PRESENTS:
Our Speakers
Opening Remarks
Jeannine Martin
VRCA President
Stephanie Hun
CCW president and Director, Business Development, Canada for Flatiron Dragados Canada
As the President of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), Jeannine leads the organization’s mission to champion the Vancouver construction industry through advocacy, education, and facilitation of business-building connections. Her work with the VRCA serves to elevate and engage 900+ member companies through proactive and inclusive leadership.
Jeannine's impact extends beyond her day-to-day responsibilities, where she shares insights and expertise from over 25 years of experience at events like LEAP. Her success within the male-dominated fields of construction and engineering inspires resilience, expertise, and leadership among women in construction that contribute to our industry's growth and diversity.
Stephanie Hun leads Flatiron Dragados Canada’s client engagement and pursuits across Canada as the Director of Business Development. Her focus is advancing Flatiron Dragados’ public and private client strategies, collaborative contract structures, and win-win solutions to complex projects throughout the nation. Stephanie brings diverse lessons learned from over 19 years of professional experience in consulting and heavy civil construction for a wide range of infrastructure projects across various sectors including transportation, aviation, ports, tunnels, mining and renewable energy.
Stephanie is proud to mentor young professionals, as well as advancing the firm’s Women in Employee Resource Group. She serves as the President of Canadian Construction Women, Board Director for BC Construction Roundtable, co-chair for the Women’s Infrastructure Network Awards, and committee member for Women in Roadbuilding for BC Roadbuilder’s and Heavy Civil Construction.
Keynote: Building Futures
Michelle Cederberg
CSP, Coach, Author
For over 17 years, Certified Speaking Professional Michelle Cederberg has been captivating audiences across North America with her empowering and humorous messages about how to set worthwhile goals, get energized for success, and live a Carpe Freakin’ Diem life.
An in-demand speaker, author, coach and consultant, she believes that personal and professional success is directly influenced by the physical, mental and emotional capacity we each have within us to create the life and career we want. She helps people boost that capacity, so they gain clarity, build confidence, and get the discipline to do the freakin' work (#DTFW).
She holds a Masters in Kinesiology, a BA in Psychology, a specialization in Health and Exercise Psychology, is a Certified Exercise Physiologist, a Certified Professional Co-Active Life Coach, and an ORSC-Trained Team Coach. She truly combines mind, body and practicality to empower change.
Michelle is the author of three books. Her newest book 'The Success-Energy Equation' debuted as a best-seller in October of 2020.
Michelle Cederberg, MKin, BA Psyc
Certified Speaking Professional (CSP)
Certified Exercise Physiologist (CEP)
Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)
ORSC-Trained Team Coach
To connect with Michelle and discuss how she help you boost confidence, capacity and competitive edge ... in everything you do, visit michellecederberg.com or call 403-850-5589
Career Boost: Authentic Networking for Impact
Jillian Climie
Co-Founder of The Thoughtful Co.
Jillian Climie is Co-Founder of The Thoughtful Co, an award-winning consultancy that
supports women in negotiating, and advises employers on improving gender equity in the
workplace.
Jillian attended Ivey Business School and has spent her career advising and leading teams in
executive compensation and corporate governance, both as a consultant, and in-house at
two global retailers. Most recently at Lululemon, she led the global equity and executive
compensation teams.
After taking a pause, she realized she wanted more of three things in her professional life:
thoroughness, passion, and freedom. She Co-Founded The Thoughtful Co. so she can
leverage her technical expertise to empower women to advocate for themselves, and
support employers in building inclusive workplaces.
She specializes in working with companies in the construction and engineering space,
including Syncra Construction, ISL Engineering, ETRO Construction, RDH Building Science,
MetroVancouver and Thurber Engineering.
Jillian was named a 2022 Emerging Leader by The Peak, and was a 2024 Women of Influence
Nominee and 2023 Inspirational Leader of the Year Nominee.
Tool Box Sessions
Dr. Kathleen Burke, Ph.D.
