Peggy Kulmala

You can find my professional achievements and career history on LinkedIn. But how do I communicate who I am—what it’s like to work with me, to be my friend? Who I am is perhaps best revealed through my personal philosophy: I am just as unique as everyone else.

Nowhere did I learn this more than during my nearly three decades of service in the Canadian Armed Forces’ Naval Reserve—first as a non-commissioned member in an operational occupation and later as a commissioned officer in public affairs. I balanced part-time service and long-term contracts alongside my civilian career, but that time in uniform shaped me profoundly. Over those years, I served Canadians ashore and at sea, from supporting the 1997 Red River flood relief to leading communications during complex international operations in the Arabian Gulf. It gave me opportunities to travel, meet remarkable people, and test my values—and my biases—against real-world challenges.

As a public affairs officer, I was a core member of senior leadership teams, briefing admirals at sea and advising elected officials ashore. I was entrusted with managing high-profile issues and crises and coordinating sensitive media operations. I worked with and was interviewed by leading outlets including CBC, The Globe and Mail, CNN, and La Presse. These roles demanded judgment, discretion, and credibility at the highest levels, and I was relied upon not only to communicate decisions but to help shape them. In uniform, I also found opportunities to innovate, to work alongside experts willing to guide and mentor, and to experience the strength that comes from belonging and being accepted.

Those experiences forged qualities I still rely on: calm under pressure, confidence in uncertainty, adaptability in change, and resilience in conflict. They also deepened my belief in authenticity—showing up as myself, with integrity, no matter the pressure. Authenticity comes from living as I am, not as others expect me to be. Normal can be a trap—convincing us to settle for average, for ordinary. I want an extraordinary life, and that can only be accomplished on my own terms, by my own definitions of success.

In the end, I highly doubt I will be remembered for my title or salary. I hope my loved ones will remember me for how I supported and enriched their lives, bettered my community, and contributed to making the world a better place. And I hope that in my final moments they will know I loved them, was proud of them, and respected their choices.