Key Influencer Profile - Karen Sorenson

In July 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had the Governor General appoint Karen Sorenson as the newest representative for Alberta in the Senate. Sorenson was selected through a merit-based process by an independent board to fill one of Alberta’s two vacancies at the time. 

Up until her appointment, Sorenson was serving her third term as the Mayor of Banff. Prior to this, she served as a town councillor in Banff for six years and as a school board trustee for Canadian Rockies Public Schools for four years. As an elected official, Sorenson accomplished a great deal. This includes contributing to Banff’s Environmental Master Plan, Community Plan, and the creation of the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission. Through the 2013 flood, 2017 wildfires, and COVID-19 pandemic, she led her community through each emergency. Sorenson also served on several civic committees and boards, including as the Chair of Banff’s Governance and Finance Committee and Co-Chair of the Bow Valley Human-Wildlife Coexistence Round Table. 

Prior to being elected, Karen Sorenson obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Guelph, after which she worked in the hospitality sector. She was born and raised in Orangeville, Ontario where she worked in the hotel industry for 17 years, and another 13 years running her own hospitality training business, Catalyst Enterprises Consulting. At the age of 14 on a family vacation, Sorenson fell in love with the Town of Banff and became determined to move there. She relocated to the mountain town in the 90s.