University Lecturer at Simon Fraser University
Melanie Steele
Dietitian and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Sara Schlipp-Riedel
M.A., director of HR at Accordant
Polina Kouzmina
Founder of Thriveworks | Leadership and Team Coach
Dr. Kathleen Burke teaches and coordinates the offerings of SFU's Beedie School of Business with focuses on Society and Ethics. She holds a Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University and her M.A. and B.A. from Indiana University. In 2015, Kathleen received the TD Canada Trust Distinguished Teaching award, the highest teaching honour in Beedie. Kathleen also facilitates and oversees the Envision Financial Community Leaders Igniting Change (CLIC) program in Surrey, BC. This community leadership initiative is a partnership between Envision Financial, SFU Surrey, and the Surrey Poverty Reduction Coalition. She also provides workshops and consults with organizations regarding ethics, dilemma decision-making and leadership development. She also has supported Minerva BC as a workshop facilitator for the Women Leading the Way Program.
Research Interests
Ethical decision making, Ethics pedagogy, Leadership and Communication.
Melanie Steele, RD, MSCP, is a dedicated Registered Dietitian and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, specializing in helping adults in midlife improve their health and manage chronic conditions through nutrition. With a passion for evidence-based nutrition and a holistic approach to well-being, she empowers clients to build sustainable health habits and foster a positive relationship with food.
She holds an undergraduate degree in Food, Nutrition, and Health (Major in Dietetics) with honours from the University of British Columbia and is registered in good standing with the College of Dietitians of British Columbia. Before establishing her private practice, she gained extensive clinical experience in diabetes management, kidney care and dialysis, cardiovascular health, GI surgery, and geriatric medicine.
Committed to lifelong learning and client-centered care, she continues to educate and advocate for better nutrition practices, helping individuals navigate their health with confidence and clarity
Sara has a gift for building People, Place, and Process. She transforms organizations by leveraging
business acumen and unmatched emotional intelligence. A consummate, charismatic, people-person,
Sara is exceptional at building relationships and trust that drives stakeholder buy-in. With a truly unique
ability to “change the temperature of a room”, Sara breaks down barriers to build high-performing
teams focused on clear purpose and courageous cultures. Leveraging years of experience partnering
with leaders across industries on a global scale, Sara is the “game changer” organizations are eager to
engage to align mission and vision to drive organization strategies that ensure the fulfillment of people,
teams, and organizational potential.
An educator and coach at heart, Sara has more than a decade of experience coming alongside senior
leaders to elevate their efforts and capacity by serving as a strategic partner, especially in the areas of
communication and operational excellence.
With over a decade spent as the Head of People & Culture for North America with a global engineering consultancy, Polina Kouzmina's career focus has been on scaling organizations for growth, cultivating vibrant company cultures and developing leaders, predominantly within STEM and male-dominated industries. Currently, as Founder and Principal Consultant at Thriveworks, Polina leverages her extensive background to drive a thriving leadership coaching and HR consultancy practice. Her mission is to inspire positive change and growth for individuals, teams, and the organizations they are a part of.
Sisterhood at Work Panel
Stephanie Hun
CCW president and Director, Business Development, Canada for Flatiron Dragados Canada
Keeli Husband
Director of Business Development at EllisDon
Anna Lary
M.Ed, FSR, Master Electrician, Instructor at BCIT
Wendy Itagawa
Executive Director at Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project
Pat Duggan
MCIOB, MCIPS, MAPM Vice President Major Projects
Passionate business development professional with over 18 years of engineering and construction experience across North America, Asia and Australia. Versatile and creative individual with strong project management experience in leading teams and collaborating with executives, senior management and technical professionals. Diverse knowledge in various sectors including power, transportation, infrastructure, buildings, ports, mining, and oil and gas.
I bring change to organizations and help elevate their current business development efforts to create more meaningful structure, strategy, relationships and ultimately reach their sales targets.
Proven Strengths:
Entering new markets, building a robust sales pipeline, client development, strategy and planning, mentoring and leadership, completed branding exercises, website redevelopment, creating a results oriented proposal process, external events management, media outreach, digital marketing, and social media strategies involving thought leadership, and hosting expert forums and webinars.
As the infrastructure industry evolves we have the ability to create change and help shape the workplace around us and for generations to come. I love the work we are doing in these industry groups, and if you’d like to get involved or talk about ideas drop me a line!
