Brenda Halloran was re-elected as mayor of the City of Waterloo in October 2010.
She represents the city on Waterloo Regional Council as well as on a number of boards and committees, including Waterloo North Hydro, University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and the K-W Symphony Business Advisory group, among others.
Prior to entering municipal politics, Mayor Halloran began her career as a registered nurse. She moved from the health services industry to diverse management positions in the business sector. She developed her business acumen by holding executive positions in the transportation and logistics sector as well as the international import/export industry. Her years of working within the Canada Revenue Agency has provided her with skills in accounting, taxation, reviewing and assessing financial documents as well as payroll and customer service. She also honed her mediation and conflict management skills during her position as a dispute resolution advisor with the federal government.
Many honours have been bestowed upon Mayor Halloran. She recently received the Alumni of Distinction Award from Conestoga College’s School of Health and Life Sciences and Community Services and an honorary professorship from the Yunnan Normal University in China.
Mayor Halloran received the Wilfrid Laurier University Women of Resistance Award in 2005, was co-valedictorian of the Leadership Waterloo Region class of 2004 and received the Canada Revenue Agency Award of Excellence in 2002.
Among other honours, she was nominated in 2006 for a K-W Oktoberfest Women of the Year Award in the community service category and is the current chair of the Intelligent Community Association.
Mayor Halloran is active in the community as a member of the International Women's Forum of Canada, Zonta International and the Rotary Club of Waterloo. She’s passionate about many issues, including health care, inclusion and affordable housing. Mayor Halloran was the driving force behind an advisory committee dedicated to assessing and improving age-friendliness and in 2012, Waterloo was named a member of the World Health Organization's Global Network of Age-friendly Cities.