Inaugural Women and Girls in Sport Leadership Conference

June 14th, 2026

About a year and a half ago, Edmonton Tennis Community (ETC) Executive Director Karina Trkulja wanted to create a meaningful space where women and girls in sport could come together to learn, connect, and be inspired.

Karina’s inspiration comes from both her professional and personal experiences in sport. As a mother of two daughters competing in the high-performance tennis program at the Saville Community Sports Centre, she has witnessed firsthand the importance of strong female role models and supportive environments for young athletes. She has also seen the impact women have on the growth of the sport through the work of coaches, volunteers, officials, administrators, and community leaders, including her sister, Kristina Sanjevic, a dedicated and accomplished tennis player and coach.

Over the years, Karina recognized a need for more opportunities where women involved in sport could come together to connect, learn, and support one another. She envisioned a space that would be educational and informative, while also fostering meaningful conversations, mentorship, and community.

Women contribute daily as coaches, volunteers, administrators, parents, mentors, and leaders. They assist with ETC’s programs and events and create welcoming environments for kids, youth, and adults. Yet opportunities for these women to come together, connect, learn, and simply be celebrated are limited in Edmonton.

The vision was never simply to create another conference. It was to create an experience.

Over the following months, that vision grew into reality through the collective efforts of the ETC team, volunteers, speakers, and community partner Tennis Alberta, who shared the belief that investing in women ultimately strengthens the entire sport.

On Sunday, June 14th, forty women gathered at the JW Marriott in Edmonton’s ICE District for the inaugural Women and Girls in Sport Leadership Conference. From 11 AM to 2 PM, the room filled with conversation, shared stories, and genuine connection from the moment the doors opened. Lisa MacGregor, a journalist, filmmaker, and media entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in broadcast news, served as the moderator, leading three sessions that drew out the voices and experiences of each speaker with care and intention.

The morning opened with professional tennis player Stacey Fung, who spoke about the resilience tennis builds and how those skills carry well beyond the court and into everyday life. A former NCAA All-American at the University of Washington and a WTA-ranked professional who has competed in the Australian Open and represented Canada at numerous international events, Stacey now channels that experience into coaching and mentoring the next generation through Tennis Canada. At one point she had the room laughing, sharing a story about the time she found herself in an Uber with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Following Stacey’s session, attendees gathered for a catered lunch provided by the JW Marriott, a welcome pause that gave the room time to connect, reflect, and carry the morning’s conversations into new ones.

The afternoon continued with Dr. Shazma Mithani, an emergency physician and trusted public voice on healthcare in Canada. She spoke about a side of herself she has only recently discovered: a creative, digital identity that has grown into a platform reaching thousands of Canadians. Her story was a reminder that leadership does not always look the way we expect, and that stepping into a new and unfamiliar space can be one of the most meaningful things we do. Closing the day was Bridget Casey, award-winning entrepreneur, co-host of the top 10 podcast Money Feels, and financial columnist for the Globe and Mail, who walked attendees through her own founding story and offered practical financial wisdom. It was a grounding and empowering note to close a conference built entirely around growth and possibility.

Each attendee left with a thoughtful gift bag. The standout piece was a lip oil from Flora Biotherapeutics, founded by Loredana Dorobantu, a chemical engineer and mother of two daughters who are also competitive tennis players. It was a fitting reminder that the women behind ETC are not just supporters of this community, they are builders of it.

What made the day particularly special was the diversity of experiences in the room. Young coaches sat alongside experienced leaders, each bringing something unique to the conversation. The day also included a meaningful moment of recognition, as Karina presented the Karina Trkulja Leadership Award to Tamara Salajic, a woman who has devoted three years of her time and dedication to ETC.

“I left the conference thinking about how fortunate I am. Being in that room with women from all different backgrounds and generations made me stop and think about how differently we may have each arrived at the same place. It made me appreciate how lucky I am to work alongside the incredible women who make up this community.”

-            Emma Rutherford, Coach, Edmonton Tennis Community

The conference reinforced that leadership comes in many forms. Sometimes it is visible and vocal. Other times it is quiet, consistent, and demonstrated through years of service to a community. Every attendee brought a unique perspective, and every story contributed to a stronger collective voice for women in sport.

For Karina, the conference represents the beginning of a larger commitment to supporting, developing, and celebrating female leadership. By creating opportunities for women to connect, learn, and inspire one another, she hopes to continue building pathways that encourage more women and girls to see themselves as leaders within tennis and beyond. This is a meaningful step forward, one that has the potential to create lasting impact throughout the tennis community for years to come.