Centre for Transformation Senior Director wins award for service to the community

A passion for helping children and families has led to a prestigious legal honour for the senior director of the University of Calgary’s Centre for Transformation.

Diana Lowe, KC, is receiving the 2026 Distinguished Service Award for Service to the Community, presented jointly by the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta and the Law Society of Alberta.

Lowe is being recognized for her work as co-lead of the Re-imagining the Family Justice System (RFJS) initiative, which since 2013 has strived to create a family justice system that focuses on the well-being of children and families.

She said it is difficult to put into words what the award means to her.

“This work is done with colleagues from many different sectors, who are collaborators and now friends. These relationships are a gift in and of itself,” said Lowe.

“This award is a reflection of the incredibly important change that is underway in Alberta, the amazing professionals and community leaders who have embraced the goal of family well-being, and the communities that are benefitting from their courage.”

The RFJS is now part of the Centre for Transformation, an innovative collaboration between the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social Work dedicated to transforming the family justice system to help families thrive.

Lowe said her role as senior director of the centre means she is able to continue to support the RFJS and expand its work, which has included pilot projects in Grande Prairie since 2020.

Brandy Pilon, executive director of the Grande Prairie Family Education Society, said she has seen first-hand how children have benefited from Lowe and the RFJS’ support of non-adversarial approaches to family disputes.

“She has just been a pretty consistent, constant part of Grande Prairie – which is a community she doesn’t even live in – but she treats it like a community that is dear to her heart and she is so genuine about it,” said Pilon.

The announcement of the Distinguished Service Award paid tribute to Lowe’s leadership, saying her initiatives have shaped policy and practice, influencing both community programs and court processes.

Court of King’s Bench Justice Rod Jerke, a co-convenor of the RFJS, said Lowe’s advocacy has brought national and international attention to the need for systemic change to the family justice system.

“I can’t imagine anyone in the legal profession that’s had a more powerful effect on broad community well-being,” he said.