WBF president and CEO prepares for next chapter

Published On

December 11, 2024

Carol Moen, the president and CEO of Women Building Futures’ has decided to move towards her version of retirement.   

Carol, an engineer by profession, came out of retirement five years ago to take the helm of WBF. With the birth of her first grandchild this fall, it is time to turn her focus back to family and personal growth. We applaud her decision and wish Carol all the best.  Central to WBF’s work is the empowerment of women, and after working tirelessly for five years to advance the mission, we support our leader’s decision to advance towards retirement.  She often describes that WBF has become part of who she is, so we know she will always be cheering our important work on from the sidelines. 

WBF’s Board of Directors will launch a recruitment effort very soon and plan to have a new CEO in place by late spring or early summer 2025. To ensure a smooth transition, Carol will stay on until mid-2025. 

Carol has led the organization through a period of remarkable growth, with WBF increasing its presence around Alberta and into Saskatchewan and Ontario. More importantly, however, is the growing number of women and gender-diverse individuals we are inspiring to change their lives through rewarding careers in the skilled trades and transportation sectors.  In 2023-24 WBF graduated 284 women from our training programs, more than ever before.  The wrap around supports provided over that year are likely ten-fold this number.  As we look at the last 5 years that Carol has been at the helm, WBF has graduated more than 1,100 women from programs, something Carol shares pride in with the whole organization.  

“I am particularly proud of the strong, passionate and dynamic team of leaders I’ve built during this time,” Carol reflects.  “Together with their dedicated teams, I have no doubt that the number of women WBF supports will continue to grow.” 

Of course, WBF’s mission could not be achieved without the generous support of our partners in government, industry and the NGO sector. In recent years, the number of organizations supporting our mission to help women change their lives for the better has continued to grow.  Carol always speaks to partnerships being the secret behind WBF’s success.   Both government and industry are truly partners with WBF in their mission of economic security for women. 

“It has been a wonderful, rewarding and fulfilling time with WBF. I am a better human because of this important work, and I am so proud of what this dedicated team has accomplished,” she told staff. “We are on the right path to ensure stability and continued success. There is a solid plan in place for 2025-26 and now is a suitable time for a new leader to come to the table with a fresh heart and mind.” 

“Through her vision, Carol turned opportunity into impact,” said Landa Richards, chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. “WBF is growing and helping more women establish careers in the skilled trades and commercial transportation, leading to increased economic security for themselves and their families.” 

For all the amazing female and gender diverse leaders out there with an interest to lead work that truly addresses the economic security and potential of women and other under-represented groups, stay tuned for the posting for the next President & CEO of Women Building Futures in January!