Great leaders are restless in their pursuit of greater impact on both people and results. As lifelong learners, they continuously seek opportunities to grow themselves and their organizations. In this session, participants will explore what it means to lead with values and the benefits of doing so. They will identify their core values, examine how triggers can undermine their effectiveness, and learn strategies to stay grounded in their leadership. This session also establishes the foundation for connection and collaboration, fostering a community of leaders who learn with – and from – each other. Participants will leave with personal objectives to guide their leadership journey.

Facilitator: Debra Innes, High Impact Lab

Debra has 25+ years of experience consulting with a breadth of organizations going through change, and has been working exclusively in Leadership, Team and Organization Development since 2005.

Debra is deeply committed to helping leaders stand strong in who they are so they can confidently + capably, lead themselves and others to a place of wellness and performance.

Her strength is in how she listens: she is insatiably and genuinely curious. Debra is skilled at meeting her clients where they are at, while simultaneously stretching and inspiring them toward a high bar of what is possible.

Debra’s individual and team clients have come to count on her inside-out approach that deepens awareness, increases wellness and functioning – and builds their confidence, clarity and capability to sustain amazing leadership practices well into the future.

While her intuition serves as her strongest guide – Debra is always guided by the science of leadership and human interactions. Debra holds a Master’s in Applied Human Science (Human System Intervention) from Concordia University, a Bachelor in Commerce from Queen’s University and is a Professional Certified (PCC) coach through the ICF. She is qualified to deliver several assessments including The Leadership Circle 360, Learning-In-Action EQ’s, TKI and MBTI.  Debra loves to learn and continues to develop professionally in areas such as advanced mediation, relationship coaching, conflict facilitation, neuroscience of leadership, adult development – and wellness.  She is also PROSCI certified.

This workshop is not your typical we-talk-you-listen effective-communication training! It’s a live, hands-on communication lab, built on Puzzlewood’s proven framework, to help you turn everyday communication moments into high-impact opportunities. Whether you’re speaking on a panel, pitching an idea, or navigating tough questions in meetings and presentations, you’ll gain practical tools to plan, structure, and deliver your message with clarity and confidence.

Expect a high-energy, interactive session where you’ll learn by doing! You’ll prepare for the workshop ahead of time to maximize the benefits of the session. During the workshop, you’ll get practical theory and tips, small breakout-group interactions, opportunities to learn from your peers, and real-time coaching. You’ll also get personalized feedback from your facilitators, post-workshop. It’s Puzzlewood’s goal participants walk away from the workshop with a strong sense of how to make your communication count – wherever and whenever it matters most.

Facilitators:

Rebecca Johnston, Puzzlewood Communication
Megan Helmer, Puzzlewood Communication

Puzzlewood Communication Inc. helps smart people say smart things – clearly, confidently, and in ways others can understand. Founded by long-time collaborators Rebecca Johnston and Megan Helmer, Puzzlewood works with scientists, engineers, and technical innovators to turn complex ideas into compelling stories.

The Puzzlewood team is curious, practical, and kind. They ask good questions, listen closely, and build communication solutions that work, for diverse audiences, ambitious goals, and authentic voices. With a mix of strategy, creativity, and care, Puzzlewood helps ideas take shape, gain traction, and make an impact. The team believes in doing good work with good people for good reasons, and they love what they do!

Consulting Engineers and it’s time to recognize the shifting landscape of your profession. Technical expertise is crucial, but the ability to sell and maximize client relationships is equally important.

In a competitive market where the doer is often also the seller, sales and business development skills are essential for those seeking to advance their career and secure profitable work for their firm. The Professional Selling Skills workshop provides participants with a “tool kit” of resources to skillfully uncover client requirements and in response offer customized high-value solutions. Rather than dropping fees to secure business, attendees will learn how to create a value proposition that can be used in client meetings, interviews, and proposals.

On a personal level, participants will create a personal USP (Unique Selling Proposition) which highlights their unique and distinctive attributes and skills that can be used to differentiate themselves in interviews and applied internally to differentiate themselves for promotions and advancement.