- WIN Awards
- Canadian Construction Women
- Women in Roadbuilding & Heavy Civil
- BC Construction Roundtable
Keeli is the Director of Business Development for EllisDon Corporation's BC Area, working collectively with the leadership team on positioning for opportunities, managing relationships for the business and coordinating with the firm's internal teams of experts to support strategic approaches to potential new projects across the province. Keeli has a Bachelor of Science degree in Bio-Psychology from the University of Victoria and is a mom of two young boys. She has worked in construction for over 16 years and through her roles in civil construction, project management, development and business development has experienced the industry from many different perspectives. She is passionate about representation for women in the industry and is the Vice Chair for the Vancouver Construction Association's Young Construction Leaders Executive Committee.
Anna Lary M.Ed, FSR Class B (she/her) is a Master Electrician and Project Lead of the ConnectHER Hub at BCIT, where she supports women and gender-diverse trades students, trades alumni, and the surrounding trades community. Anna is the Chair of the VRCA Inclusion Diversity Equity and Accessibility Committee. She is an activist promoting equity in the trades, working on various national working groups to advance the recruitment and retention of equity-priority trades workers. Anna is passionate about the electrical trade and about supporting apprentices in their career paths. Anna brings with her empathy and understanding, fostered by her twenty-seven years of experience with the biological and social realities of being a woman in almost exclusively male workplaces. Through her twelve-year tenure as an instructor at BCIT Anna’s work has grown to include curriculum development, peer mentorship, and support.
Anna obtained her Red Seal in 2002 and is also a Field Service Representative Class B (Master Electrician). She has a deep knowledge and respect for both the apprenticeship process and the industries that are the backbone of the Canadian economy. Anna derives a great satisfaction from electrical work as an embodied practice with layers of experience, education and mechanical skills informing every aspect of the work that she does. She spent fifteen years on the tools, performing electrical work in the residential, commercial, service and film industries, in various roles as apprentice, journeyperson and supervisor. Anna is familiar with the challenges faced by industry, trades workers and educators as we work to provide a stable supply of skilled trades workers with diverse skillsets.
In her time at BCIT, Anna has gone on to obtain a Master of Education, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction. She has capitalized on the skills and connections from this program and developed and implemented curricula to improve the recruitment and retention of women and gender-diverse apprentices from foundation programs through to their Red Seals. She conducts research into the experiences of these apprentices with the intention of finding effective interventions to support them in their career paths. It is her firm belief that these interventions can be adapted to improve the recruitment and retention of all apprentices by creating more pleasant and inclusive training and workplace environments.
The ConnectHER Hub launched in November of 2024 with a stunning audio-visual presentation and a panel of tradeswomen influencers. As Project Lead of the ConnectHER Hub, Anna organizes and hosts a variety of events, from informal lunches to structured networking events such as Equity in Electrical 2.0: Building Community, and the upcoming events Equity in Contracting 2.0 (March 22nd) and Pride on the Tools (April 23rd).
Experience on complex infrastructure projects in both the private and public sectors. She has been involved on some of BC’s largest public infrastructure projects during the definition, procurement, and implementation phases. Her major bridge and road project experience includes the Port Mann Highway 1 Improvement Project, the Golden Ears Bridge, the Sea to Sky Highway, and the South Fraser Perimeter Road. She also has experience on major transit projects including the South of Fraser LRT Project, the Evergreen Extension, and the Calgary West LRT Project. Her skill set includes strategic planning, technical design, procurement strategy, and contract management. She also has a strong background with intergovernmental liaison, communications and stakeholder engagement. She holds both a Bachelor and Master of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University and is a registered Professional Engineer with APEGBC.
Patricia has over 35 years of experience in construction and asset management, including 25 years in the United Kingdom and the past decade in British Columbia. She is experienced in leading multi-disciplinary teams to plan and deliver large-scale, complex capital projects within the health and research, military, education, and commercial sectors. Her experience within construction and project management services has enabled her to provide perspective in structuring and managing large, complex infrastructure projects while balancing risk management, budget control, and quality assurance.
