INNOVATION January-February 2013

to deal with will be to anticipate how the rapidly changing world of technol- ogy, outsourcing, and communication will impact the fields of engineering and geoscience,” she observes. “A lot of engineering and geoscience is done offshore, or parts are done offshore and communicated electronically; the boundaries of what is considered profes- sional engineering are now very blurry. How do we deal with this from a regula- tory and professional practice point of view? These are issues we need to be thinking about and trying to anticipate and develop strategies for.” Thus far, Ann has been proactive in her efforts to familiarize herself with her new situation, sitting in on a variety of APEGBC meetings and functions even before her November 13, 2012 starting date, and setting up one-on-one meetings to meet the entire APEGBC staff. She’s already lined up an ambitious first six months: “Internally, I will be evaluating the processes and policies that influence day-to-day operations and developing optimization plans where applicable. In working with Council, I hope to support the president and Council in setting policy and priorities that enable the association to meet their vision of success. Externally, I plan to build on the key relationships that will help the organization to implement its programs and goals.” A registered member of APEGBC since 1996, Ann says she views APEGBC’s role in the engineering and geoscience community with respect. APEGBC’s greatest strength, she main- tains, is the commitment of its people, as well as the wisdom of those who came before who had the fortitude to make tough and sometimes unpopular, but necessary decisions. “There are about 1,000 volunteers without whom the association could not function. It is nec- essary that all of these essential groups are recognized and supported in the great work that they do. In some cases, the processes and supporting technol- ogy are a challenge and so I hope we can make improvements in those areas over the coming years so they make all of the hard work more integrated and efficient.”

acknowledges her time with the organization: “I was at BC Hydro for almost 10 years and had the privilege of working on a variety of challenging projects... I worked with many wonderful senior managers and enjoyed the benefit of coaching and mentoring under their inspira- tional leadership. I have much to be thankful to BC Hydro for.” But, when the call came, the opportunity to exercise the lead- ership skills and strengths she’d been developing at BC Hydro in an organization like APEGBC was something she couldn’t pass up on. “I chose not so much to leave BC Hydro, but rather to join APEGBC. I really thought I would work until my retirement at BC Hydro,” she says. “BC Hydro is one of the larg- est employers of engineers in the province so in my new role with APEGBC, I still feel very much con- nected to engineering at BC Hydro.” Only the second woman in APEGBC’s history to occupy the executive office, it is fitting that she should be leading the association dur- ing this particular period of its exis- tence. In the last five years, APEGBC has undertaken a wide-ranging renewal of a number of its programs and proce- dures, a process of transformation that is by no means complete. It has also experienced an increase in membership of 21% and seen its demographic grow increasingly diverse. And, with over 50 committees, task forces and boards, 15 branches, five divisions and a wide variety of portfolios and issues, stepping into the shoes of the CEO and Registrar of APEGBC comes with a steep learning curve. Among a multitude of competing matters, Ann identifies the licensure of internationally trained engineers and mobility (inci- dental practice) for geoscientists as two of the association’s biggest shorter term regulatory challenges, given the economic and political pressures it faces. She also notes the importance of understanding members’ view of the role of the associa- tion with regards to advocacy. “On a longer time horizon, one of the most difficult issues for the association

Career Highlights BC Hydro Director of Interconnections and Shared Assets Director of Olympic Initiatives Project Delivery Director Director of Distribution Engineering Foster Wheeler Energy Incorporated Manager of Business Development (Canada & Pacific Northwest) Pressure Vessel Design Engineer “

system that produced the lowest CO 2 emissions ever for a modern Olympic and Paralympic Games, with emissions of less than 10% of previous games. The Vancouver and Whistler downtown cores achieved their highest electri- cal reliability levels of five years, with no power outages at any Games venue. In 2011, APEGBC recognized the BC Hydro Team with its Sustainability Award for its work in raising the bar for environmental stewardship. For her, the project stands out as one of the highlights of her career. “BC Hydro’s Olympic project success was due to the innovation and skills of a team of talented BC Hydro engineers and other professionals who raised the bar with a sustainable energy solution that is emulated by future host utilities going forward.” New Opportunities Given the success of her career with BC Hydro, one might be forgiven for puzzling over her departure from the organization. English herself warmly ” One of the most difficult issues for the association to deal with will be to anticipate how the rapidly changing world of technology, outsourcing, and communication will impact the fields of engineering and geoscience

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