Honorary Skirts - SkirtsAfire Festival

Since our beginning in 2013, SkirtsAfire has had an Honorary Skirt. Each year when we consider who we should choose for our next Honorary Skirt, we look for a woman who is well known for her work, accomplishments and community spirit; who inspires greatness from other women. Someone who is passionate and clearly connected to the community she serves.

Tina Thomas
Honorary Skirt 2026

Tina Thomas is the Chief Executive Officer at the Edmonton Community Foundation, the largest non-governmental funder of the charitable sector in Edmonton granting over $40M annually. She is proud to lead a group of passionate and dedicated staff who work with donors and community partners to build a better city. Prior to her tenure at ECF she spent over 13 years at the Edmonton Public Library, most recently as the Executive Director of Customer Experience. Before this she spent 13 years in the private sector working for Canadian Telecommunications provider Nortel. A lifelong learner, Tina has earned an executive MBA, a Masters in Library Information Science, a CPA-CMA professional accounting designation and the Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D. She was an Edify Magazine Top 40 Under 40, Library Journal Magazine Mover and Shaker, IABC Edmonton Communicator of the Year and a King Charles III’s Coronation Medal recipient. She was the co-chair of the Mayor’s Taskforce on the Housing and Houselessness Emergency and is currently on the boards of the Edmonton Community Development Corporation, the Association of Grant Makers in Alberta, and Canada Helps. She is also easily bribed with full bodied red wines or dark chocolate.