ST. ANTHONY, N.L. — Krista Lynn Howell made history in September 2019 when she became the Town of St. Anthony’s first female mayor.
The 33-year-old credits the strong women in her life for giving her the confidence to succeed in life.
“There are a lot of women in this community that have taken on leadership roles. My mom (Margaret Howell) was a nurse. She was a team leader in her workplace and in our church. I saw the impact that she had, and she was my biggest inspiration,” Howell said of her mother, who passed away in 2014.
Howell first joined council after winning a by-election in October 2015. The only female on council at the time, she admits feeling a little worried that she would not be taken seriously by the men around the table. That was not the case, she said.
“They were open. They listened and they were interested in my perspective. They gave me an element of confidence that allowed me to move forward and continue to do the things that I’ve done,” she said.
Howell was selected as deputy mayor after the October 2017 municipal election and was serving as acting mayor before council selected her as the town’s mayor.
She has always been interested in her town and worked as a lifeguard before moving to St. John’s to pursue a nursing degree.
“I moved back home in 2011 to work as a registered nurse and I started coaching then,” she said of her volunteer work with the swimming community.
Howell works at the Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital in St. Anthony.
She has always been surrounded by strong female leaders, she said.
From her junior high school teacher to her high school principal; from youth leaders and coaches to the woman who headed the town’s recreation department when Howell worked as a lifeguard; from police officers to firefighters to businesswomen – it isn’t hard to find female role models in the community, Howell said.
While she is touted as the town’s first mayor, Howell is quick to point out that other women have also served on the town’s council in the past.
“All of these women certainly did their part to shape my future and the things that I want to accomplish.”
Howell also noted that Niketa Rose joined council after winning the byelection in October 2019.
With a population base of 2,500 people and a regional population base of 25,000, St. Anthony is touted as the hub of the Great Northern Peninsula.
Female representation in municipal government on the Great Northern Peninsula is strong, Howell said. St. Lunaire-Griquet Mayor Dale Colbourne, Roddickton-Bide Arm Mayor Sheila Fitzgerald and Main Brook Mayor Barb Genge are all great female leaders, she said.
“There are numerous ladies sitting on council with those women as well,” Howell said.
Howell encourages young women to find something they are interested in and volunteer their time to the cause. Even an hour a week could make a difference, she said.
“Not everybody has to take up the line of service that I have. There are other ways to make an impact ... volunteer your time ... we can all give back in our own way,” she said.