CAWIC Board of Directors 2013-14
President, Director
Tammy Evans
Commercial Real Estate and Construction Lawyer
Tammy is a Partner and member of the ACES and Real Estate Groups at Blaney McMurtry LLP. Her practice is focused in all aspects of land development and construction law. Prior to completing her law degree, Tammy spent over fifteen years as a project manager in the land development and construction industry.
Tammy has been in the construction and development industry since her move to Ontario from Montreal in 1987. Prior to her law practice, in which she specializes in mixed use developments and construction law, Tammy ran her own project management business for many highrise, mixed use, subdivision and hotel sites across Ontario. Accordingly, she knows the business and the legal side of construction and development. She also was very actively involved with NAWIC back in the early 90's prior to its rebirth as CAWIC, and assisted on many committees and with many association functions under the leadership of the President.
Tammy believes that as a mature woman in this still predominantly male industry, it is critically important for women to encourage each other's growth both professionally and personally, by supporting each other as we continue our efforts to make progress and as the face of the industry changes; that we create opportunities for networking, education and interaction. It is one of Tammy’s personal goals to increase her efforts in these areas, to ensure in particular that the younger women in the industry have the support and infrastructure needed to excel.
Vice-President, Director
Kitty Campbell
Project Manager
Kitty is a Design and Project Manager for a major Canadian Retailer. Although based in Vaughan, Ontario, Kitty travels throughout central Canada overseeing all projects, new construction and renovations, encompassing seven different banners. She has held this position for over 10 years and prior to this, was instrumental in the start-up of a fast food franchise.
Kitty was recruited from her banking position to oversee all operations for the new franchise, including writing start-up manuals for policies and procedures, operations, recipes, franchisee training and, by default, began overseeing store design and construction. This experience was exactly what she was looking for to enter the retail construction industry.
Kitty has been a member of CAWIC for seven years and has enjoyed all the benefits of the membership. For a long time, it seemed she was one of few women in construction and enjoys networking with other women in the industry, especially Retail.
Being elected to the CAWIC Board of Directors for a second term is a great honour, says Kitty and feels she will continue to strengthen the Association by being an effective decision maker and ideas person. Kitty has built a strong foundation for herself within the industry and is well respected by her peers. By applying the same work ethic and passion to CAWIC, she feels she can continue to elevate the voice and success of women in construction and continue being a mentor to young women.
Secretary, Director
Jane Neville
Project Management and Estimating
Jane Neville is a Director of Project Management with PC350, a Canadian manufacturer specializing in aluminum framing for interior construction. With 10 years experienceat PC350, Jane has forged many relationships working with architects, designers, drywall and general contractors. In addition to leading a team of project managers and estimators, she oversees projects throughout Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and the Cayman Islands.
Prior to Jane's experience with corporate and commercial interior construction, she worked in sales with the corporate furnishings industry. She specialized in custom furniture offerings, including the supply of all free standing furniture for the Chapters retail chain roll out across Canada in the mid to late 1990's.
Jane has a keen interest in growing the CAWIC membership as well as building new partnerships and support from the construction industry to generate more exposure for CAWIC. "By growing our membership, of both career established women and those just starting out, we can welcome and mentor women wanting to succeed in a male dominated industry".
Director
Faren Bogach
Litigation Lawyer
Faren Bogach is a lawyer at WeirFoulds LLP, a full service law firm in Toronto. Faren’s practice focusses on construction and employment matters. Faren has experience litigating a broad range of disputes relating to commercial, construction and employment law, including wrongful dismissal, human rights litigation. She is also experienced at drafting construction and employment contracts and policies. Faren is an advocate for practical approaches to litigation and has appeared all levels of court in Ontario. Faren is also currently an instructor at George Brown College teaching Construction Law and Risk Management for Contractors.
