Karen Dommett | Top 40 Under 40 2025

Age: 36

Occupation: Major Sports Event Executive

Karen Dommett knows sport has the power to effect positive societal change. As a leader in large-scale sporting events, she fosters inclusive practices across marketing, sponsorship, funding and media. She ensures that transportation, accommodation and all services work for underrepresented communities, specifically people with disabilities.

When she was growing up in rural Saskatchewan, Dommett says children of all abilities participated in the same classrooms and activities, because there weren’t resources for separate programming. These experiences instilled in her a comfort with and awareness of disability inclusion.

Ever since, she has sought roles that advocate for inclusion. Among other positions, she has served as a boxing coach for youth with autism with the Autism Aspergers Friendship Society of Calgary, and as the director of the Calgary Adapted Hub, where she increased access to sports and recreation for children and youth with disabilities.

Her leadership trajectory led to her role as general manager of the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Calgary.

“I felt called to take this on, knowing that the athletes with intellectual disabilities would become our true teachers in changing perceptions of persons with disabilities and promoting true inclusion,” says Dommett.

For the games, which hosted a record-breaking 1,200 athletes, Dommett recruited and trained more than 1,600 volunteers in disability inclusion. She also established a $50,000 legacy contribution to Goodwill’s Employer Inclusion Accelerator to support ongoing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. In March, she served as team manager for Special Olympics Team Canada at the 2025 World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

Her next marquee event is as the executive director of the 2026 Grey Cup in Calgary, where she’ll solidify the city’s reputation as the ultimate inclusive host.

“When we host events that show true accessibility and inclusion with intention, we change mindsets and leave a social legacy that stays with people well beyond the field of play,” says Dommett.

Thank yous
“David Legg, Cheryl Bernard, Francois Poirier, Scott Robinson, Kelly-Anny Paul, Lyn Radford, Kirsten Bobbie, Tom Davies, Jay McNeil, Carson Ackroyd, and all the Games staff (Cheryl, Stavroula, Chris, Jack, Trish and Jordan) and hundreds of volunteers I have had the honour of working with over the years; thank you to the athletes who have inspired and motivated me, especially Leonka, Darby, Damion, Allie, and Siobhan; most importantly, thank you to my entire family who have been my biggest supporters, cheerleaders and teammates every step in my journey — especially my Team Dommett teammates, Geoff, Hudson and Jack, you guys are the very best.”