Trustees Lory Iovinelli and Myra D'Souza were elected chair and vice chair, respectively, for the 2025-2026 school year during the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) Board of Trustees' organizational meeting on October 29 at the downtown Catholic School Centre. Both are continuing their service into third terms.
Left to right: Terry W.N. Thuo, Maria-Teresa (MT) Vecchio-Romano, Myra D'Souza, Chantelle Dur, Shannon Cook, Lory Iovinelli and Steve Chapman
Trustee Iovinelli represents wards 6 and 8 plus specialized programs. She has served on the Board of Trustees since 2017 and completed her second term as vice chair in 2024-2025. A former CCSD teacher, she is passionate about Catholic education and the well-being of every student. During her CCSD trusteeship, she has held several roles both locally and provincially, including director, Alberta Catholic School Trustees' Association (ACSTA); representative, St. Mary's University; representative, Grateful Advocates for Catholic Education (GrACE) Board; and member, CCSD GrACE Grass Roots Organization. Since 2003, she has also volunteered in numerous district roles, including serving as vice chair and chair of school council.
Trustee D'Souza represents wards 1 and 2 plus Cochrane. She also began her trusteeship in 2017 and served as vice chair during her first term, in the 2018-2019 school year. A multilingual citizen, she is passionate about preparing students for the international stage. Throughout her CCSD trusteeship, she has served the district in several provincial capacities, including Zone 5 representative, Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA); second languages caucus member, ASBA; and representative, Teachers' Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA). She is also a proud supporter of many local and international community service initiatives. Her volunteer work has included spearheading free busing for our city's seniors for grocery shopping, representing Canadians' human rights at the United Nations and starting a library in Nicaragua.
At the same meeting, the CCSD's seven-member board took their oath of office, marking the official start of the 2025-2029 term.
2025-2029 CCSD Board of Trustees by ward
- Wards 1 and 2 plus Cochrane - Myra D'Souza*
- Wards 3 and 5 - Terry W.N. Thuo
- Wards 4 and 7 plus Airdrie - Maria-Teresa (MT) Vecchio-Romano*
- Wards 6 and 8 plus specialized programs - Lory Iovinelli*
- Wards 9 and 10 plus Chestermere and online learning - Shannon Cook*
- Wards 11 and 12 - Chantelle Dur*
- Wards 13 and 14 - Steve Chapman
The CCSD extends our heartfelt congratulations to our new and returning trustees. Their dedication to leading with faith and serving with purpose will continue to strengthen our shared vision of students knowing Christ and realizing their full potential.
Visit cssd.ab.ca/board for more information on the CCSD Board of Trustees. Website updates reflecting the new board term will be coming soon.
*Denotes incumbent.