Pat has experienced the industry operations in UK, Canda and USA and understand the varied ways of working. She can translate between the language barriers of the multi-discipline teams.
Pat has extensive experience has a Board Director after serving on 16 company boards across healthcare and education sector assets during construction and operational phases. Pat understands the various capital project contractual frameworks, how key provisions translate, and the diverse stakeholder requirements that must be managed in delivering significant capital projects and is skilled in navigating communication among these stakeholders.
The Wisdom of the Nervous System
Samantha Clarke
Comprehensive Wellness Coach
Samantha Shakira Clarke is a trusted body-mind therapist, corporate wellness facilitator, and keynote speaker, specializing in Mindfulness, Movement, and Nervous System regulation. With a background in high-performance sports, acting, and therapeutic coaching, she brings a unique and holistic approach to personal and workplace well-being. Her corporate wellness programs help teams reduce stress, prevent burnout, and enhance performance, integrating mindfulness, leadership training, and somatic practices to create lasting change. She has worked with industry leaders like Apple, Spotify, and Mackay CEO Forums, as well as organizations dedicated to supporting at-risk youth—an area she is deeply passionate about.
Beyond her corporate work, Samantha runs a thriving private practice in Vancouver, offering one-on-one sessions for those seeking deeper personal transformation through body-mind integration, nervous system healing, and mindfulness-based techniques.
Fireside Panel Chat
Jeannine Martin
VRCA President
Seema Lal
CCW President, Partner and Co-Chair of Construction and Infrastructure at Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Regina Marklund
Construction Manager at Turner Construction
Shelley Gray
CEO at SkilledTradesBC
Honourable Bowinn Ma
Minister of Infrastructure & MLA North Vancouver-Lonsdale
Jeannine Martin is the President of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA). She is a trailblazing leader in the construction industry with over 25 years of experience working in the industry.
With VRCA representing over 800 member companies, Jeannine's leadership is instrumental in shaping the landscape of the construction sector in the Lower Mainland. Her extensive background in construction and engineering companies has equipped her with a unique perspective and skills to drive success for VRCA members and the industry.
Jeannine's impact extends beyond her day-to-day responsibilities, mainly when participating in events like the LEAP conference. Here, she generously shares her wealth of experience and success tools, offering invaluable insights to empower others in navigating and thriving within male-dominated industries.
Jeannine Martin stands as a beacon of inspiration for women in construction, showcasing resilience, expertise, and leadership that contribute to the industry's growth and diversity.
Seema Lal is a Partner and the Co-Chair of the Construction and Infrastructure practice group at Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP. Seema is focused on the negotiation and preparation of construction contracts, procurement issues and construction disputes, including mediations and arbitrations. She seeks to provide strategic legal advice to assist her clients in making informed and effective legal and business decisions. Through her practice and her involvement in industry associations, she has built up an in-depth understanding of the construction sector and the unique issues facing its stakeholders.
Seema is a Fellow of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers and holds board positions for a number of industry groups and non-profit organizations, including as President of Canadian Construction Women (CCW), a Board member of the BC Construction Roundtable and as Chair of the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch) Construction Law Section. She is ranked in the areas of Construction Law and Insurance Law by Best Lawyers Canada®, is recognized by The Legal 500 as a leading lawyer in Canadian Construction Law and is featured in Doyle’s Guide list of leading construction, engineering and infrastructure litigation lawyers.
Regina has been in the construction industry for 18 years and has worked in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Vancouver B.C. She has had a variety of roles within Turner from estimating, project coordination, project management, superintendence and business development, giving her the well rounded skills to lead the interiors division. She has built both new builds and renovation projects in various market segments including healthcare, commercial TI's, education, and retail. In addition to her role at Turner, Regina is an active member of CREW Vancouver and a past board member.
An accomplished and visionary executive, renowned for delivering exceptional outcomes through strategic expertise and operational proficiency. Experienced in adeptly navigating complex multistakeholder environments with finesse, utilizing diplomacy and active collaboration to cultivate consensus and drive successful outcomes. Effectively fosters, motivates, and empowers high-performing teams to achieve exceptional results.
