Mentorship Mixer – The Power of Stories

Anne-Marie Langlois M.Sc., P.Eng., PE, PMP
Associate Technical Director & Head of Section
COWI

I have been at COWI for the past 11 years where I started as a junior bridge engineer to the position I now hold. I have two young children and enjoy mountain biking and skiing. A recent achievement I am working toward: I am currently working on the Fraser River Tunnel Project where COWI is responsible for the immersed tube tunnel. This is quite a learning experience for a bridge engineer!

Breanna Dahlby AScT
Designer
Binnie

I am a design technologist with seven years in civil consulting that still experiences imposter syndrome while balancing work/life with a chronic illness. This year’s accomplishment is joining Binnie’s mentorship program as a first-time mentor after recognizing I want to be a mentor like the ones I had, and I’m excited to expand that to the WCE event.

Carolin Mader P.Eng.
Project Engineer
Binnie

Carolin is a project engineer in Binnie’s Development and Infrastructure Division with over 16 years of engineering experience. With her career path starting in Germany where she received a degree in civil engineering, she is calling Canada her home for the last 14 years. She moved to the Lower Mainland a year ago with her husband and two teenage sons and is enjoying long hikes and trail mountain biking with her family and dog.

Chunpreet Sahota M.Eng., P.Eng.
Structural Engineer
WSP

Chunpreet is a Structural Engineer at WSP in the Buildings group with over 12 years of experience in the engineering industry. Her focus is mainly on light industrial projects, however, she has had the pleasure of working on a variety of projects including schools, cultural sites, transit and transportation, and government projects. Chunpreet is an active advocate at WSP and in the engineering community to curate spaces where all feel safe and welcome to bring their whole selves to everyday.

Colleen Dixon Architect AIBC, LEED® AP
Architect
Stantec

Clarity, efficiency, and design sensitivity are the reasons why clients turn to Colleen for the efficient delivery of projects ranging from traditional architectural design to urban design and business cases. Her work is focused on providing designs that exhibit creativity, practicality and sensitivity to both users and the general public […]. Colleen works closely with specialized design teams bringing together the necessary ingredients to design vibrant ‘people spaces’ for complex programs. Her 26 years of experience has her working with private sector developers and public clients, giving her the range and appreciation for different approaches to project development and delivery methods.

Elise Ng
Project Engineer
OSI Maritime

I’m a project engineer who, due to the global impact of COVID-19, has been re-examining my career narrative as I navigate the transition from design engineering to technical management, and the transition to a new industry after having spent nine years cultivating an identity in a previous industry.
A recent achievement of mine was that I was hired into my dream job, and while Covid-19 prevented me from starting my dream job, I was able to quickly pivot and achieve the title and role I had been working towards at a different company and in a different industry within a year.

Elisa Brandts Architect AIBC, Architect AAA, OAA, NSAA, FRAIC
Managing Senior Principal
Stantec

Elisa is a Senior Principal and the Business Centre Managing Leader for our buildings group in British Columbia. Her role combines active senior team leadership and financial and studio management with managing significant projects, particularly large-scale alternate delivery scope […]. Elisa is passionate about creating livable, sustainable cities and supporting the design teams in the Transit and Civic sector to achieve this goal […]. Elisa is an active advocate for architecture and engineering consulting services and serves on many professional and industry committees and boards including CCDC, CDBI, BCCRT, AIBC. She is a Fellow of the RAIC (Royal Architectural Institute of Canada) and is a broadly licensed Architect in Canada.
When she’s not riding her horse, you’re likely to find Elisa skiing, sailing, or digging in her flower garden.

Gabriene Kaechele P.Eng.
Project Engineer
Binnie

I am a Design Engineer with 15 years of experience in engineering consulting. I’ve always felt challenged in my career and I enjoy learning something new every day. I have grown in unexpected ways and look forward to how my career path will continue to unfold and how I will continue to adapt to new challenges. I co-founded an employee resource group at Binnie called RISE, an internal Binnie initiative supporting the female-lived experience in the engineering workplace and increasing gender diversity in the industry. We recently celebrated our 1-Yr anniversary and reflected on the many successful events and initiatives. I am touched by the support we have received from our Members and Allies this past year.

Katrin Habel
Manager – Transportation Structures
Associated Engineering

I manage the Transportation Structures Group for Associated Engineering and balance this with project management and technical work. I can walk again after a recent major injury.

Katie Burau
Project Manager
Stantec

Katie Burau has 17 years of experience in business administration, project services, and project delivery. Her strong analytical and detail-oriented background includes construction management services, crew management, proposal coordination, change management, project management assistance, contract management, and project engineering management […]. As Project Manager, Katie provides leadership to project teams and is responsible for the scope, schedule, budget, and resources for work packages and projects […].

Ladan Ghods P.Eng., M.Sc.
Electrical Engineer
Stantec

Ladan is a Professional Electrical Engineer with over 10 years of experience in engineering consulting and EPCM companies. She has been involved in all aspects and phases of projects (small and large, straightforward, and complex) including conceptual design, project definition and planning, detailed design, and testing and commissioning. She has successfully supported larger-scale projects (US$360M to US$450M) for clients in the industrial, energy, buildings, and infrastructure sectors. Ladan ensures the design and deliverables are high quality and meet industry and client standards.

