#267 IWD Spotlight Myrna Khan- Be Bold in Hockey Leadership

We sit down with Myrna Khan, Executive Director of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, to talk about immigrant roots, career risks, and what it takes to lead inside hockey culture. We dig into women’s hockey growth in Edmonton, practical ways to open doors for girls and newcomers, and why speaking up is one of the simplest forms of support. 

• Myrna’s path from Edmonton to McGill University then CN Rail and corporate sustainability 
• Returning home for community, family, and a more grounded life 
• Navigating a male-dominated hockey industry through confidence and competence 
• Work-life balance during the season with strong family support 
• Career advice that sticks: be bold, be curious, be kind 
• Women’s Hockey Advisory Committee and efforts to grow women in hockey business 
• PWHL excitement in Edmonton and what representation feels like in the arena 
• Even Strength programming and building a hockey pathway for girls 
• Making hockey less intimidating for new Canadians and underrepresented communities 
• A simple ally move that changes rooms: speaking up when a remark crosses the line 

Remember to follow us across socials @theuniversalradio. Tune in daily on 97.9 FM in Edmonton and worldwide through our streaming platform at  www.theuniversalradio.com.

IG: @theuniversalradio

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Welcome to Turn It Up on the Universal Radio Network. This is Sapreet, and joining me for International Women's Day Series is the Executive Director of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation. Please join me as we welcome Mirna Khan. Joining me is the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation's executive director, Mirna Khan. Hello, Mirna.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Happy to be here.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Oh my god, first of all, happy International Women's Day. Thank you to you as well. Thank you. What a fabulous month it is. I call it a month. I feel like the entire month we're just highlighting and celebrating amazing women, and I'm honored to be sitting with someone who's not just South Asian, but an Edmontonian working in sports. I love it. You're rare find.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

I'm gonna try not to be a rare find going forward.

Mirna’s Career Path To Hockey

SPEAKER_01 1:11

Oh, I love that. Yeah. So let's talk about this, Mirna. What led you to become the executive director of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation?

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Yeah, so that's a I always like to start when people ask me about my journey. I always like to start with my parents, right? Being the daughter of immigrants, you know, they came here to Canada. Um, my mom from the Philippines, my dad from Guyana, they have a beautiful story in how they met. If we have time, I'd love to tell it. And they just instilled in me this work hard. Like work hard, get stuff done, and always support your community. So uh they came here, they sacrificed a whole lot to give me the opportunities I have. So, born and raised here, I grew up here. I was a teenager in the 80s when the Oilers were winning their Stanley Cups. So huge, I tell you, it's a little bit of a trip to be having the posters of the Oilers on my wall and as a teenager and seeing them walking down the hall. I can't even imagine. It's a bit of a trip. It's a bit of a trip. Um, but yeah, they were like, I used to wait outside the Coliseum to get their autographs. Uh, my mom would watch hockey and she would yell at the TV, go Gretzky, go when he wasn't even playing. So hockey was a big part of my life. Um, and then you know, when it was time to go to university, because I am the daughter of immigrants, I had to go to pre-med. Of course. That was that's what I do, right? Because that's a prerequisite. So did that and um was in my cup of tea, and then graduated from U of A and ended up either going to law school or an MBA. Chose an MBA, went to McGill, and I couldn't get out of Edmonton fast enough, to be honest. I just thought there was just so much more in this world uh than here. Um, ended up going to McGill for a couple years, and when I was there, um, I was part of this group that was um doing a career fair. And so we had all these companies at uh at different tables. There was McKinsey and Procter and Gamble, and there was a table there that was CN Rail, and nobody wanted to sit at the CN Rail table, right? So I'm like, okay, I'll sit there. And had there was the entire executive CN Rail there. And the reason why they were there, I understood I figured out was uh a year later they were gonna go through their initial public offering. So they were trying to get all this young blood into the organization. So I like sat next to the CEO. He's like talking to me. I'm like, yeah, I can I can do 70 hour weeks and I can totally shit disturb. I'll be you that person. So I sent him a fax the next day. They didn't have internet fact that said shit disturbing in 70 hour weeks. And then they called me the next day, they brought me and said, we want to hire you. So started out my career at the railway. And then uh my husband and I got married. Uh, we did a year-long honeymoon. Uh, we went to India for four months, Nepal, all over Southeast Asia. And I think that time away was really a lot of introspection of the career that I wanted. And I really honed in on this idea of you can be in business, but you can do well and do good at the same time. So ended up living in Vancouver, uh, worked in sustainability and corporate sustainability for about 13 years. And then my daughter came into my life, uh, our lives, and in our lives, and all the things that we became really important to us were all the things that were back home in Edmonton. Right. Community, family, um the able to afford a house. That's a big thing. That's a big thing. So came back here. Um, I hadn't been here for 20 years, so I reached out to a few people that remembered me. They got me in touch with a few folks, uh, ended up at the United Way uh as their vice president of resource development, did that for four years, then ended up at the city of Edmonton for a couple of years, and then at McCune University. And then um this job came along, and all those jobs that I had were really about community leadership and um and giving back and engagement. And an executive search room called me and said, Hey, there's this job. The Edmonton Rotterdose Community Foundation is looking for an executive director. And I'm like, this is the job. So very long interview process, like it was about four months. Um, but yeah, that's how I came to where I am. I love Wow, about the best job.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

