A native of Calgary, Canada, Annelise has lived in Dallas for the past 20 years with her husband Chris Spafford. They have been part of the Alcuin School community since 2008 when their son Erik (currently a Senior, class of 2022) began attending in Primary at age 4.

Prior to becoming a parent, Annelise worked in corporate finance for 10 years. She began as employee #2 in a boutique emerging technology corporate finance firm in Calgary where her team of 6 completed 25 transactions in the first 18 months of operation and raised over $150 million within 3 years. Following a stint at First Marathon Securities (Toronto) in research and capital markets, Annelise joined Ernst & Young Corporate Finance Inc. in 2000 to advise private Canadian companies on mezzanine debt financing and divestitures. A move in 2002 involved her transfer to the Dallas E&Y Bankruptcy and Insolvency practice where she assisted on creditor advisory work, most memorably at Enron Corp.

In recent years, she has served as Treasurer for the Friends of St. Philip’s from inception in 2019. Through involvement in multiple community and nonprofit organizations Annelise has extensively supported these groups in both fundraising and institutionalizing proper financial governance. As a former Alcuin room parent and regular volunteer, she has enjoyed supporting the Alcuin community immensely over the years.

Annelise holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary, and an M.B.A. in Finance from the Rotman School of Business (University of Toronto).