Lana Rupp
Production Team
Zaber Technologies

I have a decade of mechanical design and project management experience and have recently transitioned into production management. I have 2 young kids, a supportive partner, and a very demanding cat at home. Recently I led a facility expansion project for our Production team, allowing us to grow and found a new team specializing in microscope production.

Maggie Smith
Senior Geotechnical Engineer
KCB

I am a senior member of the KCB team striving for technical excellence while keeping the people side of my team front of mind. I love consulting for the diversity of projects, the ability to “dive deep” into challenging technical problems and to constantly be learning new things and growing my portfolio of experiences. I stepped into a new management role upon my return from mat-leave a year ago in which I provide professional development and technical and management guidance to my multi-disciplinary team. My greatest accomplishment – I have successfully kept a small human alive for a year and a half.

Megan Leslie P.Eng., FEC, ENV SP, Fitwel Ambassador, WELL AP, LEED AP BD+C
Sustainability Consultant
Stantec

Megan has more than 20 years of experience in the sustainability and environmental consulting industry.
Megan is proud to have almost learned how to embrace staycations over the last two and a half years.

Michelle Reid P.Eng., LEED AP BD+C
Senior Project Manager
Stantec

Michelle Reid is a Senior Project Manager in our Program and Project Management Group and has over 18 years of experience in the management of infrastructure, industrial, commercial, residential and healthcare projects […]. Her ability to think outside the box, meet demanding schedules, and work with an expansive list of individuals and groups has proven she has extensive knowledge and experience in project management [..]. Outside of work, Michelle loves to stay active with her family, spending time with her three children playing hockey, skiing, and picnics in the parks around our beautiful community.

Nadia Krys P.Eng., PE, PMP
Manager Engineering Project Delivery
Translink

I am a Structural Engineer who now leads a team of Project Managers that are delivering Capital Infrastructure projects for TransLink. I have a 5-year-old boy who is just starting Kindergarten and transitioning out of daycare. I am finally back to riding my bike as a key part of my commute to work. This is something I had sorely missed when my son was travelling with me to/from the daycare. But I sure did get lots of cuddles in on those SkyTrain rides.

Nicky Jennings
Director, Environmental Management, Earth & Environment, BC & Yukon
WSP Golders

Nicky Jennings is a Senior Project Manager, with over 20 years of experience, who changed from a more technical role to a project management role. On a personal level, I recently completed the Penticton Gran Fondo.

Pia Abercromby BE, P.Eng., ENV SP
Project Manager / Bridge Engineer / Sustainability Consultant
McElhanney

I have a technical engineering background but have transitioned into project management and sustainability consulting. I am currently putting the finishing touches on a sustainability strategy for my company, which has been 6 months in the making.

Sandra Nelson
Stantec

Sandra Nelson has a milestone anniversary coming up in October: 15 years in consulting. In that time, she has grown from a junior Biologist in Training, fresh out of grad school, to a Registered Professional Biologist and senior team lead for aquatics for Stantec’s British Columbia and Yukon practice, while also being a happy daughter, spouse, and mom of two. Sandra is a field biologist at heart—with many seasons of thrashing through the bush, clambering in and out of streams, catching lots of fish, and hopping in and out of helicopters—although she now spends only a few weeks each year in her waders. She currently leads the aquatics components of her projects, completes quality reviews, and supports a growing aquatics team of 35 people. She loves helping people imagine and reach their professional goals while holding space for themselves and their families. She has worked with many great clients on many interesting (a few more-interesting-than-intended!) projects and had the good fortune of having fantastic colleagues and mentors throughout her career. Sandra’s teachers have included colleagues, clients, and mistakes, but she has learned more about communication and wisdom from her two kids, Erik (10) and Halle (7), than anyone else.

Sheri Gilmour
Business Centre Practice Leader – Environmental Services
Stantec

Sheri Gilmour is a Professional Geologist with over 25 years of experience in the environmental sector as both a client and a consultant in the area of emergency response, environmental site assessment and remediation for oil and gas, industrial and commercial properties. Her work has allowed her to travel across Canada, including the north, and has had many great experiences and met many wonderful people as a result. Currently, she is one of the four leaders for the British Columbia Environmental Services Team of over 300 people at Stantec. Because of this new role, she has recently moved from Edmonton to Vancouver Island and is enjoying island life and the trees and lakes. Sheri is married to Dean and has two step “adults” as well as a 120-pound dog (a Leonberger – google it, they are very cute).

Tamsin Silvester ChPP (UK)
Vice President, Transportation Systems – Rail & Transit Canada West
WSP

I have a varied background from geotechnical to buildings to rail & transit progressing from a technical start into project and team management. I have grown my career with WSP for 16 years and moved from the UK to Canada 6 years ago, living in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver with a team of multi-disciplinary professionals working across the country. A recent achievement is that I completed the Sea to Sky (Vancouver to Whistler) Gran Fondo bike ride recently – not fast but I finished!