That's amazing. Yeah, and how long have you been in this role? I've been uh it was three years in January. Amazing, and you guys have done some amazing thing, and I know the foundation is doing some great work in our city, it's really representing the city in a great way, and I really see a lot of more work in like diverse spaces, even like with females, I see like a lot more work, but then even the oilers in general with their cultural nights, and I feel like it's really cool to see all of that come together, and it's even cool to like see the forces behind it like yourself, right? I think that's a huge thing because a lot of time we don't realize the people behind the scenes that are making these things possible for us, yeah, and that's a big thing.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

It's it's quite exciting to be part of what I can only describe, and I'm probably not describing it right, but being part of something that is truly like religion here in Oil Country, right? Like the oilers are it, right? Absolutely. Um, and so to be to be able to leverage the power and spirit of that into giving back and in and engaging with all these communities is so special and I'm so privileged. It absolutely is.

Leading In A Male Dominated Sport

SPEAKER_01 6:19

So I do have to ask, being in an industry that is so male dominating, let's be real, it's the oilers, it's hockey, and even today, like in 2026, it's still a male-dominating industry. So, has that come with any challenges that you feel that might have come because of it being a male-dominating industry? Like anything that really just crosses your mind.

SPEAKER_00 6:41

Um, you know, I'm not gonna lie, you're right. It is a male-dominated industry. You know, it kind of helps that I started my career in a male-dominated industry. So, you know, swearing a bit more at work happens, you know, talking about sports happens a lot. Um, but I I will say that my personal experience since starting with the the Oilers and the Edmonton Orange Community Foundation has been really super positive because I think what the sports industry values is is confidence and and competence, right? And just really getting shit done, right? And so um that's what I love to do. That's always been the driver in my career. And so as long as you do that, uh you will be, you know, you'll you'll go far. But I also find that the things that, you know, women typically do well, which is like relationship building and um engaging people, it's also something that the industry is realizing that they need to do more of. And so there's more opportunities that are coming my way. But you know, be you know, when you do look and you go on the websites of all the NHL teams and you take a look at the pictures, it is still very male, still very white, and still, you know, we're trying to do our best to make some inroads.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

Absolutely. Now, do you feel like since he started three years ago, have are you seeing more females?

SPEAKER_00 7:53

Yeah, you see more, yeah. Okay, I am so you know, the uh what and what's really cool is we're seeing females like in the hockey operations side, right? So that because you know, there's people there are people on the business side, you know, that like myself and people in executive positions, but um like the Seattle Kraken had their first assistant coach, uh Jessa, Jessica Cavill, I think her name is. So cool to see her behind the bench. Um at the NHL, there's a woman named Kim Davis. She's at the C-suite level. She has been working there for I think about five years, and she's their executive VP, growth, social impact, and government affairs. And she's amazing. Like all of us in the NHL look up to her. We had a a call, like a Teams call with her, all the women across the NHL and her, I think it was last International Women's Day. We got to ask her all these questions. And one of the questions was like, How do you how do you have balance and like the word balance? How do you have balance in your life? How do you take care of herself? And I remember this, and I'm like, she's a goddess to me. She said, every Saturday, I have a massage therapist come to my house for three hours and give me massage. And I thought that is a woman who knows how to take care of herself in a very, very uh complex job.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

Absolutely. Now I know you mentioned you have a daughter as well. I do, yeah. And like I can only imagine your role can be like high intensity, especially during like the season playoffs, and like even when you guys are putting on events and community events. So, what is that work-life balance for you?

