A WINning Perspective: The WIN Canada Podcast

In this episode of A WINning Perspective: The WIN Canada Podcast, panel host Riccardo Cosentino is joined by co-host Shormila Chatterjee, Vice President at EY in the Infrastructure Advisory Practice, Ottawa. They sit down with three exceptional leaders: Dani Delaloye, Chloe Ho and Joanna Kervin. These trailblazers share their journeys in the male-dominated infrastructure industry, discussing how they've overcome challenges, seized opportunities, and made significant impacts in their respective fields.

“I think we've made a lot of progress over the past years in terms of, overt sexism, for example, is no longer tolerated. But there's unconscious bias, there's microaggressions, that women, queer people, people of minorities that are facing that make it just a little bit harder. So at every level, you see more and more drop-off. And I think that's why we're still continuing to see this kind of leaky pipeline effect and why we still don't have that glut of people that are entering the industry and move all the way up to the senior leadership positions.” — Dani Delaloye​​.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of staying curious and continuously asking questions in your career.
• Embracing risks and challenges as a woman in the infrastructure sector.
• The value of having strong mentors and champions, both male and female, to support career growth.
• Understanding and addressing the "leaky pipeline" syndrome in leadership.
• How diverse leadership styles can enhance team dynamics and project outcomes.

This episode’s panelists:

• Dani Delaloye is a Principal Engineer at Mott MacDonald, currently working as the Tunnel Manager for the Calgary Green Line project in Alberta. With a background in geological engineering, Dani has extensive experience in tunneling and underground excavation design, having worked on significant projects across Canada.
• Chloe Ho is a specialist in accounting and deal advisory, with a particular focus on infrastructure and energy transition. She has international experience from her time in the U.K. with PwC and is currently active in the infrastructure space in Toronto, working on electrification and renewable energy projects.
• Joanna Kervin has a robust career in civil engineering and transportation infrastructure. She has worked in both the public and private sectors, notably on the Toronto Transit Commission's subway expansion project. Joanna's leadership has been instrumental in developing new communities around transit infrastructure.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

• Follow Shormila Chatterjee on LinkedIn
• Follow Dani Delaloye on LinkedIn
• Follow Chloe Ho on LinkedIn
• Follow Joanna Kervin on LinkedIn
• Join over the 2,500 women in the Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN)
• Learn more about the 2024 WIN Awards
• Converse with women in your industry on LinkedIn
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on IG
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on X
• Connect with our panel moderator and podcast host, Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn

Listen to the Navigating Major Programmes podcast

Music: "Rise Of Liberty" by Dope Cat. Licensed through PremiumBeat.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast do not necessarily represent or reflect the official policy, opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Disenyo.co LLC and its employees.

In this episode of A WINning Perspective: The WIN Canada Podcast, panel host Riccardo Cosentino is joined by co-host Shormila Chatterjee, Vice President at EY in the Infrastructure Advisory Practice, Ottawa. They sit down with three exceptional leaders in infrastructure: Sherena Hussain, Kitty Chan, and Julia Stefanishin. These trailblazers share their journeys in the male-dominated infrastructure industry, discussing how they've overcome challenges, seized opportunities, and made significant impacts in their respective fields.

“And that is something that I'm actually quite opposed to that idea that we have to really make that strong sacrifice about like, well, I'm gonna put my career on the backburner knowing that I won't excel faster. Or maybe that C-suite is not something that's in the cards for me. And that is something that I find having these conversations and knowing that we're all informed as we, as Julia mentioned, we're getting older in our careers, but we have the insights now that we can really carve a path for those that are coming through the ranks behind us to make sure that they don't have to face those difficult situations on their own as well.” — Sherena Hussain

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of staying curious and continuously asking questions in your career.
• Understanding and addressing the "leaky pipeline" syndrome in leadership.
• The value of having strong mentors and champions, both male and female, to support career growth.
• How diverse leadership styles can enhance team dynamics and project outcomes.

This episode’s panelists:

• Sherena Hussain is a lawyer, academic, and advisor in the sustainable infrastructure space. She has extensive experience in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, currently working at a startup called Fleet Zero.
• Kitty Chan is a Director of Project Delivery at Infrastructure Ontario and a member of the WIN Toronto Steering Committee. With over a decade of experience, Kitty has led teams through the procurement of major transit projects using P3 and other progressive delivery models.
• Julia Stefanishin is a Partner and Senior Vice President in EY Canada's Real Estate Advisory practice. With a vibrant career spanning over 100 unique real estate and infrastructure initiatives globally, Julia's expertise covers the entire investment cycle, from concept design to contract compliance. She brings a spirit of innovation to every project, constantly seeking to do things differently, bolder, and better.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a five star review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

• Join over the 2,500 women in the Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN)
• Learn more about the 2024 WIN Awards
• Converse with women in your industry on LinkedIn
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on IG
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on X
• Follow Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn
• Follow Shormila Chatterjee on LinkedIn
• Follow Sherena Hussain on LinkedIn
• Follow Kitty Chan on LinkedIn
• Follow Julia Stefanishin on LinkedIn

Listen to the Navigating Major Programmes podcast

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Music: "Rise Of Liberty" by Dope Cat. Licensed through PremiumBeat.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast do not necessarily represent or reflect the official policy, opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Disenyo.co LLC and its employees.