Serving as the MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale since May 2017, Bowinn is also a licensed Professional Engineer and certified Project Management Professional. As an MLA, Bowinn is particularly active on the issues of housing, transportation, child care, and climate action.
Bowinn's degree in civil engineering included a background in transportation engineering that serves her well in her efforts to improve transportation on the North Shore and throughout the Lower Mainland. In 2018, Bowinn launched and then led the Integrated North Shore Transportation Planning Project (INSTPP), which led to the region's first ever rapid transit feasibility study and continues to guide regional transportation planning for all levels of government on the North Shore.
Bowinn also serves as the Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink and on several cabinet and parliamentary committees including Treasury Board, Housing Working Group, Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations.
Prior to being elected MLA, she managed terminal expansion and redevelopment projects at the Vancouver International Airport. She also holds a Master's degree from the UBC Sauder School of Business.
The Canadian-born daughter of two Taiwanese immigrants, Bowinn started her working life with the Pacific National Exhibition at the age of 15, where she worked in a variety of part-time jobs to support herself through university. She has also worked as a geological technician and labourer in the central Yukon and was at one point enrolled with the Canadian Armed Regular Forces.
She got her first taste of public service during her time at the University of British Columbia, where she was deeply involved with the student political movement and launched several long-term initiatives that continue to positively impact students today.
In 2008, the Engineering Undergraduates Society of UBC created the 'Bowinn Ma Award' "in recognition of exceptional dedication, service, and self-sacrifice by an individual in completing their duties, both within and beyond the purview of their position."
After attaining a Bachelor of Applied Sciences from UBC and a Master's degree in Management from the Sauder School of Business, Bowinn launched her career in project management working with a small firm that provided strategic project management consulting in the higher education and public health care sectors.
Bowinn lives in North Vancouver with her partner and two cats.
We will be highlighting Amara Blue Designs – a local female-owned Canadian jewelry company that offers permanent bracelets and personalized jewelry. They are excited to be offering exclusive, LEAP conference pricing for permanent bracelets to conference attendees, along with a complimentary custom-designed LEAP charm for all who attend the event. Learn more about Amara Blue Designs and Permanent Bracelet FAQ here.
✨ Exclusive Conference Add-Ons!
💎 Custom Permanent Bracelet by LEAP Featured Amara Blue Designs (Gold or Silver)
Special LEAP price: $50 (Regularly $100+) + complimentary LEAP charm gift!
Options: Exclusive pre-registration pricing (55% off)
LEAP Sterling Silver Permanent Bracelet + LEAP Charm – $50
LEAP Gold Filled Permanent Bracelet + LEAP Charm – $50
Day-of bracelet application pricing (40% off) – $70
Note – Pre-registered guests are welcome to change their mind on their material choice (Sterling or Gold Fill) at the event. For those who are unsure about the permanent aspect of the bracelets, clasp add-ons are available on the day of the event.
Kassandra Taylor is a fine jewelry designer that aspires to create pieces that are meaningful, and last for more than just one season. Using ethically sourced sterling silver and gold fill, her pieces are accessible to most and intend on being physical representation of one's strongest values, and cherished memories. She focuses on the art of hand stamping, imprinting hand-illustrated designs and phrases into her pendants by hand, and offers her designs in 30 retailers across Canada.
In addition to her jewelry line, Amara Blue offers permanent bracelets in her Gastown studio. She's proud to have offered this service to the Vancouver community for 3.5 years, and provides a carefully curated selection of bracelet chains + personalized charms.
Featured Artist: Carly Steiman
Carly Steiman is a licensed electrician, entrepreneur, and artist dedicated to celebrating women in the trades. Her LEAP 2025 exhibit features nine portraits of tradeswomen, capturing their skill, resilience, and impact. This collection is in collaboration with photographer Millissa Martin and part of the upcoming Tradeswomen Exhibit, launching in Vancouver this October. Carly is seeking collaborators and sponsors to help amplify this celebration of women in trades.
Alongside this initiative, Carly is launching Workbee, a home maintenance program designed to support seniors aging in place by ensuring their homes remain sate and well cared for. This work bridges the gap between skilled trades and essential home care, reinforcing the importance of inclusive, community-focused services.
