2026

The 15th annual Daughters Day celebration took place on September 19th at Edmonton City Hall. A special presentation was made to the Daughters Day founders. The Board of Canadians for a Civil Society and the Daughters Day Committee extend thanks to all who helped make the event a success.

 




 

Daughters of the Year Award Recipients

 

Rev. Audrey Brooks

Rev. Audrey Brooks (M. Ed.  M. Div.) is a retired chaplain with the Unitarian Church of Edmonton. For many years she facilitated the Edmonton Interfaith Centre’s annual concerts,

the UN International Day of Peace celebrations, and the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Audrey is the founder and facilitator of the annual Genocide Memorial Service, that witnesses acts of war that destroy families. She  is a member of the Edmonton Interfaith Housing Society, working to end homelessness, participates in

Missing and Murdered Women and Girls Marches, served on the Truth and Reconciliation     Commission as a U of A Chaplain, is a founding member of the U of A Pride Alumni Association, and is a Raging Granny who also sings in 5 choirs. She received three awards for  social justice work in the larger community, most recently the King Charles III Coronation medal. Audrey, at the age of 85, continues to interact  with people of many faiths and gender identities. Audrey is a published poet, active with the Stroll of Poets, who writes  to reflect her Unitarian Principles: the inherent worth and dignity of all people, works for justice and compassion, the right of conscience and democratic mandates for all government and secular organizations. “Our mission is love, our race is humanity and our faith is in each other,” is her mantra.

Marilynn Burch-Harvey

Marilynn is a community builder and human rights advocate in Edmonton, AB. She holds a Bachelor of Arts specializing in Political Science and has published research on the intersection of girl’s and children’s rights. In 2026, she was recognized as one of Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30 for her advocacy and civic engagement.

Professionally, Marilynn works at the intersection of policy and community, where she is dedicated to amplifying voices and contributing meaningfully to downtown Edmonton. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Marilynn’s volunteer and professional work is rooted in gender equality (SDG 5) and strong and just institutions (SDG 16). 

Deeply committed to civic engagement, Marilynn is a co-founder of Dear Future YEG, a grassroots, youth-led organization that empowers young people to grow personally and professionally, while creating space for them to advocate for change on local and global scales. In her spare time, she volunteers with other organizations that seek to advance human rights and equality, like Amnesty International, Canada Confesses, and the United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC).

Andrea Heinz

From 2006 to 2013, Andrea Heinz experienced the harsh realities of Edmonton’s licensed commercial sex industry as a young, vulnerable woman. Today, she is the Project & Policy Lead with the Alberta Centre to End Trafficking in Persons. She is also completing a Bachelor of Professional Arts in Governance, Law, and Management at Athabasca University and holds a diploma in Correctional Services from MacEwan University.

A peer-reviewed scholar on commercial sexual exploitation, Andrea has written for professional publications, participated in numerous interviews, and served as a witness during the 2022 parliamentary review of Canada’s Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act. Since 2013, she has helped deliver Commercial Sex Offender Programming (“john school”) in Alberta. She co-founded Red Light Exposé—an international group of exploitation survivors using their voices through new media—and co-authored the book When Men Buy Sex: Who Really Pays? with fellow advocate Kathy King. Andrea also executive produced the film Labeled: The Missing, Murdered, and Forgotten, which has received several major arts awards.

Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including the Woman of Courage Award, the Dr. Zohra Husaini Memorial Award, a Human Rights Champion Award, and the Joy Award. Andrea continues to turn lived experience into advocacy, using her voice—and creating platforms for others—to challenge exploitation and influence meaningful change.

Colleen Matheson

For more than 25 years, Colleen Matheson has dedicated her career to making sure students and families have the support, opportunities, and resources they need to thrive. An educator, social work graduate, foster parent, and fierce advocate for persons with disabilities, Colleen is someone who sees a need and takes action.

