SARM Welcomes First Female Leader
The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) has appointed Laurel Feltin as its new Executive Director (ED), making history as the first woman to hold this position. She officially stepped into the role on December 2, 2024, following the retirement of Jay Meyer.
Feltin has been a part of SARM for 20 years and is passionate about rural Saskatchewan. She values the strong community spirit and dedication of the province’s rural residents.
“SARM has been my home and passion for the last 20 years,” said Feltin, “but what draws me most to this role are our members. Rural Saskatchewan people have that can-do attitude. They’re the ones who volunteer, and they're the ones who step up to get things done. To me, being a part of that feels better than any accomplishment on my resume.”
“Having worked with Laurel these last nine years, I know first-hand the magnitude of her leadership, expertise, and work ethic. It’s my absolute privilege to continue working with her as SARM steps into this province’s next chapter—one that rural Saskatchewan will significantly influence, structure, and write,” said SARM’s Acting President, Bill Huber.
Feltin’s first major event as ED will be the SARM Annual Convention from March 11–13, 2025. She has set a clear goal for her tenure—building strong relationships with members.
“As someone who’s come up through SARM and benefited from the mentoring and care of those before me, I can tell you that I profoundly understand the value of being of service to others. That’s why I really want my focus this year to be on building relationships. That means seeing me walking around at conventions, not just shaking hands but asking members questions about what really matters to them. Yes, we hear their resolutions at sessions, but that’s not the same as getting a chance to touch base and find out what really matters to people at home. So that's my goal this year—listening, learning, and building relationships. I can’t imagine time more well spent,” said Feltin.
With her extensive experience and dedication, Feltin is set to lead SARM into a new era of growth and collaboration.
Phoyo Credit: Laurel-Feltin