GSA General Election 2026
Campaign Period
February 23 – March 6
All-Candidates Q&A Session, Town Hall
Thursday, February 26, 4:00 PM Room: M1060
Join Online: GSA Elections Town Hall - Q&A | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
Voting Period
March 9 – 13
Candidates
Executive Council
President: Jade Oldfield
Jade Oldfield is a second year PhD student in the department of neuroscience and has spent three years in the GSA executive. Her past notable accomplishments include increasing the number of awards available to grad students, starting a food pantry for grad students, and reestablishing internal and external advocacy efforts to move forward grad student priorities. Moving forward, her goals include supporting research and advocacy surrounding housing and funding opportunities.
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VP Academic: Akeem Bamigbola
I am a PhD student in Theoretical and Computational Science, running for Vice-President Academic to ensure graduate students have strong representation on academic matters, clearer communication of policies and deadlines, and better support for research and professional development. I am committed to fostering an inclusive and empowering
environment where all graduate students can thrive
VP Finance: Khalid, A K M Iftekhar
Oki! I acknowledge that we are standing on the traditional territory of the Blackfoot people. I pay my respect to the Blackfoot people’s cultural heritage, beliefs, and relationship to the land. I am a Ph.D. student in Cultural, Social, and Political Thought (CSPT) at the University of Lethbridge, housed in the Department of English and Humanities Innovative Lab (HIL). I am committed to fostering a vibrant cultural community. I hope to promote cultural awareness and inclusivity on campus. My research explores the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the English language, aiming to safeguard linguistic diversity and cultural heritage in a rapidly changing world.
I maintain that a responsible financial stewardship is essential to ensuring the GSA budget and serving the entire graduate student community. I am dedicated to making students' needs the foundation of all GSA financial decisions.
VP Finance: Brannon Sumner
An Msc student in Neuroscience, committed to transparent and strategic financial leadership. As former Treasurer and President of Rotaract, he helped lead initiatives that raised over $245,000 for local and international humanitarian projects, many focused-on youth and education. Through prior experience in post-secondary students' unions, Brannon aims to advocate for stronger and more sustainable graduate funding while aligning financial decisions with Alberta’s 2030 sustainability plan. He is committed to ensuring the GSA budget responsibly and effectively supports graduate student success.
Graduate Students’ Association Representatives (GSAR)
Independent Representative: Clara Juliano Cunha
Hi, I’m Clara, a first-year master's student in Chemistry. I’m proud to be part of a department known for its impactful research and accomplished faculty. At the same time, I understand that graduate school can feel isolating. As an international student, I recognize how important community, accessibility, and clear communication are to a positive graduate experience. I’m running for Independent Representative to help strengthen student engagement, improve communication between students and leadership, and advocate for practical concerns that affect our daily lives.
Graduate school should not only be productive — it should also feel supportive and connected. I would be honored to represent you.
International Representative: Razeen Mujarrab
Razeen is an MSc student in Management (Marketing) and a former GSA Vice-President Finance. Through his previous role, he gained valuable experience advocating for graduate students and working to ensure their needs were reflected in GSA decision-making.
As an international student, Razeen understands the unique academic, financial, and social challenges that international graduate students face. He is committed to strengthening communication, increasing support, and ensuring that international student perspectives are meaningfully represented within the GSA.
Sexual Awareness & Inclusion Representative: Tara Laverty
Tara is a neuroscience graduate student committed to fostering a graduate community that is informed, inclusive, and accountable. She believes in providing LGBTQIA2S+ representation to the GSA, and advocating for accessible educational & support resources regarding sexual health,
informed consent, and safe spaces in the community.
Fine Arts Representative: Olympia Tomasta
My name is Olympia Tomasta and I am running to be re-elected as the Fine Arts Representative. I am currently studying for my Masters of Fine Arts with a specialization in Theatre and Dramatic Arts. I have held this position since December 2025. During my undergrad at Simon Fraser University I served as:
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The Event Coordinator for Simon Fraser University's Theatre Student Union.
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A Member of the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology Dean’s Student Advisory Council.
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A Student Ambassador for the School for the Contemporary Arts.
I enjoy serving my university community and advocating for fellow students. I love working in collaboration to provide students with beneficial experiences and support throughout their university career. I admire the work that the Graduate Student's Association is doing and am excited to continue to help with what is already being done and to support new initiatives. I would be thrilled to continue to represent you on the GSA as the Fine Arts Representative!
Social Sciences Representative: Kelly Grannon
Kelly Grannon is a PhD student in Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Jamal Mansour. Her research has been presented at numerous national conferences, and she has collaborated with international teams on memory conformity projects. She has experience in statistical modeling, science communication, and cross-disciplinary outreach.
Kelly enjoys facilitating engagement among students
and supporting initiatives that reflect diverse interests
and challenges. During her time as Co-President of the University of Victoria's Psychology Under-graduate Students, she successfully adapted their program during COVID-19, helping move events online to Zoom and Discord.
Kelly is enthusiastic about supporting the GSA's objectives and representing the Social Sciences graduate student community with diligence and integrity.
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.
Questions?
Please contact the Graduate Voting Officer at:
gsa@uleth.ca