Facilitator: Ralph Kison

Ralph Kison is president of Kison Inc., a consulting firm which provides coaching, training, and strategic planning services. He is also president of Growth Through Learning Inc., an e-learning firm providing courses ranging from leadership, management, and communication to business development, and sales.

Ralph is a graduate of the University of British Columbia Marketing and Sales Management Program. He is also a Certified Marketing Executive (CME) and Certified Sales Executive (CSE). Ralph is past President of Sales and Marketing Executives International of Vancouver (SMEI) and past President of the Canadian Society for Marketing Professional Services of Vancouver (CSMPS).

Ralph has taught professional sales courses at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), as well as for Sales and Marketing Executives International of Vancouver (SMEI).

He brings passion, insight, and experience to assist individuals and organization maximize their impact and achieve business success.

If there’s one thing we can count on, it’s change. It happens across every organization — sometimes exciting, sometimes unsettling, often both at once. While every shift brings new opportunities, leading change successfully is about more than managing tasks and timelines — it’s about leading people.

In this interactive session, leaders will learn what really happens when change occurs — why people react the way they do, what drives resistance, and how to guide both themselves and their teams through uncertainty with clarity and confidence. Participants will explore the stages of the change process, the science behind how the brain responds to disruption, and practical tools to keep people engaged and motivated. They’ll also examine their own role as change leaders, developing greater self-awareness and strategies to lead others more effectively through transitions.

Facilitator: Polina Kouzmina, ThriveWorks

With nearly two decades of experience in leadership development and driving organizational transformation, Polina Kouzmina helps leaders and teams navigate change with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

A former Head of HR for North America at a global engineering consulting firm, Polina spent over a decade leading large-scale transformation initiatives, partnering with senior leaders to align people strategy with business direction. Her work has focused on strengthening leadership capability, shaping culture, and guiding organizations through periods of rapid growth and transition.
As Principal at Thriveworks, Polina leads a thriving leadership development and organizational consulting practice specializing in helping leaders, teams, and organizations grow, align, and thrive through change.

Polina is an ICF-accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with an Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC), and holds a Commerce degree from UBC, PROSCI Change Management certification, and dual HR designations—CPHR (Canada) and SHRM-SCP (U.S.).

This workshop will provide participants with a foundational knowledge of financial statements and the use of key financial analysis methods/tools. These financial concepts will be discussed in the context of consulting engineering and will include example case studies, scenarios, and interactive activities to drive a practical understanding of the material.

Facilitators:

David Kuryk, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer, Associated Engineering

David is an accomplished finance executive with over 19 years of progressive experience across private, public, and international professional services firms. As Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Associated Engineering Group Limited, he oversees treasury, corporate insurance, banking, and financial operations while playing a key role in the company’s strategic direction, including acquisitions and enterprise-wide process automation. Previously, he served as Corporate Controller at K-Bro Linen Systems, where he managed corporate and plant-level financial functions, internal controls, and tax planning. His earlier career at KPMG LLP included leadership roles in both tax and audit, working with diverse clients in corporate reorganization, tax minimization, and financial reporting.

A Chartered Professional Accountant, David holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta and has completed the CICA In-depth Tax Program. He is an active leader in his community, serving as Vice President on the Board of Directors for the St. Albert Food Bank and mentoring aspiring CPAs through CPA Alberta. His expertise in financial management, tax strategy, and corporate governance, combined with strong leadership and analytical skills, has positioned him as a trusted executive in the finance industry.

Chris Son, Corporate Controller, Associated Engineering

Christopher Son serves as Corporate Controller at Associated Engineering, where he leads the organization’s financial and accounting operations with a focus on transparency, compliance, and strategic alignment. With a career spanning more than a decade in finance and accounting, Christopher brings deep expertise in financial reporting, corporate and operational accounting, and performance measurement, helping to ensure the organization’s financial strength and long-term sustainability.

Previously, Christopher was Director of Business Performance at K-Bro Linen Systems Inc., where he led cross-functional initiatives to improve financial visibility, streamline operations, and support strategic planning. His work included designing performance metrics, enhancing reporting systems, and collaborating with operational leaders to align financial insights with business outcomes. These efforts enabled the company to better monitor profitability, manage costs, and make informed decisions across its national operations.

