This month, the Seine River School Division (SRSD) announced the appointment of Karastin Michalycia to fill the role of secretary treasurer and chief financial officer.
Michalycia comes with an impressive and extensive background in finance, including her most recent employment with True North Sports and Entertainment.
SRSD superintendent Colin Campbell says that she’ll be an excellent fit for the division despite her lack of experience in the education field.
“She has an extensive financial background, working with the city of Regina, Regina Pats in the WHL, and the Winnipeg Jets/Manitoba Moose in NHL and AHL,” Campbell says. “Most importantly, she has the leadership soft skills to complement her extensive financial background. Holding a secretary treasurer position in a school division comes with a high level of servant leadership responsibilities. To be successful, one must be able to communicate and collaborate effectively in serving others to be the best that they can be at their job. Karastin has these skills.”
For the city of Regina, Michalycia worked as the chief finance and operations officer where, according to the SRSD announcement, “she earned the confidence of the board of directors and successfully negotiated cost-saving initiatives, demonstrating her influential leadership and strategic vision.”
Michalycia will be replacing outgoing Amanda Senkowski, who is leaving the division to pursue professional opportunities outside the field of education.
“Amanda has done a great job at setting a path forward financially for our school division,” Campbell says. “She has set things up for Karastin to come in and build off of Amanda's work.”
Campbell says that Senkowsk’s work with the SRSD had nothing to do with the major deficit the division suddenly found itself saddled with at the end of the 2024 school year.
Still, the new hire brings a degree of optimism during a time when the division has had to tighten its purse strings in order to find its way into the black again.
“Karastin is an excellent hire for the SRSD,” Campbell concludes. “The trustees and senior admin team are extremely excited for her to join our team. We are lucky to have her.”
