2025 Year in Review

Kristina Sammut - December 30, 2025

2025 Year in Review

2025 was a year of intentional design, responsive delivery, and meaningful partnership for our work at FRONTIER Leadership. Throughout the year, I had the privilege of working closely with many incredible women leaders across industries and career stages, navigating complexity, transition, and change, and strengthening the confidence, clarity, and leadership presence required in today’s environments.

This year, I saw a meaningful shift in how women accessed leadership development. Since 2014, when corporate sponsorship for women became part of my work, more women were supported through organizational sponsorship for mid-career and executive coaching in 2025 than in any other year to date. Historically, much of the financial and emotional investment in leadership development has been carried personally by women, a reality that still exists for many today.

For many women, this support opened the door to advanced leadership education at exactly the moment they needed it—often when clarity, confidence, and strong leadership language mattered most. These partnerships affirmed what many women already know: investing in leadership at pivotal moments accelerates growth, expands opportunity, and moves careers forward more quickly,  helping women overcome barriers, whether internal or systemic.

This year also reflected a continued wave of omen stepping into entrepreneurship as a form of leadership. Many of the women I worked with were navigating career transitions after long tenures in corporate or public-sector roles—bringing 15 to 20 years of experience into new ventures, advisory work, and purpose-driven businesses. Since 2015, and increasingly post-pandemic, more women have made this shift with intention, supported by a growing ecosystem of networks, communities, and support across Canada. This evolution reflects a broader expansion of how women are defining leadership, influence, and impact at this stage of their careers.

At the heart of this work is my continued commitment to advancing Women’s Leadership Education. As FRONTIER Leadership continues to evolve, my focus remains on creating spaces where women can strengthen their confidence, leadership language, and presence—so they can lead with intention, clarity, and conviction.

What We Focused On This Year

Advanced leadership development

Mastering Leadership Communication was delivered as a flagship, advanced leadership training this year, supporting women leaders to strengthen executive presence, advocacy, decision-making confidence, and high-stakes communication.

We were pleased to partner with Cenovus Energy for the inaugural delivery of this program and to continue offering it more broadly across multiple sectors through both in-person and virtual cohorts throughout the year. In total, more than 60 women in mid-career and senior leadership roles participated. This work supported leaders in communicating with greater clarity, authority, and intention in complex organizational environments.

If you’re interested in participating in a 2026 delivery of Mastering Leadership Communication, you’re welcome to join the waitlist.

Executive, Leadership & Mid-Career Coaching

Supporting women leaders through pivotal decisions, transitions, and high-stakes conversations

Throughout the year, I partnered closely with women leaders through one-on-one executive, leadership, and mid-career coaching as they navigated significant organizational, economic, and political shifts. Many of these engagements took place at moments of heightened complexity—where major career decisions, advocacy, and repositioning were required to move forward with clarity and confidence.  This work spanned multiple sectors, from corporate and entrepreneurial environments to public and non-profit organizations, adding depth and perspective to the leadership challenges explored.

Women and organizations chose to work with FRONTIER Leadership for the depth of experience, thoughtful diagnosis, and structured, customized support offered.  Women navigating career transitions were also supported through the Career Transition Mentorship Program, co-led by Coach Nava, providing focused support around clarity, market re-entry, interview preparation, and confidence as women reposition themselves to return to work.

Schedule a consult to learn more.

Organizations, Teams & High-Performance Leadership

Strengthening leadership presence, communication, and impact in complex client environments

A key engagement this year included leadership development work with ViTreo, supporting consultants in strengthening executive presence, clarity, and communication effectiveness in high-stakes meetings and presentations.

This work addressed shared organizational challenges, translating deep expertise into clear, compelling messaging; building confidence across varying levels of presentation experience; and aligning individual communication styles with organizational voice. Through scenario-based learning and real-world application, leaders strengthened their ability to read the room, communicate value with confidence, and build trust with clients.

Community, Connection & Giving Back

Creating access, integration, and connection beyond formal programs

This commitment has been carried forward through long-standing partnerships and contributions across education, research, mentorship, and community advocacy. This includes ongoing collaboration with post-secondary institutions such as the University of Calgary, University of Alberta, Memorial University, and doctoral researchers advancing women’s leadership and learning; partnerships with women-led businesses such as Cedna Portrait Studios; equity-focused initiatives including Gems for Gems supporting women affected by violence; and mentoring involvement through programs such as Mount Royal University’s Career Mentorship Program, supporting young women and emerging leaders. These relationships reflect an enduring commitment to access, advocacy, and women’s leadership development across career and life stages.

This year also included intentional community sponsorship. FRONTIER Leadership sponsored a table at the Black & White Ball in support of Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, contributing to an evening that celebrated the arts, community, and collective giving. Supporting women, culture, and community through shared experiences like this reflects our belief that leadership also shows up through presence, participation, and generosity.

Throughout the year, women continued to gather through Quarterly Planning and Work-Life Integration workshops, alongside lifestyle events such as social dinners and hikes, creating space to step back, reflect, and realign amid busy and demanding lives. These gatherings have become a steady touchpoint for women seeking balance, clarity, and intentional leadership, grounded in the belief that sustainable leadership includes well-being, perspective, and connection. Registration for the upcoming Quarterly Planning session remains open for those who wish to join.

Looking Ahead to 2026

An evolving chapter of collaboration and expanded impact

For more than a decade, FRONTIER Leadership has been grounded in advancing women’s leadership through coaching, education, and advocacy. As this work continues to evolve, 2026 marks an important step forward with the emergence of the FRONTIER Leadership Collective,  a collaborative model designed to extend how we support leaders and organizations navigating complexity, growth, and change. This evolution builds on a strong foundation and reflects a continued commitment to thoughtful, values-based leadership development. We look forward to sharing more as this work unfolds.

As we close out the year, I want to wish you a joyful holiday season and a restful close to 2025. Thank you for your trust, partnership, and shared commitment to advancing leadership with purpose and intention. I look forward to continuing this work together in the year ahead.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season.✨

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