The paths people take to grow their careers at PCL Construction are as diverse as their specialties. Women are building fulfilling careers at PCL as project coordinators, superintendents and estimators, drawing on experience from fields as varied as engineering, technology and the arts. It's a testament to how much individuals can achieve when they have access to opportunity, community, and a workplace that invests in them.

As part of the National Association of Women in Construction’s annual Women in Construction Week, here are the stories of four women who’ve leveraged opportunities, taken risks and cultivated relationships to build successful careers with PCL. 

In her previous career, Thacia Frank built and battled robots. After years of participating in competitions like Battlebots and RoboGames, companies started reaching out for help bringing their ideas to life. That led to the formation of the Brazilian company RoboCore, which remains the largest of its kind in Latin America. Perhaps it’s not surprising then that Frank is becoming known as an innovative problem-solver who thinks outside the box in her current role with PCL Construction. 

“I’m taking all the requests I get. For me, it’s quite hard to say no. I don’t give up until I get it,” she says, now as a lead project coordinator with PCL’s Canadian Industrial District. 

“Building robots was never an easy solution because if it was an off-the-shelf solution, they  wouldn't need to come to us to develop something that didn’t exist. I think it’s more my personality that I make myself available to solve problems that people have no idea how to deal with.” 

If she doesn’t have the answer, she taps into the expertise around her — her peers, subject matter experts, even former colleagues and friends.

“Even if it was something I’d never been exposed to, I never said no. I’d take the opportunity and, by using all the resources I had in that scenario, we’d overcome the challenges together.” 

Since joining PCL, the electrical engineer has continued to build momentum — earning promotions, presenting at conferences and expanding her skill set. In 2026, she was recognized as a district winner of PCL’s Robert Stollery Construction Leadership Award.   

“I’m absolutely honored and proud because it’s more associated with behavior — not only leadership as a title, but leadership as initiatives, being innovative, taking ownership of situations.” 

Alesha Johnson quickly learned that advocating for herself by clearly communicating her goals was key to advancing her career at PCL.

“I kept hearing from managers that they wished they’d been more up front about their careers, and they wished they’d advocated more for themselves, taking control of their career. I heard it so many times, but I didn’t really get it until I started saying: ‘I want to do this kind of project, I’m ready to do this,’ and then the opportunities just kept coming.” 

Johnson, who is now a superintendent for PCL’s Canadian Buildings District, also cultivated relationships and a support network. 

“I was able to get started right with PCL and have the right mentorship right away and not have to struggle on my own. I know, without a doubt, when you’re trying to learn a new system, new company, new values, new trades, you want to make sure you’re doing it right, especially as the leader of a job site.”   

It’s a lesson she’s paying forward. 

“I really try hard to build a community around me of not just mentors, but peers and mentees that have similar alignment to me, to make sure there’s support in all directions.”   

As a civil engineer, her path to become a superintendent in the Prairies was a little non-traditional. But the mentorship, experience, and leadership training at PCL have helped her thrive and achieve her goals, despite any lingering self-doubt.

“I would definitely tell the 25-year-old me that you can, 100 percent, be a super intendent without being a carpenter. That was one of my biggest fears: that I couldn’t be successful. I still do battle that thought a lot with myself: ‘Oh, if I’d just gone the trades route, I would know this, this and this.’ But there’s actually a lot of positives to coming from an engineering background, if you’re placed with the right team.”   

“I would tell my younger self to go do it, you can do it, stop self-doubting and stop waiting until the timing is right. The sooner you get into it, the better you’ll be.”

Stephanie Hamood went to school for the arts but then decided it wasn’t the career she wanted. 

“I found a program called Women in Construction, a 20-week exploration program where you get to try trades and technologies. We got to experience plumbing, bricklaying, gas tech — almost all that the college has to offer — and then we got to construction management. We did a 20-minute lesson in estimating and I knew: ‘That’s exactly what I’m going to do.’”

After finishing college in Halifax, Hamood worked with a local general contractor for several years before joining PCL. 

“There is so much support, leadership and growth here,” she says. “I am currently a part of  the  AECRM  program, which is the Accelerated Estimating and Construction Risk Management development program, and I've  just got assigned to a sponsorship program and a mentor, as well.”  

She’s determined to make the most of the organization’s ever-growing College of Construction and professional development opportunities. PCL recently implemented a new career development program that gives individuals more autonomy to plan out their desired career trajectory.

“My goals are to work on different project deliveries,” Hamood shares. “Right now, I typically do lump-sum bids, so to work on different project types would be cool and then that would lead me into being able to become a senior estimator and, down the line, hopefully, a chief estimator.” 

In other work settings, she says she sometimes felt like she had to fight for respect and trust as a woman in construction. But that hasn’t been her experience with PCL.

“Every day, just show up as your best self and give it your all and take the chance. Definitely take the chance. Don't be afraid.”  

Lisa Louiseize worked as a nurse for 13 years before making the move to follow her passion and pursue carpentry. 

“I enrolled at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and began my apprenticeship training. It was during my first school block that I was paired with a mentor through the Women in Trades program.”

That mentor was a PCL supervisor who encouraged her to come work for PCL.

“During my time with the company, I earned my journeyperson ticket and am now proud to be Red Seal endorsed. I’ve had the chance to work above my role, take on stretch assignments, and learn from my mistakes. Today, I’m a carpenter foreperson, often stepping into supervisory duties,” Louiseize says. 

She’s also completed the first level of PCL’s flagship leadership development program. As her career has developed, Louiseize has also seen growth in the larger industry.

“Twenty-five years ago, there were few women in the trades, and entering this traditionally male-dominated field hasn’t been easy. It’s important to honor the women who came before us: the trailblazers who fought for their place and helped make our paths a little smoother,” she says.

“We, as women, have a responsibility to support each other and address any situations that don't represent a positive, ethical work environment. Through this work, women are paving the way for a new era in construction.”