APEGA
CP I’ve never had a formal mentor, but I’ve had informal mentors throughout my career. My employer offered support, mostly from my managers and directors. My most influential mentors were from my volunteer work at APEGA, including APEGA past-presidents, APEGA CEOs, and fellow Councillors. But the strongest mentors for me have been, and continue to be, my female engineering peers. Many of these friendships go back 25 to 35 years. These are the people I call when I’m in a pickle. The PEG: How would you define your leadership style? CP Transparent and approachable. I believe leaders should share as much information as possible with others. This is particularly important when a decision has to be made, and you are not available. Someone needs that knowledge and understanding, so those who fill in for you are confident — and you are confident that good decisions are made. Listening is also important. I’m always interested in what others are thinking. Learning new ideas and approaches is a passion of mine. It is important to me to know what needs to be done, and why. I’m very outcome focused. I like to have targets identified so you know when you hit them, or when you need to make adjustments. The PEG: When you aren’t volunteering for APEGA, what keeps you busy? CP With the summer here, I enjoy being outdoors. I love working in my yard, planting annuals, and creating enjoyable spaces to read a book, rest in the sun, or entertain a guest or two. And of course, I am always up for a round of golf. Year round, on weekends, my husband and I enjoy walking to our favourite coffee shop in the mornings. If it’s too cold, we head to the gym at Servus Credit Union Place in St. Albert. Going to movies and plays is also a favourite pastime, especially with family and friends. I enjoy going to hockey games, especially when the Edmonton Oilers win! I am also an Edmonton Eskimos fan and like get to a few of their games.
‘The (Branch) visits confirmed for me that we are, in essence, innovators and influencers. We combine science with creativity to enable people to enjoy a high standard of living. We come up with new and better ways to make life easier and safer. We guide and shape the future of Alberta, Canada, and the world. And that is amazing to me.’
The PEG: For TELUS Communications, one of your roles was manager of the company’s Graduate Engineer Program. You also continue to mentor engineering graduates. Why is mentorship of young professionals important? CP A lot of reasons. One of them is that it’s essential to maintaining the self-regulation of our professions. Members are responsible for the practice and technical expertise within their fields of work. Working with Members-in- Training at this critical time in their careers sets the framework for their future practice. My experience has been that Members- in-Training appreciate the mentoring, and mentors usually learn new, state-of-the-art approaches. Definitely a win-win. I encourage all Members to stay familiar with the requirements for work experience and our Code of Ethics. We all need to refresh our knowledge of these important parts of self-regulation. I have also been very involved in organizations that mentor graduates and young professionals about work-life balance. I recall when I was just starting
out, it was helpful to bounce ideas off of others. When I was starting my family, I was fortunate to be able to work part-time at TELUS. I did this for five years and was able to keep engaged in the business while I was enjoying raising my children. I like to share these aspects of my career with others, and know that others can benefit from my experience and apply it to their situation. Each situation is different, and in the end what is important is that everyone makes the right decision for their particular situation. Recently, APEGA published a document called Managing Transitions , a guideline for businesses and employees to help them strategically plan for absences from work. It has been recognized nationally for its forward-thinking suggestions. This guideline was developed by the Women in APEGA Committee, but its scope is not limited to women and maternity leave. I encourage anyone who is considering being away from business to check it out.
The PEG: How have mentors played a role in your own career?
SUMMER 2015 PEG | 13
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