In addition to her litigation practice, Faren is a director at Alterna Savings and Credit Union, a full service financial services firm with $2 billion in assets under management. She has been a member of the Governance Committee, Nominating Committee, Human Resources Committee and Member Relations Committee.
Faren is very excited about the opportunity to serve on the CAWIC board.
Director
Rachel McRae
Manager, Client Services
Rachel started work with TDT Crews in 2009 as a part time receptionist while also providing Administrative support to a company called Faithshire Leasing. In the last few years she has grown with TDT Crews to a supervisory position having taken a much more extensive work load while continuing to assist Faithshire which is owned by similar partners to TDT. Rachel is conscientious, hardworking and understand issues surrounding women in the workplace, particularly single mothers. It has been important to her to see women included in the trades that TDT Crews places and she is so pleased that TDT sees the value in having women in the industry.
Rachel contributes to building new processes and procedures within the company to help make things run more efficiently. She thinks that she will be able to help with the same at CAWIC and would love to be part of an active voice for women in construction.
Director
Trudy Peterson
Construction Accounting
Trudy provides development planning, marketing and sales consulting services to residential builders.
Originating from Nova Scotia, Trudy began her career in the financial industry, first with Canadian Acceptance Corporation, then Nova Scotia Savings and Loan. True to her passion, she accepted a position with the Nova Scotia Department of Housing, delivering public, non-profit housing to families and seniors and was the provincial co-ordinator of the federal/provincial/municipal Neighborhood Improvement Program, providing grants to municipalities to improve servicing infrastructure and recreational facilities.
Since relocating to Toronto in 1989, Trudy has had many opportunities to learn and grow in the real estate industry. First, with a commercial/retail condominium developer, then gaining valuable legal experience working with a boutique law firm for two and a half years. Most recently, she has worked for both high and low-rise condominium developers/builders, specializing in developing infill sites in prime locations in the GTA.
Always eager to continue learning, Trudy obtained a Small Business Management Certificate from Dalhousie University, an Associate Level Law Clerk's Certificate from Seneca College, her Ontario Real Estate License and is currently working on achieving her designation as a Certified Professional Bookkeeper from the Institute of Professional Bookkeepers.
Trudy has firsthand knowledge of the challenges, and rewards, of being involved in a traditionally male dominated industry and is excited to share her experiences while supporting CAWIC members in her new role.
Director
Mara Samardzic
Planner, Policy & Government Relations
Mara Samardzic is a Planner working in Policy and Government Relations at the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD). BILD is a CAWIC industry partner, and the voice of the GTA’s Land Developers, Builders and Renovators, representing over 1,400 members and working on behalf of a wide range of industry-related issues.
Mara’s own range of experience has had her at the table with industry stakeholders at the Federal, Provincial and local levels. She began her career as the assistant to the Member of Parliament for Halton and has since found herself in management-type roles with the City of Toronto and as a land development consultant. Mara has written various reports on behalf of the industry which have outlined the impacts of government-imposed fees on housing and provided reference material for local and regional planning fees in the GTA. In 2009 Mara joined the Policy and Government Relations team at BILD. Here she manages the Association’s Halton and Durham Chapters; these are geographically focussed policy discussion forums along with BILD’s Condo Council and Renovator’s Council. Mara has been actively involved in developing an industry position on the Province’s Endangered Species Act along with the Growth Plan and on policies related to the modernization of building permit systems across the board.
Since beginning her work in building and development, Mara has made sure to extend her outreach to all areas of the industry. Whether it be through networking, or volunteerism; those experiences have all gone to shape Mara’s understanding of the industry’s capabilities. She can’t wait to share this knowledge with women who are eager to understand not only the fine details of the construction industry, but of some of the fundamental pillars on which the industry operates. Mara remains dedicated to CAWIC’s goals of Leadership, Mentorship, Membership, Partnership – she is excited to see what the future holds for women in construction and is equally excited to be part of it.
All CAWIC Board Members may be contacted through info@cawic.ca.