In this episode of A WINning Perspective: The WIN Canada Podcast, panel host Riccardo Cossentino sits down with three nominees of The Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN) Canada WIN Awards: Divya Shah, Tamara Vrooman, and Kimberly Doran. Despite working in senior roles in a male-dominated industry not designed for them, the panelists have achieved success and professional recognition. They share valuable insights and advice for transforming the industry from dry to progressive, and pose the question: Is it a dumb question or the next revolution in the industry? Along with expanding professional networks and securing sponsorships, these three leaders in major programmes share their hopes and actionables for women, and allies, in the industry.

“We're just talking about infrastructure, which is about design and about building things and about the future. Yet, we really need to design our organizations for that future. And what I find is a lot of the time we're trying to put women, particularly I agree with you, mid-career, but that mid-career is what leads to senior career, into roles that were not designed for us...We have to change the way that we design our organizations so that they're fit for the purpose that we want them to serve, which is to get more diverse people, including women into leadership roles, particularly in an area like infrastructure.” — Tamara Vrooman

Key Takeaways:

• The hesitancy of failing, the importance of taking risks as a woman in megaprojects
• How do we empower women to get into decision-making roles; rewriting roles designed for men

Divya Shah is the Managing Director at the Canada Infrastructure Bank, leading investments in trade, transportation, and critical minerals. With 18 years in project finance, Divya shapes investment strategies, oversees business development, and manages financial structuring to asset management. She began her career at Infrastructure Ontario during its early days of public-private partnerships, marking her start in transformative infrastructure projects.

Tamara Vrooman serves as the President and CEO of Vancouver International Airport, the second-largest international airport in Canada and home to the largest building in British Columbia. With a rich background in banking and finance, Tamara has financed numerous public and private infrastructure projects. Her extensive experience includes roles as the Chair of the Canada Infrastructure Bank board and Deputy Minister of Finance for British Columbia, overseeing Partnerships BC.

Kimberly Doran is the Vice President and Geotechnical Practice Lead at AtkinsRéalis. As a passionate advocate for gender parity, she co-founded and chairs the ExcELLEnce Employee Resource Group, dedicated to promoting a diverse and inclusive culture. Outside of her corporate responsibilities, Kimberly is deeply involved in her field, serving as the Finance Director for the Regina Geotechnical Group and participating in the Transportation Committee of the Saskatchewan Association of Consulting Engineers (ACEC-SK).

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a five star review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

• Join over the 2,500 women in the Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN)
• Learn more about the 2024 WIN Awards
• Converse with women in your industry on LinkedIn
• Follow Divya Shah on LinkedIn
• Follow Tamara Vrooman on Linkedin
• Follow Kimberly Doran on LinkedIn
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on IG
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on X
• Connect with our panel moderator and podcast host, Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn

Listen to the Navigating Major Programmes podcast

Music: "Rise Of Liberty" by Dope Cat. Licensed through PremiumBeat.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast do not necessarily represent or reflect the official policy, opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Disenyo.co LLC and its employees.

In this episode of A WINning Perspective: The WIN Canada Podcast, panel host Riccardo Cossentino sits down with three nominees of The Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN) Canada WIN Awards: Shormila Chatterjee, Dr. Diana Nada and Johanne Mullen. The panelists share their industry successes, challenges within the male-dominated industry and the power of professional recognition. Plus, the trio discusses the male experience when roles are reversed and they are the only ones of their gender in the room.

“And I think our male leaders need to start talking much more openly and honestly about how they achieve work-life balance and be leaders and be present parents and take care of their parents. Right? I think there's a risk that if we continue to all put the onus of this on women's backs, we will never get to equity because it will always be perceived by everyone as being a woman's issue. And it's not and this isn't specific to infrastructure. Clearly, it cuts across all sectors. But I think in an industry that's male-dominated, it's exacerbated” — Johanne Mullen

Key Takeaways:

• Is there an expectation of being the only woman in the room?
• The link between of collaboration and diversity
• The problematic messaging of work-life balance for women
• The impact of recognition through the Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN) Awards

Shormila Chatterjee is an infrastructure investment professional with Canada-wide expertise in the successful pursuit of large-scale public private partnership (PPP) projects. She has led various aspects of several high profile P3 pursuits and design engineering projects in Canada including the Confederation Line Stages 1 and 2, the Finch West LRT, Edmonton Valley Line, the Waterloo ION project, the Hamilton B-Line LRT and the Hurontario-Main LRT project.