SPEAKER_00 9:21

Yeah, that you know, it it does help that it's hockey, so it's fun, right? And so, yes, there's a lot of late hours, uh, especially knock on wood. Uh, when the playoffs come, it's even more exciting. Um, you know, I I am really, really, really fortunate. And I've, you know, I've been married to my husband for gosh. Sorry. 28 years. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Long, very long. You look very young. You look very young. I appreciate that. Yeah. Um, and he is very, very supportive. So, you know, when throughout our careers, we've been together for almost over 30, we have uh, you know, each we've each time in our career had one of us sort of say, Okay, this is my time to really dig in. And then the other person would kind of say, Okay, it's my time to kind of support. And so that's been the case with me and him over the last three years since I took this job with the foundation. He is a total hockey fan too, so he's all over it. So having the support of him has been super helpful. Uh, my daughter is 17, so she's old enough to kind of take care of herself, and she finally has a mom who has a cool job.

Be Bold Curious Kind Advice

SPEAKER_01 10:28

That's awesome. Yeah, I was gonna ask, do you bring her to like the Euther's Games AU? Oh, yeah, amazing. Yeah, yeah, she gets to do some pretty pretty much. That must be such a cool experience to see your mom like in such a powerful role. I think, I mean, she'll never say. Yeah, but she I we all remember being 17. Right? I mean, yes, like I never my mom wasn't in the sports industry, but like I can imagine that being such a powerful moment for a young girl looking up to their mom being in such a cool position. I hope so. Yeah. Yeah, and I think that's like part of your role, I think, is that a lot of young women look up to this that hey, there's someone in the sports industry that's leading the way, and how do we get into these spaces? So if we're talking about Bamir now, what are some of those like key things or those tips that you think that could really help the young population and just in general to help get more females in the sports industry?

SPEAKER_00 11:16

Yeah, that's so I I re I had a uh a mentor who unfortunately is no longer with us anymore, and she said uh three things that still resonate with me. And she said, uh be bold, be curious, and be kind. And so be bold is really just about uh you know taking taking risks. And I I find oftentimes, especially it's interesting, right? Because my parents took big risks to be here. But when it came to me and my life, they really didn't want me to take a lot of risks. Like they really were just like, why can't you be in a job that has a pension, you know, and you're gonna be set for the next one years, right? So, but yeah, be bold and take risks, I think is is a really important one for uh because a lot of times those opportunities aren't right in front of you. You have to talk to a lot of people, take risks, have people watch you take risks. All the jobs that I took, and my career is all about just trying new things and taking risks. Um be curious. Um, I've met so many amazing people like yourself just by being curious and asking a lot of questions, right? And and the last one is be kind. I mean, there's so much stuff happening in the world. We just talked about that before we started the interview. It's it's doesn't it doesn't hurt to be kind. You can be tough on tough on work, tough on process, but don't be tough on people. And I think that like that has that has emboldened me in my career, and that's the advice I would give anybody who who talked to me.

SPEAKER_01 12:43

Thank you. That was actually beautiful. I'm gonna, yeah, that's yeah, especially the be kind. Yeah. I think like when you're in sometimes those executive positions, the narrative is that you need to be like that badass person, right? Like you're hockey. Yeah, exactly. So I'm like, that's actually really refreshing to hear your perspective on that. And now you're being you being in this role for three years, seeing other women in this role, how does that feel? Like as you're seeing more females in this role, do you feel like a in more empowerment or like do you feel like more support? Or and how is it working with other women and the sports industry in general?

PWHL Edmonton And Even Strength

SPEAKER_00 13:18

Yeah, it's been it's it's been really so I I admittedly at first when I came into the into the industry, I was a little bit hesitant, right? Because I really was. There was not a lot of women in it. I am part, I'm I'm very honored to be part of uh something called the Women's Hockey Advisory Committee. Uh that's a Canada and US wide uh group of women who are from the NHL, from the PWHL, from Hockey Canada, from Hockey USA, and we've been pulled together by the hockey industry to find opportunities to grow the sport for women, but not only grow more women playing, but getting more women in the business of hockey. Right? So we're talking about different ways that we could have mentorship programs, um, job shadowing, all that sort of stuff where we can reach out and invite women in. Um you know, I still, I still, but you know, I still go into a room, as probably a lot of us do. We go into a big room, we see how many women there are, we see how many women of color there are, and we make an assessment of kind of what the situation is. And, you know, there's still some work to be done in when it comes to sports and perfect, particularly in hockey. So I'm really excited to be part of these initiatives, and hopefully those rooms will change as we as we evolve.

SPEAKER_01 14:31

Now you mentioned PWHL. Let me take a moment because I heard you speak at the breakfast last year for the PWHO. Yeah, and that was such an empowering panel of women that were talking about being in sports and how or allies of the sport industry. And the PWHL is actually coming back to Edmonton this year. They are, yeah. They're having a game.

