2026 Conference Speakers
Standards of Respect: Empowering Women, Inspiring Allies.
Thursday, September 17
11:15 a.m.
Transformation in construction begins when we move beyond physical safety to embrace psychological respect. In this session, Negar shares her journey from “proving her worth” to setting powerful professional boundaries. You will discover two essential tools for cultural change: mindset coaching to build resilience in women at all levels of the field, and active allyship to engage men in stopping microaggressions. By treating respect as a non-negotiable safety standard, we create a ripple effect that strengthens our teams, our projects, and the families we return to every day.
Negar Ashtari
Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Manager, Accenture
Meet Negar
She holds degrees in Industrial Engineering and Occupational Health and Safety (Honours) from Toronto Metropolitan University, and specializes in the occupational safety of construction capital projects. Negar is also a Certified Life Coach dedicated to dismantling unconscious bias and workplace microaggressions in construction. Her leadership philosophy was shaped by a pivotal moment early in her career, when a senior male mentor publicly challenged workplace intimidation on her behalf. That experience reinforced her belief that sustainable cultural change requires two forces: equipping women with psychological resilience and strategic mindset tools, and Engaging men as visible allies in championing a culture of respect and psychological safety.
A seasoned speaker who has appeared on international platforms including Manoto TV, Negar bridges technical safety rigor with human-centered leadership. Whether on-site or on stage, she brings grounded expertise, courageous advocacy, and a contagious commitment to raising industry standards.
When she isn’t leading safety initiatives, she’s likely on the ski slopes—having taken up the sport at 38 and now tackling double black diamonds—or exploring new hiking trails. She approaches both mountains and construction projects with the same philosophy: growth lives just beyond the comfort zone.