Dr. Diana Nada is a project management expert and advisor on mega capital projects, with a background in civil engineering and a PhD in project management from the University of Calgary. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Nada advises both public and private sector clients on strategies and toolkits for best practices in capital project delivery and informed decision-making. She is a regular industry contributor and a published scholar-educator with more than 25 speaking engagements. Currently, she serves as the AAC Canada Region One Director and is a member of the ULI Public Development and Infrastructure Council as well as the UK APM Project Assurance SIG.

Johanne Mullen is the National Capital Projects and Infrastructure Leader at PwC Canada, with 20 years of experience in capital project advisory, complex procurement advisory, project finance, and structured finance. She has served as a trusted advisor to both public and private sectors, structuring large projects in the transportation, health, and urban infrastructure sectors. Johanne is a director and past president of the Institut pour les partenariats public-privé du Québec and a Director of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships. She has advised on some of Canada's largest infrastructure projects, from initial feasibility and business case stages through to financial close.\

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

Let's stay connected and keep the momentum going to empower women and engineer change:

• Join over the 2,500 women in the Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN)
• Converse with women in your industry on LinkedIn
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on IG
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on X
• Follow on Shormila Chatterjee LinkedIn
• Follow Diana Nada on Linkedin
• Follow Johanne Mullen on LinkedIn

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

• Connect with our panel moderator and podcast host, Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn
• Listen to the Navigating Major Programmes podcast

Music: "Rise Of Liberty" by Dope Cat. Licensed through PremiumBeat.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast do not necessarily represent or reflect t...

In our first episode of A WINning Perspective: The WIN Canada Podcast, panel host Riccardo Cosentino sits down with three nominees of The Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN) Canada WIN Awards: Marie-Noël Ouellet, Katie Pelly and Yumna Nasir. The panelists share their industry successes, challenges within the male-dominated industry and hopes for the next generation of leaders.

“I found that it became a bit easier—or that I wasn’t the only one—when the people around the table became more diverse. So, even though I might still be the only female in certain meetings, if the men are more diverse in their background, then everyone has to try a little harder to connect to each other and therefore, I can fit in a bit more easily in that conversation.” — Katie Pelly

“For sure, I think diversity and diversity of thought specifically. Whether it be diversity of... ” — Yumna Nasir

Key Takeaways:

• The internal conversations of women within a male-dominated industry and resisting conformation as a means to succeed
• The fears of family life as a women in infrastructure: How to we attract and retain women into their senior tenure
• How to be a better ally, companion and sponsor for women
• The importance of recognition of contributions to the industry during the WIN Awards
• The danger of associating flexibility with female; the shift in mindset necessary for better performance across the board

Marie-Noël Ouellet is responsible for leading the global financing strategy in the infrastructure and energy sectors at CDPQ, which includes investment strategy, portfolio construction, negotiation and transaction structuring, as well as risk management. Under her leadership, the Infrastructure Financing team offers senior and junior debt financing to varied sectors, most notably in the transportation, renewable power and telecommunications sub-sectors. She is also a member of the Infrastructure sector Debt and Equity Investment Committees.

Katie Pelly is a Construction Manager with EllisDon Civil, and is currently the Design-Build Project Director on a large P3 Design-Build transportation project. She holds a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Queen's University, and has 18 years of construction management experience with EllisDon, having taken on a range of roles and responsibilities including leadership, design management and coordination roles on IO, Metrolinx, MTO, TTC and YRRTC projects. Katie has also led various transit P3 Design-Build pursuits, helping to manage and facilitate the direction of EllisDon’s Civil division. Katie is passionate about supporting women, and looks to create meaningful opportunities for women to connect; she is a Board Director with the WTS Toronto Area Chapter and is a member of WIN and CAWIC.

Yumna Nasir, Director of Operations at Plan Group, has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, International Facilities Management Association, and Canadian Women in Infrastructure. Yumna has proved herself through difficult and unique occupations such as becoming the Facility Manager and Operations Lead for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games, leading a team of over 70. She then undertook a new adventure leading the charge on developing plans and practices to implement for the first time on the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit Project (largest P3 transit project in North America) as its Property Manager. She is a member of two Program Advisory Committees (APFM and Building Systems Engineering Degree) in order to ensure that industry trends and education are forever married so new graduates have numerous opportunities.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:

• Join over the 2,500 women in the Women’s Infrastructure Network (WIN)
• Learn more about the 2024 WIN Awards
• Converse with women in your industry on LinkedIn
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on IG
• Women’s Infrastructure Network on X
• Follow Yumna Nasir on LinkedIn
• Follow Katie Pelly on Linkedin
• Follow Marie-Noël Ouellet on LinkedIn
• Follow