Rising Above: The Path to Executive Leadership

Have you ever considered what consulting engineering could look like once you’re ready to transition from a technical role but are unsure about the next steps?

It’s possible that the next move could be into an executive position, but the path forward might not be clear, especially if there are few women in those roles. The lack of female representation in top-level leadership makes it challenging for women to find role models and mentors to help them succeed.

Consequently, many women in this field are uncertain about their career paths and how to progress. A common question that plagues these women is when, if ever, is the “right” time to transition from a technical role to an executive position.

Join us for an evening with some of the inspiring women who have successfully made the leap. They will share their paths, challenges they faced, their career-shaping decisions and offer advice to help you progress in your career.

We hope you will leave this event feeling empowered and inspired to advance your own career trajectory!

Caroline Andrewes is the President of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – British Columbia. A registered Professional Engineer and Chartered Professional Accountant, she is a Past President of Engineers & Geoscientists BC and has broad experience across industries and organizations, including start-up, not-for-profit, and multi-national public companies. Caroline lives in Vancouver, and she loves to trail run, ride bikes, ski, say hello to dogs, and cook.

Ilana Danzig is the Managing Principal of Aspect’s Vancouver office. With more than 15 years of structural engineering experience, she has worked with all material types across building typologies, off-site prefabricated mass timber and light wood frame systems, as well as construction engineering for mass timber buildings. Ilana’s leadership has helped deliver projects such as District 56 – Tall Wood 1 in Langford, BC, the first Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction tall wood building in Canada. Ilana is published in industry magazines and publications and frequently speaks on the topic of mass timber engineering at conferences such as the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Steel-Timber Hybrid Buildings Conference.

Catherine Roome is a tech innovator with a passion for serving the public interest. She is a director of BC Hydro, chairs the board of its energy trading subsidiary Powerex, and is a member of the Site C Project oversight board. She also serves on the private sector boards of Prospera Credit Union and McElhanney Engineering, where she chairs their operating board. Catherine recently served as Interim CEO of Atira Women’s Resource Society, supporting governance and operational renewal for BC’s largest supportive housing organization. Previously, she led Technical Safety BC for a decade. Catherine is dedicated to fostering justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and encouraging the next generation of leaders.

Lianna Mah has spent her entire 30+ year career in the consulting engineering industry. She started as a Design Engineer with Associated Engineering, and today, she is Vice President of Business Development and a member of the Board of Directors for the Associated Engineering Group, a company with over 1100 staff and 20 offices across Canada. Lianna is also a past President and an active volunteer of Engineers and Geoscientists BC and other organizations throughout her career. She has been recognized as one of Business in Vancouver magazine’s top 500 most influential leaders in BC for her contributions to promoting the engineering industry. Lianna is also a very passionate advocate for diversity and its benefits in fostering creative workplaces. Most recently, she received ACEC-BC’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award.