MAGGIE FARRINGTON
MAGGIE FARRINGTON
Profession: Chief Executive Officer, Athabasca Tribal Council
Age: 37 • Years in Wood Buffalo: 4.5
Proud to be Métis, and a passionate advocate for Indigenous issues and social justice.
Maggie Farrington, 37, is proudly Métis, and a passionate community organizer and advocate.
In 2012, after years of practicing criminal law, she was ready for a new challenge and moved from Toronto to Fort McMurray. She chose to shift her career on a different path, and followed her passion in community development and stakeholder relations, specifically in Indigenous Relations. In the past, Maggie worked at the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo as its first Director of Aboriginal and Rural Relations.
In 2015, Maggie joined the Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) as Chief Executive Officer, and during the 2016 wildfire she provided leadership and strategy to strongly advocate for ATC First Nation issues at various intergovernmental and organizational tables, and ensure that relevant services were available to them.
Maggie is an avid community supporter, and held the Director of Aboriginal Relations portfolio for the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games. Presently, Maggie serves as the Chair of Wood Buffalo Housing and Development Corporation, Vice Chair of the Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee, and as a Board member for Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta.
Maggie has been married for 12 years to her husband, Adair Thompson, and together they have two children.
In her free time, Maggie enjoys yoga, mindfulness, exercise, servant leadership and personal development, stand-up paddleboarding, reading, Latin and Middle Eastern dancing, and musical theatre.
Maggie’s commitment to Indigenous issues, and dedication to our community are just two of the reasons she has been named one of YMM’s Top 50 Under 50.
IN HER OWN WORDS: “The community’s spirit and passion have always inspired me, and I think we are facing what could be a paradigm-shifting opportunity following the wildfire event. As a community we have the ability as a collective to restructure and look at Wood Buffalo through a different lens -- fresh, innovative ideas and new leadership to emerge -- and much like the vibrant green grass amongst the charred trees, we too have the opportunity for revival and growth.”
