GSA General Election 2026
2026 GSA Council Election and Referendum Results
The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) is pleased to announce the results of the 2026 GSA Council election and referendum. Thank you to all graduate students who participated by voting, and to the candidates who stood for election and contributed their time and interest in serving the graduate student community.
Council Election Results
The following candidates have been elected to serve on the 2026 GSA Council:
Executive Positions
Jade Oldfield:
Akeem Bamigbola:
Brannon Sumner:
President
VP Academic
VP Finance
Representative Positions
Clara Juliano Cunha:
Olympia Tomasta:
Kelly Grannon:
Razeen Mujarrab:
Tara Laverty:
Independent
Arts & Science
Social Sciences
International
Sexual Awareness
The GSA thanks all candidates who participated in this year’s election process.
Referendum Results
Graduate students also voted on the following referendum questions:
Referendum Question 1: UPass
Do you support the continuation of the universal bus pass (UPass) program, with the above fee schedule, plus an applicable service fee, to be applied to each graduate student enrolled in at least one for-credit Lethbridge course on a per semester basis?
Result: Approved
Referendum Question 2: Student Support
Do you support giving GSA members access to the above services through an optional, opt-out levy of $24.19 per semester starting in Winter 2027, with free access until then?
Result: Approved
Detailed Results
For a full breakdown of vote counts and visual results, please view the official election results report below.
Positions Not Filled in This Election
The following positions did not receive nominations during the General Election period:
2 Faculty of Arts & Science (1 Humanities, 1 Natural Science)
1 Dhillon School of Business
1 Education
1 Health Sciences
1 Indigenous
1 International
1 Calgary Campus
2 Independent Representatives (general graduate representatives)
1 Disability & Accommodated Learning
1 Student Parents
1 Community Engagement
1 Labour Representative (appointed position filled by Union chair)
These roles will be filled through a subsequent Expression of Interest (EOI) process following the conclusion of the current election and throughout the year.
Expressions of Interest
Student Parent Representative
Mary Siever
I am writing to express my interest in becoming the student parent representative with the GSA council. I am a PhD student in the CSPT programme at the University of Lethbridge and completed my undergraduate and master of art’s degree also at the university, while parenting my children.
When I began my post secondary study at the University of Lethbridge as an undergraduate, I had 5 children, the youngest was 9 months old at the time. Halfway through this degree, I had my 6th and last child, bringing her to class with me for one semester. My older children were still school and preschool age during this time, and I parented them along with my spouse, while completing my degree.
As a master’s student, I still had young children at home and now, as a PhD student, my youngest is nearly 11; currently, 4 of our children live at home, although the eldest of those is an adult. The other three are still in school.
I completed an honours thesis during my undergraduate studies, on student parenting at the University of Lethbridge. I made a number of recommendations for support and resource improvement, a few that were implemented, including the parent rooms now on campus, and the increased effort of engagement with student parents from administration and staff. Currently my research is around mothering experiences and while it is not specifically about student mothering, I am still fully invested in supporting student parents. I had the privilege of
engaging with other student parents and learning about their concerns and challenges when conducting my undergraduate research, but also as a student for each degree. I would appreciate furthering this work by advocating for and supporting student parents ongoing, whether they are undergraduate student parents or graduate student parents.
Thank you for considering me for this position.
Natural Science Representative
Madison Gal
I am writing to express my interest in the Natural Science Representative position for the GSA. I am a second-year Master’s student in Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, where I also completed my undergraduate degree in Neuroscience.
My academic experience at the University of Lethbridge has given me a strong connection to the Natural Sciences community.
During my undergraduate degree, I completed an Honours thesis, and I have continued that work into my master’s research. Through these experiences, I have developed an understanding of the challenges, priorities, and goals of graduate students in the sciences.
I would like the opportunity to represent Natural Science students and advocate for their perspectives, concerns, and ideas. I am committed to supporting student voices and contributing to a positive, inclusive, and productive graduate student community within the GSA.
Calgary Campus Representative
Dan Pearson
As a current Calgary campus student and incoming PhD candidate, I have seen first-hand how easily Calgary-based and off-campus students can become disconnected from the great events in Lethbridge aimed at supporting student life. This has shaped my focus: ensuring that access, participation, and representation are not limited by location.
If given the opportunity to continue in this role, I will build on this work by advocating for more accessible and consistent online engagement, so students can participate in events, conversations, and decisions regardless of where they are. My goal is not just to increase attendance, but to ensure that participation is meaningful and that students feel their presence and input matter.
I also bring a strong commitment to committee work and governance. I approach these responsibilities with the intention of representing student perspectives clearly and constructively, while contributing to decisions that are practical and forward-looking.
During my previous term, I was deeply involved in policy design through my work with both the Graduate Students’ Association and the University of Lethbridge Graduate Association (ULGA). This experience strengthened my understanding of how governance and policy directly impact student outcomes. I would like to continue contributing in this area to support a more effective, responsive, and sustainable organization, one where student voices are clearly represented and meaningfully incorporated.
I am invested in this role because I see the gap and I am committed to helping close it. A second term would allow me to continue strengthening that connection and delivering on the work already underway.
Questions?
Please contact the Graduate Voting Officer at:
gsa@uleth.ca
