Emily Marston

Height: 5’8
Hometown: Rocky View County, AB
Languages: English and Sign Language
Occupation: Project Manager

Born and raised in rural Alberta, Emily is a third generation farmer who grew up surrounded by the love of her family, and the beauty of mother nature. Her childhood was filled with lessons in self sustainability, appreciation for animals, and the importance of hard work and dedication, which inspired her to earn a degree in Environmental Management from Royal Roads University. Currently working as a project manager at the Arctic Institute of North America, she is contributing to the integration of Traditional Environmental Knowledge with scientific data, to provide food security within the Canadian Arctic.

An awarded volunteer member within her community, Emily recognized a need for the re connection between humanity and nature, and created her nonprofit organization; the MudPie Project. In partnership with the City of Airdrie, Emily is focused on allowing all community members to live healthy, affordable, and sustainable lifestyles by creating community gardens within low-income housing areas, and through environmental education as a writer for Poplar Magazine.

Determined to live life to the fullest, Emily is not afraid to get her hands in the dirt! She is focused on a healthy and active lifestyle, crediting her passion for hiking in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and weightlifting at the gym as the driving force behind a 90-pound weight loss journey. Switching between cowboy boots and high heels, She has represented Alberta South Pony Club at 10 National horseback riding competitions, carried two Rodeo Queen titles as well as the current Miss Calgary title, and continues to work as a film and television actor with ACTRA Alberta, where you can spot her in the award-winning movie Let Him Go. But above all, her heart is where her family is, and that is what she deems most important.

What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?

My rural upbringing on a small Alberta farm has shaped my interests in the majesty of nature, as well as my passion for understanding the different communities and cultures, and their interactions with the environment. This passion has been the guide towards me studying environmental science, at both a personal and university level. Another deep interest of mine is the art of acting, both within theatre and film productions. Acting challenges me to expand my abilities to communicate and express life physically, emotionally, and mentally. It allows me to explore places I may never see and people I may never meet, creating a foundation of empathy in my everyday living.

I find enjoyment mainly outside and in the community. I love to ride through the fields on my farm with my horse, Marvin. I love sitting outside in the spring and the summer with a good book, and I love hiking in the Rocky Mountains with my friends. I also love the communities I find myself in and the challenges they bring. I love the challenge of pushing myself in my gym training, and the community that encourages me. But above all, the moments I treasure most are the ones spent surrounded by my family.

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc.)

I grew up working as an actress in theatre and have recently transitioned into film and television roles. My training in acting, singing, modeling, acrobatics, gymnastics, weightlifting, English and western horseback riding, swimming, and gun shooting comes in very handy!

In what sports, if any, have you participated?

Growing up I was a national competitor in Pentathlon (fencing, shooting, swimming, running, and riding horses). I was a competitive swimmer holding a top 30 placement in Alberta, and was also a dedicated gymnast, and acrobat. As I got older, I found a love for weightlifting, which has helped me lose 90 pounds and pushed me to become the strongest version of myself. My current record is hip thrusting over 400 pounds!
As a ten-time representative at Canadian Pony Club National competitions, horseback riding has been the dominant sport in my life, allowing me to compete at Spruce Meadows (show jumping), and within the rodeo circuit (barrel racing). Riding is a sport that taught me how to accept failure gracefully, but to take that failure and learn from your mistakes.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life. Why?

My grandma grew up in Great Britain and is a World War 2 survivor, single mom who raised 3 kids, and ran a successful dairy farm! She will celebrate her 94th birthday this year and does not use her age as an excuse to slow down. She is still an avid volunteer within our community and is always trying to adapt to a changing world with new trends and lessons. Growing up as a woman in the time she was born, she was limited in education and career choices, so she encouraged me to utilize every opportunity that presented itself. She influenced me to think and act in a way where I not only represented myself, but the generations of women that came before me, and the women who will follow.

What is your proudest personal accomplishment (other than participating in this pageant)?

Besides a 90-pound weight loss and running a successful non-profit organization, I am incredibly proud to say that I graduated school with a diploma and a degree, with no student debt. This was due to countless social sacrifices, early mornings, and by working two or more jobs for the past nine years. In turn, it has allowed me to pay for school without taking student loans. Being motivated, organized, and determined has allowed me to accomplish this personal achievement, although my Masters may be a different story!

What is the most interesting or unique thing that has ever happened to you and/or what is the most interesting thing about you?

In 2022, I was admitted to the Airdrie Urgent Care with the start of epiglottitis, which is the swelling of your epiglottis. If I had been left untreated for another 24 hours, I would have suffocated to death. It was a uniquely terrifying experience once I realized the situation I was in, and to realize I could leave this earth in a moment. Having a near death experience was a has opened my eyes to the delicacy of life, and the importance of living it to the fullest!

Now on a different note, the most interesting thing about me is that I was a 2-time Rodeo Queen, representing both the City of Crossfield, and the City of Airdrie, even running for Miss Rodeo Canada. Much like a pageant, there is a public speaking and fashion show portion, however our “talent” is considered “horsemanship” where we are judged on our riding abilities on known and unknown horses. I was fortunate to travel throughout Canada and the United States attending Rodeo events and partaking in parades, as an ambassador of Canadian women and rural lifestyle.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?

