Tricky Drey

I GOT ELECTED

November 02, 2025

WOW… Just Wow!

If you had asked me a month ago if I would ever be president of a club at the university, I would have thought that you were crazy. But now, as I am writing this, I have officially been elected as one of the Co-Presidents of the Cybersecurity, Hacking and Digital Security Club (CHADS) here at the University of Alberta, and I couldn’t be any happier.

My cybersecurity journey really started around 11 months ago. My first real look into this world was when I got elected into this very club, where I was welcomed with open hands and wide smiles. The team brought me on and began to treat me like family. They invited me to start competing in Capture the Flag (CTF) events with them, and this is when I caught my first bug (the love for ethical hacking bug! :)). Ever since then I have given everything to this club as a thanks for everything they have done for me.

First and foremost, I need to say a massive, heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in the election. Your incredible support, securing a massive 73.2% of the vote, is a mandate to keep pushing forward. To my fellow candidates, it was a great campaign, and I deeply respect your passion and dedication. I truly look forward to working alongside you to make this year our best one yet.

My commitment is to three core areas this year:

  • I want to foster a stronger community here at CHADS, creating the same feeling of welcoming to all members as I was once shown.

  • I want to create more opportunities for industry connections to show that success is possible. That in a struggling job market, the right connections and a great work ethic can make all the difference.

  • Lastly, I want to build upon my successful previous year as VP External to help secure more funding and bring in more sponsors to grow this club even bigger.

I’m genuinely thrilled and ready to start this next chapter alongside our incredible team. Our mission for the coming year is simple: to make CHADS the most welcoming, resourceful, and impactful student group at U of A. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just starting to look into your first buffer overflow, you have a place here. Let’s start hacking our future, together! I’ll see you all at the next event, stay safe, stay curious, and keep those terminals open!