Leann Hackman-Carty is an internationally recognized leader in community economic development, disaster recovery, resilience, and entrepreneurship with more than three decades of experience working across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She is known for her ability to build strategic partnerships, lead complex recovery initiatives, and help communities, businesses, and organizations navigate change, disruption, and growth.

 

As CEO of Economic Developers Alberta since 2009, Leann has helped elevate the profile and professionalism of economic development across Alberta and beyond. Under her leadership, the organization launched the EDA Institute, expanded professional training and certification programs, strengthened international partnerships, and developed innovative initiatives focused on investment readiness, resilience, leadership, and recovery. She works closely with the International Economic Development Council and has collaborated with organizations across Canada, the United States, and internationally on economic resilience and recovery initiatives.

 

Leann has played a leadership role in some of Canada’s most significant disaster recovery efforts. Following the 2013 Southern Alberta floods, she led the largest economic recovery project of its kind in Canadian history, coordinating technical assistance teams and recovery strategies for flood-impacted communities. She also played a central role in the business and economic recovery efforts following the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires, including helping establish the Wood Buffalo Business Recovery Hotline and leading a 10-member economic recovery assessment team. More recently, leading a Technical Assistance Team to Jasper. Her work has helped shape how communities approach long-term economic resilience and recovery planning in Canada.

 

Through her consulting company, MYD Global, Leann provides practical resilience, preparedness, response, and recovery strategies for communities, businesses, governments, and organizations. She has delivered training and consulting assignments throughout Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean, and has contributed to resilience initiatives with organizations including the Canadian Red Cross, Indigenous organizations, and international partners.

 

She is also the creator of the “Master Your Disaster” series of guidebooks, online courses, and resilience resources designed to help individuals, businesses, and communities better prepare for and recover from disasters. A frequent speaker on economic resilience, business continuity, leadership, investment readiness, and recovery, she has presented at conferences and forums across North America. In recent years, she has also expanded her work into mental well-being, grief support, and resilience leadership. After unexpectedly becoming a widow in 2022 while raising two teenage children, she began developing initiatives and tools focused on helping leaders and communities navigate grief, trauma, and personal resilience. This includes the launch of ReWritten, a support initiative designed to help widows rebuild community, connection, and hope.

 

Her leadership and impact have been widely recognized. Leann is a two-time recipient of Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards by WXN, has received multiple Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award recognitions from Public Safety Canada, and has earned national and international awards for innovation in economic development, recovery, and resilience programming. Leann holds degrees in Political Science/Sociology (BA) and Social Work (BSW), along with advanced studies in marketing, international trade, and economic development. She is a Certified Economic Developer (Ec.D.) and Professional Economic Developer (PEcD).