Board of Directors
Amanda Taffs
President
Hello! Amanda here, it’s always hard to write these bios but here we go.
Giving is my energizer, kindness is my daily goal and laughter is my medicine. I don't take myself too seriously and I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. I love a good chinwag, I almost failed grade one because of it. I aspire to inspire those around me. I have a hard time saying ‘No’. I’ve made a lot of mistakes but I see them as learning lessons. I know that time is finite, therefore I don’t waste it. I’m a big hugger, long awkward hugs are my specialty. There you have it. Me in a nutshell. The factual details of me, are as follows: I’m the mother of one son and the wife of a member who retired in October of 2022. We completed our 25 years with the Calgary Police Service and felt it was time for a new adventure. I say the preverbal, ‘we’ because we couldn't have done it on our own. It took our family and a community of our making to help support and guide us through this career of policing. Every day had new twists and navigating the different dimensions of the job certainly kept our heads on a swivel. One of my favourite quotes is by the ancient Greek poet Archilochus,
“We don't rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training.”
This is why I joined Beyond the Blue. As spouses, there is no training on what this new life is going to look like. Beyond the Blue is here to give you the tools to be successful and is resource-based. I hope to share my 25 years of experience and wisdom as a police spouse with Beyond the Blue and its membership.
I look forward to meeting you all, sharing a laugh, and creating camaraderie. Together we can accomplish anything and you are never alone!
Taryn gunn-law
Vice President
My name is Taryn and I am very excited about my new role as the Vice-President of Calgary Beyond the Blue. Growing up in a police family has really helped and hindered my experiences as a police spouse. As my father was an RCMP officer for most of my life, it has really allowed me to understand the inner workings of the police family dynamic yet exposed the hardships and struggles, especially being the child of a police officer in a small town.
At a young age, there were three things I knew for sure I wanted in life; to work for Walt Disney World, move to Calgary, (the big city) and be a police spouse. Luckily for me, I was able to accomplish all three. Being a police spouse was always a desire for me, as I understood the work, patience and dedication it took to be married to a police officer. I knew this would also be a challenge for me, especially when I need to remind myself about grace and keeping humour at the forefront of marriage and in life.
I met my husband long before he knew he wanted to be a police officer, however, I always knew this was his life’s true passion. He has been involved in law enforcement for 10 years and with CPS since 2019. Our family is small yet very mighty with a fur child that we love so much. In my professional life, I work for a Vocational College Institute where I offer operational and academic support to various learners throughout Canada.
My involvement with Calgary Beyond The Blue started in 2021. I felt the need to help and encourage CPS families as they go through the highs and lows of this adventurous career.
Previously, I have sat on a number of other boards in my local community, but nothing as important and life-changing as this board. I am excited to challenge myself and grow with the BTB board as the new Vice President.
Jennifer
Hayward
Secretary
I’m Jennifer.
Our family has been with CPS since 2005 when we moved from Toronto, so my fiance, at the time, could follow his dream of being a police officer. Hubby has worked many different positions over his career, and we have experienced all the highs and many lows that this life brings.
I’m a mother of 2 girls, 14 and 11, who keep me busy with their activities. As a family, we enjoy hiking with our dog and exploring Alberta on road trips. I currently work part-time at the Hearing Centre at Costco. When I’m off duty I figure skate, ride my indoor bike, read and watch tv.
I was encouraged to join this organization on an invitation from a former co-worker. However, I have been part of Beyond the Blue since its birth in 2013 at the Off-Duty Spouses for life conference. That conference changed a lot of things personally for me and will be forever grateful for that. So with over 17 years of experience in the policing world, and dealing with PTSD, depression and anxiety myself, as well as my officer and family members, I felt like it was my turn to give back to the community that helped me.
Amy Woodward-Kennedy
Treasurer
I wear many titles: Mom, family administrator, athlete and "shiftee wife" to my husband has been with CPS for 6 years. Outside of the home, I work full time as the Director of Finance and Operations for an amazing not-for-profit here in Calgary that provides services to children with Down syndrome. In my spare time, I coach youth skiers with Foothills Nordic Ski Club and volunteer for the board of Cyclemeisters (Bow Cycle) Bicycle Racing Club. On the weekends, you can find our family in the mountains - our happy place!
I was first introduced to BTB during a family night at the recruit class in 2017. While it was all sufficiently overwhelming gearing up for a journey into the unknown, I left that evening knowing it was all going to be OK. Ok because I wouldn't be walking this journey alone. Ok because of this amazing network of folks who were willing to share their experiences. Ok because BTB straddled the line of police spouse and service. Ok because there was support, any time, anywhere for me, my spouse and even our children. Coming out of the last three years and moving forward, I believe these supports for officers and their families are vital to the mental, emotional and physical well-being of all policing families.
"Family is not an important thing. Family is everything" - Michael J. Fox
Christine Sigurdson
Director of Membership
I’m Christine.
My little family and I have been a police family for the last 5 years and what an adventure it has been. As a mother of two, full-time healthcare worker and police spouse, finding a supportive group to help navigate this lifestyle was incredibly important to me. As I have learned that the only consistent thing about this line of work is inconsistency, I soon realized I needed support.
Beyond the Blue offered a bridge of light in a very vast dark hole that I found myself in when I was trying to navigate my many emotions in the early days. The non-judgmental support, kindness and relatable nature brought a blanket of calm to my busy world. Being part of Beyond The Blue has had a huge positive impact on my life, and I want to be able to do the same for others.
By volunteering on the Beyond The Blue Board I hope to bring light to other police spouses and their families, directly or indirectly, and make a positive impact. I look forward to meeting and chatting with you.
Robyn Roy
Director of Communication
Hi, I'm Robyn,
My family has been a part of the Calgary Police Service since 2011! We have a very busy household with three children. We enjoy outdoor adventures such as biking, hiking, running, and skiing. Outside of the home, I work on-call in the fitness unit as an A-PREP Appraiser as well as operate Cochrane Women’s Fitness in Cochrane, AB.
I joined the Beyond the Blue board because I wanted to be a part of a movement that works to support both new and veteran families and partners, to change the narrative around policing, to strengthen the bond between families and partners, and to develop strong relationships with police families. I believe that by doing this, we can create a stronger, more connected community here in our city and in surrounding communities.