Beyond the Red Barn: How Angela Pearen Is Helping Redefine Agriculture

When Angela Pearen’s name was called as a Woman of Distinction in Agriculture at the 2026 YWCA Westman Women of Distinction Awards, the moment landed with equal parts pride and disbelief. She had been in the room before, most notably in 2023, when her sister, Susan Ainsworth, received the same honour. This time, Pearen was the one stepping onto the stage.

Pearen is the co-ordinator of agriculture extension with the Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment at Assiniboine and brings a diverse range of experience to her work connecting students with industry, producers and applied learners.

“The nerves were strong that night,” Pearen says. She notes that in a close-knit agricultural community such as Western Manitoba, she knew the other nominees — Kristen Phillips and Bridie Ritchie — personally, which added to the honour. “When you know the other two nominees and admire the work they do, you realize the recognition isn’t about winning; it’s about being part of something bigger.”

Despite decades of impact across Manitoba’s agriculture sector, recognition has never been a driving force in Pearen’s career. Like many high achievers, she acknowledges experiencing imposter syndrome at times. “I look at what I do every day and don’t think it’s anything special,” she says.

That perspective shifted during the nomination process though, which required her to document more than 25 years of professional and volunteer contributions to employers and organizations across the community.

Looking back, Pearen was struck by the breadth of her work, serving on provincial and national committees, supporting producers through industry change and crisis, delivering training and leadership development, and moving into management to better support others. “When you actually sit down and quantify it all,” she says, “you realize, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve done some really cool things in my career.’”

Pearen traces her drive to succeed in various pursuits back to her upbringing. Raised by parents who owned their own business and volunteered extensively, she grew up with clear expectations: contribute, work hard and help where you can. “We were always surrounded by our parents doing the extra,” she says. That mindset became the foundation of a career that blends paid roles with volunteer leadership and was especially important during a time of significant change in the industry.

“My career unfolded alongside changing expectations for women in agriculture,” Pearen says. When she began her career in the 1990s, she often felt underestimated. “You felt like you were being listened to because you were ‘cute,’ not because you knew what you were talking about.”

As both a manager and an agricultural producer, Pearen experienced firsthand how often women’s expertise was overlooked, even when they were making decisions and doing good work, making the YWCA recognition particularly meaningful.

The past 15 to 20 years have brought meaningful progress, she says, with the most significant change being cultural. “What matters most is that students graduating today don’t expect to be dismissed because they’re female. Now, gender is in many cases a non-issue, and that’s huge.”

To keep moving forward, Pearen believes the agriculture industry is at a crossroads where they must let go of outdated stereotypes. “We need to blow up the red barn,” she says, referring to the long-held image of agriculture defined solely by overalls, pitchforks and tradition. “We still need people who can pull a wrench, work fields, and raise livestock, but we also need people who can program an iPad, work in digital agriculture, and harness technology, all of which needs to work together.”

As for the recognition, Pearen doesn’t deviate from what will be her lasting memory from the awards night. It isn’t the award itself, but the people who showed up to support her. Family, colleagues, volunteers and coworkers from different chapters of her life filled the room. “A lot of my volunteer world and some of my work worlds were all together in one space,” she says. “That meant a lot.”

Asked what she would tell her younger self, or someone just entering the field, Pearen doesn’t hesitate. “Stand up for yourself. Trust your ability to make decisions,” she says.

Once shy and reserved early in her career, she now understands how essential confidence is, especially when paired with education and experience. “It’s OK to second-guess,” she adds, “but sometimes you just have to trust that you’re ready.”