Earlier in his career, Christopher built a strong foundation in tax and audit at KPMG Canada, gaining valuable experience in financial compliance and advisory services. A Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), Christopher brings a disciplined and solutions-oriented approach to financial leadership. He is committed to delivering clear, actionable insights that support strategic decision-making and long-term value creation. Recognized for his pragmatic judgment and decisive leadership, Christopher works closely with executive teams to foster financial transparency, operational excellence, and stakeholder confidence.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are top of mind for most organizations and leaders, but in many cases, there is a gap between awareness and having the skills and knowledge required to lead meaningful action that will effectively cultivate inclusive workplaces. Participants will explore topics of personal responsibility, bias awareness, effective inclusive practices, and tools for protecting and enhancing their and their colleagues’ and teams’ workplace wellbeing. The workshop will lead participants to consider redefining EDI as an opportunity rather than as a challenge to be managed and will explore actions for creating inclusive workplaces at the personal, interpersonal, and organization level.

Facilitator: Shona McGlashan, FCG GPC.D ICD.D

Shona is the principal at McGlashan Consulting Inc., specializing in values-based governance, EDI in leadership, and workplace mental health and wellbeing. She is a senior leader with over 25 years’ experience heading governance, public affairs, diversity and inclusion, and workplace mental health functions on both sides of the Atlantic. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, a governance thought leader, and a sought-after speaker and facilitator. She is the recipient of Governance Professionals of Canada’s 2023 Governance Professional of the Year award. Shona’s most recent executive roles were VP Governance & Corporate Secretary at Vancity Credit Union, where she also led the organization’s mental health strategy, and Chief Governance Officer at Mountain Equipment Co-op. She began her career advising the Speaker, MPs, and parliamentary committees in the UK’s House of Commons.

Shona is the board chair at Pain BC and vice-chair and Governance Committee chair at Bard on the Beach. She is a parent of teenagers, voracious reader, Gaelic learner, and student of mindfulness.

In this first of two workshops on the topic of contracts, participants will learn about key elements of contracts, agreements, and risk management. The facilitators will provide a diverse and comprehensive review of key elements of contract terms, contract timing, insurance, errors and omissions, claims, and fields reviews. Participants will learn about current contractual language challenges facing the consulting engineering industry. Contract terms will be explored, considering scope of work, standard of care, representation and warranties, intellectual property and ownership of work product, reliance on documents, as well as compensation and payment terms.

Facilitators:

Tanya Sadlo, Executive VP and General Counsel, McElhanney

Tanya joined McElhanney in 2007 and is currently the Executive Vice President, Internal Operations and General Counsel.  Tanya is responsible for risk management at McElhanney, and is involved in major contract negotiations, insurance procurement, claims handling, corporate governance and all other legal matters and general business advice.  She also oversees the efficient and effective delivery of support services, including legal, human resources, marketing and communications functions, across McElhanney.  Prior to joining McElhanney, Tanya practiced law at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in the commercial real estate group.  She is also a founding member of the Woman Infrastructure Network (WIN), Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), and active in the Employment, Construction, Corporate Counsel and Business subsections of the Canadian Bar Association.  Tanya is committed to community service and enthusiastically supports equity, diversity and inclusion in leadership, particularly in STEM roles.  She lives in Ladner with her husband and three amazing children, traveling the world, hiking, skiing, and cooking.

Michael Florendo, Client Service Leader & Senior Project Manager, West Pacific Group, CDM Smith

Michael Florendo is a consulting Civil Engineer with over 25 years of experience. He has developed and led multi-disciplinary teams for infrastructure planning, design, and construction projects throughout Western Canada and the US. He received a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from UBC and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from California State University in Long Beach. He is registered as a Professional Engineer in BC.

Since 2014, he has been an active member of several ACEC-BC committees, including the Municipal Engineering Committee (chair from 2021-23), Metro Vancouver Liaison, and Business Practices Committee (current chair). He has also held Provincial and National Director roles with the Canadian Water Resources Association.

Having worked with various levels of government, he is familiar with a wide range of professional services procurement processes and is an advocate for Quality Based Selection (QBS), having direct experience with clients who have used this system.