As an Educational Assistant with Edmonton Public Schools, Colleen’s impact reaches far beyond the classroom. She works closely with students and families facing barriers, helps educate families about keeping children safe in the community, coordinates donations of food, clothing, toiletries, and other essentials, and has secured grants to provide ongoing food support for families experiencing food insecurity.

Colleen’s passion for advocacy is also deeply personal. Growing up, she experienced what it was like to have professionals and paraprofessionals involved in determining what success should look like for her. Those experiences helped shape her belief that people, particularly persons with disabilities, should be empowered to define success for themselves. She recently built on more than two decades in education by completing her Diploma in Social Work at MacEwan University.

A proud wife, mother, and foster mother, Colleen is also an active champion of Edmonton’s northside communities. Whether advocating for inclusion, supporting a student, or quietly making sure a family has food and essentials, Colleen’s work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: everyone deserves the opportunity to feel supported, valued, and empowered.

Sanhita Pal

Sanhita Pal is an Engineer in Training at Enbridge, community leader, volunteer, and passionate advocate for women and youth in STEM. Originally from India, she moved to Alberta to pursue a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta, where she specialized in advanced materials research and developed a deep appreciation for the power of mentorship, inclusion, and lifelong learning.

Today, Sanhita combines her technical career with a strong commitment to community impact. She volunteers as a STEM role model, mentors students and young professionals, and actively supports initiatives that encourage women and underrepresented groups to pursue careers in science, engineering, and energy. Through organizations such as WISEST, Canadian Women in Energy, and YEIP, she has shared her journey with hundreds of aspiring professionals and students.

At Enbridge, Sanhita champions volunteerism, inclusion, and employee engagement. She has led community initiatives, organized cultural celebrations, promoted knowledge sharing, and inspired colleagues to give back through fundraising and volunteer activities. She recently completed the 200 km Tour Alberta for Cancer ride while raising funds to support cancer research and patient care.

Whether mentoring a student, leading a volunteer initiative, or presenting technical work, Sanhita believes that opportunity grows when it is shared. Her mission is simple: to open doors for others and help build communities where everyone feels they belong.

Dayle Poitras-Oster

Dr. Dayle Poitras-Oster is a Métis veterinarian, educator, and consultant whose work bridges animal health, Indigenous world view, and culturally grounded curriculum design. Her background includes mixed animal clinical practice, community outreach, and advisory roles across provincial and academic committees focused on equity, diversity, and Indigenous engagement. Currently she is an instructor and the Senior Veterinary Medical Director in the Veterinary Technology program at NAIT, does locum veterinary work, and works as a curriculum consultant for the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine. 

Additionally, she has a main role on APTN’s Wild Rose Vets, bringing light to the life of a rural Indigenous mixed animal veterinarian. Recognized with honours such as Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30 and the Esquao Award for Health & Medicine, Dayle continues to champion community-centered care and the advancement of Indigenous voices within the veterinary profession. She enjoys camping, riding horses, and attending cultural events. In her spare time, Dayle prioritizes spending time with her one-year-old and husband.

Shelley Sabo

Shelley Sabo is an intercultural and intergenerational learner and placemaker. 

She is deeply inspired by the Indigenous worldview that by sharing our gifts in community  we weave a web to contribute to each other’s well-being. She also witnesses a deep spirit of reciprocity in the newcomer communities she has walked alongside. 

Shelley initiated an intergenerational project where older adults spent time with resilient elementary students for their mutual benefit. CBC did a story on one of the schools where the program is still thriving almost a decade later. The resident elder said he could “feel the love come into the building”. 

In 2025, Shelley became the CEO of the Bosco Foundation. It is in a very diverse corner of NE Edmonton where she grew up.

As a volunteer, she initiated a large collective garden project on their 3.5 acre site.  Bosco is home to over 20 non-profits in their 65,000 sq ft historical building. The Intercultural Child and Family Centre is moving in to join Aboriginal Head Start and many other equity building groups. She also initiated a learning process for her board to discern the best affordable housing option for their neighbourhood. You can listen to the Bosco Neighbourhood Podcast on Spotify.

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