Key Influencer – Zoe Addington - Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Calgary
Source: LinkedIn
Zoe Addington has served as Chief of Staff to Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas since January 2026. Hired shortly after the 2025 municipal election, Addington is responsible for overseeing the Mayor’s Office, coordinating strategic priorities, managing stakeholder and intergovernmental relationships, and supporting the advancement of the mayor’s policy agenda. Mayor Farkas described her as a “steady, experienced leader” capable of moving complex priorities forward while keeping Calgarians at the centre of decision-making.
Addington brings more than two decades of experience spanning government, business, public policy, and stakeholder relations. Prior to joining the City of Calgary, she served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Energy Transition in Alberta’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals, where she led a newly established division focused on navigating the province’s evolving energy landscape. Earlier, she held senior leadership roles within Executive Council, including Associate Deputy Minister of the Policy Coordination Office and Assistant Deputy Minister of Economic Policy, placing her at the centre of provincial policy development and government decision-making.
Her career also includes experience in Alberta’s business community. From 2017 to 2019, Addington served as Director of Policy, Research and Government Relations for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, where she became a prominent voice on issues affecting employers, economic competitiveness, labour policy, and municipal-provincial relations. Prior to that, she worked as a Senior Policy Analyst with Cenovus Energy, providing her with direct exposure to Alberta’s energy sector and regulatory environment.
Addington’s political experience predates her senior public service career. She served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Policy in Premier Jim Prentice’s office and previously held federal staff roles under former federal cabinet minister Jim Prentice. During Alberta’s conservative reunification discussions in 2017, she was viewed as a respected policy voice within Progressive Conservative circles, though she ultimately declined involvement in the formal merger discussions between the Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose Party.
A graduate of the University of Calgary with both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communications and an MBA from the Haskayne School of Business, Addington’s career reflects a blend of political, bureaucratic, and private-sector experience. As Calgary navigates challenges related to economic growth, housing, infrastructure, and its relationship with the provincial government, Addington’s extensive network and policy expertise position her as one of the most influential figures shaping the strategic direction of the Mayor’s Office.