SPEAKER_00 14:50

Gosh, I think it's in April. Yeah. Yeah. So we're so excited. Uh we as a foundation have been uh since I started, we we uh started this program called Even Strength, which is really all of our programming, our investment uh to break down barriers and provide opportunities for girls, women, and and people identifying as female in hockey. And so that we're gonna showcase uh our all our Even Strength programming. We are going to we have this uh relationship with the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, and they're going to be bringing a showcase of women's hockey to uh to Roger's place and we'll showcase all the amazing things that women in hockey have been doing over the past you know how many years. So we're putting all of our muscle behind that game because we're so excited. And the girls and the women that come out, it's just so great to see how excited they are to see the the ladies play.

SPEAKER_01 15:43

It was one of my highlights last year. I'm not just saying this, and I took my husband, my partner, with me, and I'm not I'm actually being very honest. I remember during the national anthem, we're all signing up, and then he sees all these females on the ice and he started crying. And he's not an emotional person. And I look over and he's like, This is just so powerful, and he's like, I've never experienced this before. And it was beautiful, and also the support from the city, yes, it was sold out. I remember I was looking at my Instagram and people were posting on their story if anyone has tickets they want to sell, I really want to go to the game, and I'm like, this is amazing, amazing, and I'm actually really excited for April.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

Yeah, it's gonna be a fantastic case. It's gonna be a great day for the city, and it's just a great day for hockey.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Yeah, and so PWHL is coming on. You guys are doing extensive work with that this year. Beyond this, is there anything else with the foundation itself that we can focus or talk about where they're really focusing on more female representation?

SPEAKER_00 16:40

Yeah, I mean, you know, I had mentioned the idea of even strength, and you know, we are creating a we're working to create a a hockey pathway for any girl that wants to play. So you don't you may not want to end up in minor hockey and may end up, you know, playing for Team Canada, but you just may want to pick up a stick and go to play a hockey game once a week and you know, not travel to Le Dupe or wherever to play. So we're looking at opportunities to create those spaces. And I think what's really cool is that we're also trying to mesh that with new Canadians as well, right? Like I had mentioned that, you know, hockey is really like religion here. There's so many people who come to Canada and they and they see that it's hockey and they're like, I don't know what this is. It's really kind of intimidating. It's on the ice, I've never been on the ice before, and everybody's talking about it, right? And so we want to find opportunities for girls, new Canadians, to just feel the power and spirit of hockey and feel welcomed by it. So that's really what this Every Kid Deserves a Shot program and even strength is about, is just creating those doorways for kids to play hockey.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

And what an important initiative because as you mentioned, there's so many newcomers. And even having those conversations, because we have a lot of like newer people or a lot of like the students that do tune in, they do ask us a lot of questions about ice hockey, especially during the playoffs. There was a few of them that were like here on site, and they would be like, Hey, like, can you tell us the hype about the playoffs are? And I'm like, Yeah, it's like really cool that they're trying to assimilate, but also reaching realizing that there's still a lot of outreach to do in those spaces.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Yeah. What was so beautiful though, like we were just um, I was just on a call this morning and we were talking about, you know, what potentially we don't say the P word just yet until we we clinched, but what may happen in the next month. And uh over the last two playoff runs, there was almost a million people that came into Edmonton Fan Park uh Ice District to sell. Like you see all those people, but what's so beautiful is you see the crowd and you see who's in that crowd. And it's all sorts of people, right? You got the guy in the cowboy hat, you've got the Punjabi and the turbo, you've got like you've got like so many people, and it's just beautiful. And that's what I love about hockey is the ability to just bring people together and the joy it brings.

SPEAKER_01 18:57

It brings, it's like a huge melting pot. I always say this, especially the ice district um mosh pit. Oh while yeah. I remember so last year, I think it was game five, I was actually at a reception at the Marriott that was overlooking the mosh pit, and I remember being like, this is crazy, just like the diversity, it's a melting pot, and you're seeing people from all different backgrounds there, and they're all just enjoying the moment. Loving it. They're loving it, loving it. It's such a great vibe. I love the, I don't know if you saw the video, but the dance-offs, right? Like the different, that's so crazy.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

That's so good.

SPEAKER_01 19:29

It's amazing. Yeah, and yeah, I think as you mentioned, like these initiatives, if we're focusing more on like females or like underrepresented communities, it's just gonna be great to see like how that's gonna grow over the next few years because the community's growing, the city's growing, the love of the sport is just growing. It really is, right? Like Edmonton is truly a hockey city.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

It is, yeah. Like without a doubt, without a doubt. Yeah, you know, I've been to, I've been I mean, I talked to my my compatriots across country and all the hockey teams, right? And it's just it is it's very special here. It's very, very special here. Yeah, yeah.

