Treasurer: Currently vacant + actively recruiting
Secretary: Currently vacant + actively recruiting
Vice President: Currently vacant + actively recruiting
Executive Director: Currently Vacant
Blanche Chymycz - President + Volunteer Coordinator
Blanche grew up outside Tomahawk, AB on a small acreage where her parents maintained a huge garden. Blanche and her brother Lance were expected to weed and otherwise contribute to the maintenance of the garden plot. Unfortunately, being a tomboy, Blanche was more interested in climbing trees and hanging out with her dogs.
Fast forward a few decades and Blanche is now the proud owner of a house whose yard is entirely Permaculture. Over the past twelve years, Blanche has worked hard to install her yard using Permaculture principles. Initially designed by Karla Cox, a Permaculture designer, Blanche learned along the way with considerable help. Her yard is now a beautiful oasis from the world where swallows return every year to raise their babies. Bees, butterflies, and other creatures also call the yard home and Blanche grows a considerable amount of food, decreasing her grocery bills while eating food grown without chemicals.
Outside of gardening, Blanche is a Recreation Therapist with Alberta Health Services. She supports her patients in a love of everything nature, encouraging walks and explorations of the outdoor world. Blanche still has dogs (currently 5) plus an albino hedgehog, and does a significant amount of volunteering in Cochrane.
Abigail Cryne - Director
Abby is a student at Cochrane High School and one of Cultivate Cochrane Society’s newest board members. She hopes to get more youth involved in gardening, sustainability, and making a positive difference in the community. Abby has a passion for finding practical, everyday ways to fight climate change. She is most inspired by her mom, who has taught her the value of growing her own food, caring for the environment, and appreciating the little things in life. Whether Abby is weeding, watering, or putting fresh produce on the table, her mom has played a huge role in shaping her into who she is today, and who she wants to be. Outside of gardening, Abby volunteers with Cochrane Urgent Care, the Cochrane Library, and the Cochrane Immigration Service Committee. Her goal in life is to travel the world and connect with people in every corner of it.
Glen Smith - Director
Glen Smith is the co-founder of Eco-Growth Environmental Inc. and a certified permaculture designer. With a passion for sustainable agriculture and ecological practices, Glen focuses on integrating permaculture principles into community projects. His expertise in environmental science and commitment to regenerative solutions help promote sustainable living and empower communities to thrive in harmony with nature.
Deanna Braun - Director + Website Administrator
Deanna joined Cultivate Cochrane as a board member in 2025 after spending the previous year as a volunteer. Growing up in Calgary, Deanna learned early on the excitement and joy of having your own garden when her Mom allocated a corner of their backyard for Deanna to grow her own flowers. Now, she finds joy in growing fruits + vegetables to feed her family and community (her dog Murphy comes running at the crunch of a freshly picked snap pea). She believes growing your own food doesn’t have to be complicated (and tastes a million times better when you’ve grown it yourself). Deanna and her husband recently moved to Cochrane and is looking forward to her first season of growing in a new climate. Outside of gardening, Deanna runs her own wedding photography business and has recently taken up pottery.