New reporter at the Times

Melissa Strle
Times Reporter

 

Hi, my name is Melissa Strle and I am excited to start working as a reporter for the Strathmore Times. I was raised in a rural setting on an acreage and a farm in southern Alberta. Currently, I am raising a family in Calgary, Alta.
I have a Bachelor of Commerce undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Fredericton.
My experience in research and written communications has come from various researcher/writer/analyst roles. I worked as an analyst for TD Securities Inc., researching and writing about the Canadian oil and gas industry. While at TransCanada Pipelines, I worked as a market analyst researching and writing about commodities in the futures industry. Commodities covered included oil and gas, agriculture, metals, food and fibre, livestock and currencies.
In my most recent position, I worked as a senior writer for a national Canadian retail audit firm, creating and writing over 200 business articles that drove marketing and communications. I was fortunate enough to receive major Canadian newspaper referencing for some of the articles I wrote and this has fueled my passion for research and communications even further.
I have engaged in a high degree of volunteer work over the last eight years. I currently serve as the fundraising board member for St. Sebastian School in Calgary. Additional volunteer work at St. Sebastian School includes regular in-class volunteering to help develop literacy and numeracy, field trips and the weekly organization of the hot lunch program for approximately 600 students. This volunteering has allowed me to continue to effectively engage with various students, parents and staff.
Other recent volunteer roles include Timbit gala team representative for Midnapore Hockey Association and a team manager for Foothills Soccer Association.
Having the ability to make a positive impact on others and educate others through my findings is what inspires me. I am also inspired by having the ability to engage with many different people and I love to hear other peoples’ stories.