and has 6 children, plus 2 (spouses of the oldest two), with four of her children still residing at home. Along with her graduate studies, Mary is a sessional instructor in the Women and Gender Studies Department at the University of Lethbridge. When not researching, writing, teaching, or parenting, she enjoys reading, running, singing, learning about new things, advocating for social justice, and just spending time with her family.
Calgary Campus Representative
Dan Pearson
Dan Pearson is the GSA Calgary Campus Representative and an incoming PhD candidate at the University of Lethbridge. He is passionate about improving accessibility, engagement, and representation for Calgary-based and off-campus graduate students, with a focus on ensuring students can meaningfully participate in events, discussions, and governance regardless of location. Dan has also been actively involved in policy and governance work through both the Graduate Students’ Association and the University of Lethbridge Graduate Association (ULGA)
Health Sciences Representative
Amanda Ervin
Amanda Ervin is a PhD student in the Cultural, Social, and Political Thought program and a sessional lecturer within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge. Having completed her undergraduate degree, graduate certificate, and master’s degree at the university, she brings a deep, well-rounded understanding of the student experience to her role as Health Sciences Representative. Amanda is dedicated to fostering a connected graduate community built on trust, listening, and effective student representation, a commitment she also applies to her work with the university's peer mentorship program. Her background spans academic research on wellbeing and community projects, alongside professional leadership in governance, policy, and strategic planning with the Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA).
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