My career ambition is to make a successful impact in finding practical and feasible environmental sustainability goals within the country of Canada, allowing us to take a leadership role in the fight towards environmental protection. As an environmental scientist and project manager with the Arctic Institute of North America, I am working with Canadian Indigenous communities and environmental scientists to combine Traditional Environmental Knowledge (known as TEK) and environmental management and apply it to current education systems and everyday lifestyles. The environment is the element that connects us, and it is everyone’s job to protect it.

What would be your “dream job” in life?

Although I once dreamed about being a full-time actress, my true dream job would be exactly what I am doing right now! I am incredibly fortunate to have the support of my family, who supported me through my environmental science degree, and the success of my non-for-profit, The MudPie Project. Through my job at the Arctic Institute of North America and by reconnecting humanity to mother earth through The MudPie Project, I am working towards reducing poverty, improving mental health, and replenishing the environment on a national and personal level. Helping to bring our world closer together through hands in the dirt action is my dream job.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.

I am a third-generation Canadian farmer, growing up just north of Airdrie, Alberta. My childhood on the farm was filled with the responsibility of looking after chickens, pigs, horses, and turkeys, alongside maintaining a role in sports and education. Due to a tight financial situation growing up, most of our food was homegrown, and our clothes were handmade or sourced second hand. This isolation brought my brother and I close as siblings, but also taught us to be self sustainable, and to respect what we had been given. Rural life allows us to experience parts of earth that are only seen away from urban life, like the sunrise and sunset along the horizon and nights filled with thousands of stars. These experiences are what shaped my appreciation for our Earth, and surrounding environment. I am forever thankful for the lessons in hard work, selflessness, and the beauty of mother nature, and what my family taught me!

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.

Unusual jobs I have had range from being the first one to get on an unbroke horse, to dressing up as different characters on TV shows as a background actor. The most humbling job I had was as a housekeeper, cleaning rooms at a large hotel chain. However, this job showed me firsthand, the discrimination and pay gap women of color face within the workforce and it is something I continue to raise awareness and speak out against.

List any volunteering you have done.

I have been an avid volunteer in my community since I was 14 years old, averaging 100-1,000 hours of volunteer work per year. I try to partake in any event no matter how big or how small, as to me, they are all equally important.

The grandest event I partook in was in 2020, where I was honored to be the Master of Ceremonies at the 2020 Alberta Winter Games, but in the past year I have volunteered with:

• Airdrie Festival of Lights
• Girl Guides of Canada
• Rocky View School Division
• Boys and Girls Club of Alberta
• Alberta SPCA
• Nose Creek Theater Company
• Rocky View Farm School
• and many more!

The largest, and ongoing volunteer effort I have made is through my non-for-profit organization “The Mud Pie Project” where we focus on re-connecting humans to nature through environmental education and hands in the dirt actions. Currently, we have partnered with the City of Airdrie, and TruEarth to bring new community gardens within low-income housing areas and increase pollinator production. We have successfully created “Hand in the Dirt” education to the Rocky View School system, household composting systems and working on reducing, reusing, and recycling within Airdrie.

What is your most unusual talent?

Growing up as a pentathlete I had to be talented at 5 sports. Shooting pellet guns and rifles, horseback riding in the English discipline, running and swimming, however the most usual talent that I developed would be sword fighting, also known as fencing. Not quite the same as an old-fashioned duel, it still requires you to be light on your feet, and earn points by stabbing your duel partner with your sword.

Where is the most interesting place you have been to?

I am fortunate to have traveled to Greece, Italy, and England, however the most interesting place I have been to is right here in Canada! Being an avid hiker, I get to experience a different environment every time I reach a new mountain peak. To stand on top of a mountain 2000 feet in elevation and observe what seems to be a sea of mountains surrounding you is an unforgettable, and almost unearthly experience. While hiking The Middle Sister I saw waterfalls, rockslides and even crossed a Grizzly Bear mom and her cub! No two visits to the Rocky Mountains have been the same, not to mention no photo can do justice to the views.

What do you hope to be doing in ten years?

In ten years, I hope to be running a fully self sustainable farm that provides fresh food to low-income families, which I hope to accomplish through The MudPie Project. I would love to get back into competitive show jumping and once again, own my own horse. As a career woman, I am aiming to be working in the provincial government improving environmental policies and accountable actions within the province of Alberta. Ultimately though, in ten years I hope to be happy, no matter where I am in life!

Is there anything you would like to add that we haven’t asked?

Fun Fact: I grew up believing that pageants were derogatory to women, and that they served no purpose besides showing off pretty outfits. I was 14 the first time I met a title holder, and after speaking to her and learning about her platform, I realized I had been closed minded towards what pageantry’s true purpose was. It was then I entered my first Rodeo Queen Pageant, where I found my confidence and voice to take my place in the world to become the role model I needed when I was younger.