Give To Gain And Community Impact

SPEAKER_01 20:05

It is. Yeah, I absolutely agree. Um, I've been to about four games this season, and probably like the best thing about winter in Edmonton is the hockey games because they're so much fun. Regardless what it's like outside, as soon as you walk into Roger's place, everything just feels so great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's very now International Women's Day this year. The theme is give to gain. I want to understand, Mirna, like what does this mean to you, and especially in the role you're in, that when we're talking about the theme for 2026, give to gain, how does this resonate with you? And what does this really truly mean to you?

SPEAKER_00 20:40

Yeah, no, I was thinking about that, and I there's two things that came to mind. One is, you know, I think about my career and and what I've been able to do and where I am today. And I really couldn't have been here without that group of people, that posse of girls, that, you know, my husband. And and you have to give yourself to that, you have to give yourself to them, right? And to invest in those friendships, to invest in those relationships. And because of them, I've been able to gain and be where I am today. So that was one take on it that I was really thinking about because I do really honor, you know, the the people that hold me up. Um, the other gift to gain is is frankly the work that I get to do with the foundation. I get to give. I mean, I get to be part of the oilers and I get to give. Like that is just amazing. And so, you know, uh the the work that we do in the community, the investments that we make, the programs that we run is really about lifting up the community, and the community gains because of it. And we get more hockey fans in the process too, right? So it is just it's a win win win.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

Yeah, and that's exactly why when I was looking at the theme and I was thinking about who to interview in Edmonton, you were one of the first people that came to mind because I've seen the work you've done. I've heard, like I said, I mentioned I heard you speak at PWHL, and it was such an inspiring story. Yeah, and then also just knowing. The work the community is doing and then seeing how you are such a big part of that because you hold such a powerful role within the organization. So it's great. I really wanted to understand your perspective because that organization truly gives back to the community. And I've heard from even parents that their children have like gone to some of the initiatives and they just sing the praises of how well they're organized, what they provide to the community.

SPEAKER_00 22:23

So it's really nice to see that that's that's actually that's you know, there's so many moments that happen uh in this role, but the best moments are when we see that kid. Like that kid just gets so excited when they put on those skates for the first time, or that kid who steps out on the ice, like it's just and that, and then even more the parent that's beaming with pride behind them. Like that's it's just beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Absolutely, absolutely. Now, I do want you mentioned your posse of girls, yeah. And I always say, even for myself, like being in the media, there's not usually that many females. And I'm always like, it's so important to have those female cheerleaders. How important has that been for you in your career path?

How To Support Women Plus Closing

SPEAKER_00 23:02

Like, invaluable. I mean, you know, I've I've lived in different places, so I've sort of have a different group of girls, but they've now become one great big posse, which is amazing. But, you know, it's uh especially when I was moved when I moved back here and I hadn't been here for 20 years, I had to kind of rebuild that group. And I, you know, they're they're family. Like they're the in some of them are the they're the loves of my life, really, like in different ways. It's just that, you know, we're all going through different parts of our lives, things are happening, and we just know we may not talk to each other every day, but we know each we have each other's back. And that I think, especially for women, um, when we are, you know, climbing that hill, it's so important to know that you will have people around you that are, you know, always there.

SPEAKER_01 23:51

And is there one simple action you can share with all of our listeners that if you want to show your support for a female, whether you're a male or a female, what is that one action, something that really helped and impacted you throughout your life and career?

SPEAKER_00 24:05

You know, oh my god. Yeah, I I would say it's small, but it's so impactful to speak up. Like I've just, you know, again, I've been in some male-dominated industries and male-dominated rooms, and and you know, uh a joke or something, a flippant remark will happen, and there'll there'll be a laugh. I mean, we saw that happen with uh with the Olympics. Yes. Um just someone to say, hey, that's not right. Like that is what needs to happen. We need some and we need allies, we need allies to do that. And so I that's what I would say. It's it's a small thing that has a huge impact, and we just need more people to do that.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

I appreciate that. And I appreciate this conversation. Thank you. This has been very meaningful, and I really hope a lot of our listeners took something away from this. And once again, happy international women. You too as well. Continue doing the work. You're doing so much for all of us, and I really appreciate it. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you everyone for tuning in. Remember to follow us across socials at the Universal Radio. Tune in daily on 97.9 FM in Edmonton and worldwide through our streaming platform at the Universalradio.com. This was Sapreet, and wishing you all a very happy International Women's Day.