Jeff McLellan, Regional Practice Leader, Senior Vice-President, Client Executive – Architects and Engineers, BFL Canada

Jeff joined BFL in 2005 and in his role as Practice Leader for the Professional Services Division, he works with engineering and architecture clients across Western Canada.  Jeff is committed to supporting the architectural and engineering community, presenting for different programs and events, including the Engineers and Geoscientists BC and AIBC annual conferences in the past as well as providing seminars for ACEC-BC’s general membership and YPG groups, presentations to the BCIT architecture students, and offering in house seminars to professional services organizations.  Jeff serves on the boards of the Architecture Foundation of BC’s board as well as ACEC-BC.

Cameron Elder, Partner, Harper Grey LLP

Cameron is a Partner with Harper Grey and chair of their Construction & Engineering Law Group. Cameron’s civil litigation practice is diverse, spanning the areas of health law, construction, commercial litigation, and real estate disputes.

Cameron’s construction law practice is focused on defending engineers and architects against error and omissions claims, and advising on risk management, including contracts, insurance, and pre-litigation dispute resolution.

He has many years of experience defending construction defect and delay claims relating to public infrastructure, residential, and commercial developments.  He has acted for architects, structural engineers, mechanical engineers and geotechnical engineers, among others.  He has particular expertise dealing with geotechnical claims arising out of erosion, differential settlement, landslides, and drainage.

In this workshop, participants will build upon the foundational material covered in Contracts Part 1. Contracts Part 2 focuses on the importance of fair agreements to consulting engineering companies. This includes detailed discussion of typical problematic contract clauses, and review of standard agreements that have been developed with the objective of being fair and balanced. The workshop also reviews emerging agreement issues arising from the implementation of the Professional Governance Act and the associated regulation of firms. The workshop will provide suggestions for setting up a system for contract management within a consulting engineering company, and tips for negotiating agreement clauses with clients.

Facilitator: Kathryn Ekman, McElhanney

Kathryn is a risk, contracts, and business management systems specialist with a degree in Geological Engineering from UBC. She has lived and worked in the lower mainland, north-central BC, and on Vancouver Island as a consulting engineer for two decades. Kathryn has experience in project, people, and operations management. She is skilled in contract review and negotiation, and enjoys sharing her knowledge through speaking engagements and co-authoring papers. Kathryn is an active volunteer, current member of the ACEC-BC Business Practice Committee, and has served on the ACEC-BC Board of Directors for several years. She is proud to advocate for issues that matter to the people in consulting engineering and works to drive positive change in the industry.

In this final session, participants will reflect on their leadership journey, share key learnings, and assess their progress toward their initial leadership objectives. They will also set intentions for what comes next. The program concludes with an emphasis on the power of leading with purpose. Through interactive dialogue, leaders will explore their personal “why” and identify practical ways to bring this purpose into their daily lives—equipping them to lead forward with clarity and impact.

Facilitator: Debra Innes, High Impact Lab

Debra has 25+ years of experience consulting with a breadth of organizations going through change, and has been working exclusively in Leadership, Team and Organization Development since 2005.

Debra is deeply committed to helping leaders stand strong in who they are so they can confidently + capably, lead themselves and others to a place of wellness and performance.

Her strength is in how she listens: she is insatiably and genuinely curious. Debra is skilled at meeting her clients where they are at, while simultaneously stretching and inspiring them toward a high bar of what is possible.

Debra’s individual and team clients have come to count on her inside-out approach that deepens awareness, increases wellness and functioning – and builds their confidence, clarity and capability to sustain amazing leadership practices well into the future.

While her intuition serves as her strongest guide – Debra is always guided by the science of leadership and human interactions. Debra holds a Master’s in Applied Human Science (Human System Intervention) from Concordia University, a Bachelor in Commerce from Queen’s University and is a Professional Certified (PCC) coach through the ICF. She is qualified to deliver several assessments including The Leadership Circle 360, Learning-In-Action EQ’s, TKI and MBTI.  Debra loves to learn and continues to develop professionally in areas such as advanced mediation, relationship coaching, conflict facilitation, neuroscience of leadership, adult development – and wellness.  She is also PROSCI certified.