Dr. Anne Halpin is a professional matchmaker — for organs. Her work at the University of Alberta Hospital focuses on ensuring an organ donation is the most suited for the recipient, using samples from each of the pair to determine the level of risk and compatibility. Since organs require the same compatibility as blood groups, people with certain blood types may only be compatible with 45 percent of the population, limiting their access to life-saving treatment. “One of my main areas of research is designing and improving tests to measure blood group antibodies, so we can provide more equitable access to transplant for people of all blood groups.” Halpin has also experienced transplantation first-hand as a living kidney donor. Her friend needed a transplant, but Halpin wasn’t a match. “I watched him get his transplant and get his whole life back, spend time with his grandchildren and travel,” she says. “I thought, I know I can do this.” Through Canadian Blood Services Kidney Paired Donation program, she proceeded as an anonymous donor in 2022. “I feel like it’s not altruistic because I benefit from it every day,” says Dr. Halpin. “It makes me happy every day. I wish I had three kidneys. I’d do it again.”

As CEO of ATCO since 2003, Nancy Southern brings a rare perspective to Alberta’s story. A fourth generation Albertan, she has guided the almost 80 year-old family-built business into a publicly traded company that spans utilities, energy systems and logistics, while remaining rooted in the province that helped shape it. “If I were to characterize Alberta’s spirit, it is a spirit of courage, resilience and perseverance,” says Southern. “Everybody pitches in and is proud of what they’ve done and been able to accomplish. That just permeates throughout Alberta.” That way of living is reflected in the ethos of ATCO Heart and Mind. Founded by her father, the philosophy of ATCO guides the company’s responsibility to community. Southern has seen it come to life during times of hardship — most recently the Jasper fires, when people across the province stepped up to help the community rebuild and thrive after complete devastation. Looking ahead, Southern hopes that sense of purpose and service will continue. “I encourage the next generations to continue the practice of volunteering — not being asked to help, but volunteering to help. It’s so important to have purpose,” she says. “The spirit of giving, the spirit of caring, driving for excellence, the pursuit of excellence — we need to hang on to that.”

When Mallory Yawnghwe was a kid, there was one place you could find her: the Rock on the Hill in Saddle Lake Cree Nation. “I used to sit and imagine what it would be like to go to the city. It still brings me right back to this beautiful place of safety and community.” Yawnghwe now lives in Edmonton, the city she once imagined, where she and her husband run Indigenous Box. “[Myself and my husband started in March 2021] with this intention to champion Indigenous grassroots businesses,” says Yawnghwe. “When the pandemic hit, a lot of our smaller entrepreneurs were suddenly having to shift from selling at community events to online. And there was a huge learning gap.” That need grew into Indigenous Box, a subscription box, or gift box business. They moved the organization from their basement to a warehouse at the Edmonton International Airport within three months, and started shipping to buyers across Canada and the world. Core to their purpose is reciprocity, connectedness and community. Yawnghwe is a “business auntie” to those she works with, showing Indigenous entrepreneurs they can be equal players and essential collaborators in modern commerce. “The values this company is built on come from my marriage, my parents, my teachers, my relationship with my community — [all] who helped instill them in me,” she says. “It roots back to all of it — it’s a whole team of people and community.”

For many Canadians, Holger Petersen’s voice is instantly familiar. The host of CBC Saturday Night Blues and CKUA’s Natch’l Blues, Petersen has been in living rooms and cars for decades, bringing roots and blues to fans both old and new. Beyond radio, Petersen is a pillar in the Alberta music scene as co-founder of of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival and founder of Stony Plain Records. Petersen co-founded the record label in 1976, growing it into an institution that would release records for esteemed artists such as Ian Tyson, Corb Lund, Lucinda Williams and John Prine. He’s also always had an appreciation for singer-songwriters, especially those that wrote about Alberta and its stories. “In the 80s, especially in country music, most Alberta artists were writing about Nashville or American cities. I think that’s changed,” he says. “There’s real pride in writing songs about Alberta, and if you listen to CKUA, you’ll hear a lot them.” In the early 80s, inspired by the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Petersen and his associates began to foster Edmonton’s own festival and community, now known internationally for its artists, location and incredible volunteers. “Music unites everybody,” says Petersen. “It makes everybody feel that they are part of a community — whatever your taste in music, there’s a community for it.”