Holynde Smiechowski was not expecting to hear her name.

It was one of the rare times in her professional career that she was unprepared for what came next.

In a room full of contemporaries, mentors and industry leaders at the Women’s Infrastructure Network Awards ceremony in Vancouver, B.C. in April, Smiechowski was recognized by a panel of judges with the 2025 Emerging Leader award.

The award highlights Smiechowski’s outstanding contributions to the infrastructure industry and recognizes her passion, commitment and unwavering determination.

While the award came as a surprise to Smiechowski, she may have been the only one. In her 13 years with PCL Construction, she has inspired her colleagues, impressed her mentors and repeatedly earned the trust and respect of clients. As project manager in PCL’s Vancouver office, she has been a part of many community-defining projects totaling more than $2 billion of work for PCL.

Smiechowski’s path to get here has been anything but orthodox, but that seems on point for the civil engineer who has long insisted two plus two equals five — suggesting there is more than one way to look at the equation.

Smiechowski has always been a high performer. After graduating at just 16 years old, she moved to New York to pursue a career as a high-fashion model.

Runway shows, editorial photo shoots, and ad campaigns suggest a life of luxury for the fashion models, but the industry work comes with grueling schedules, intense competition, constant objectification, and rejection.

“New York taught me a lot about myself,” says Smiechowski reflectively. “I was the product. That helped me develop tough skin, and I learned how to deal with different personalities.”

Within a year, Smiechowski realized the life of a high-fashion model was not the right fit for her. Craving new challenges and wanting to put her critical-thinking skills to better use, she enrolled in engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Undaunted by complex problem solving and hardwired to provide solutions, Smiechowski embraced the challenges that came with her engineering workload. She threw herself into her studies and extra-curricular activities like volunteering for Engineers Without Borders. Smiechowski admits she wanted to absorb as much as she could, but concedes she also buried herself in schoolwork to avoid dealing with her past, including coming to terms with persistent mental health challenges.

A few years earlier, Smiechowski was diagnosed with dysthymia — a form of chronic depression resulting from a chemical imbalance in the brain. Recognizing she could no longer hide from her struggles, Smiechowski committed to regular visits with the psychiatrist at UBC.

She does not shy away from this part of her past, choosing to speak of it openly, in hopes it helps    others facing similar challenges. “It was helpful to talk through certain situations and develop tools to deal with the waves of depression that would arrive without warning,” Smiechowski adds. “It takes commitment. I still put a lot of work into managing my mental health.”

With a support network in place, the aspiring engineer found a balance that allowed her to commit time and energy to her mental wellness while continuing to excel at her studies.

Smiechowski’s first introduction to the construction industry was during her final year of university. She began as a student volunteer, joining a PCL job site in Surrey, British Columbia during a school break to explore the construction world. That decision would change her life. Just a few weeks later, PCL offered her a field engineer position. 

At PCL, she quickly demonstrated her potential. On two challenging projects in Coquitlam — a design-build mental health facility and a cost-plus civil infrastructure project — Smiechowski exceeded client expectations by delivering both projects ahead of schedule and under budget. Her ability to drive results under complex conditions highlighted her strategic thinking and leadership in action.

Her role as project manager on The Post, British Columbia’s largest heritage revitalization project, stands out as a career highlight. Smiechowski helped transform a historic post office into a LEED Gold-certified hub for Vancouver’s knowledge-based economy. Despite being built during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project met budget and schedule targets and earned multiple accolades, including two Vancouver Regional Construction Association awards: Gold for the General Contractor Award over $100 million and the Special Heritage Recognition Award.

Currently, Smiechowski serves as contract and risk manager on Metro Vancouver’s $3.86 billion North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant project. The project will provide a higher level of wastewater treatment to better protect the marine environment and meet the growing needs of North and West Vancouver and the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

Her negotiation skills and comprehensive understanding of contracts have been pivotal in advancing this critical infrastructure project.  General Manager of Project Delivery for Metro Vancouver, Cheryl Nelms, praised Smiechowski for her unwavering commitment to the project. “I have negotiated many multibillion-dollar contracts over my career, and I admired Holynde’s work ethic and drive to support both sides of the negotiation table to get the contract over the line.” 

Marc Chiasson, who oversees civil operations across Canada as vice president, Civil Infrastructure, worked alongside Smiechowski during negotiations and was impressed by her ability to solve the most complex issues.

“Her commitment to excellence goes beyond meeting deadlines and budgets,” says Chiasson. “She prioritizes outcomes that benefit both clients and the communities they serve, reinforcing her reputation for delivering high-quality, purpose-driven projects.” 

Smiechowski’s openness about her dysthymia diagnosis has further distinguished her as a resilient leader in challenging circumstances. By sharing her experiences, she has inspired conversations around mental health in the workplace, breaking down barriers and creating a culture of awareness and support.

She is also driven to improve the path for women who follow in her footsteps. As a founding member of PCL’s BC Region Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, she helps build strategies that foster an inclusive workplace.

Within the infrastructure industry, she is the driving force behind networking initiatives that connect women in the BC Region, equipping them with skills training and professional development, as well as fostering connections between mentors and mentees. 

Her involvement over the past decade with Canadian Construction Women — a leading organization that exists to attract and retain women in the industry — has also strengthened PCL’s partnership with the organization and provided critical opportunities to advance women in construction.

When asked about offering advice to a younger version of herself, Smiechowski kept the advice simple, “Be kind.”  She has lived that kindness in her 13 years at PCL by developing those around her, becoming a trusted mentor, building bridges for women in construction, and finding solutions that benefit both the company and its clients.

She continues to lead in her own unique way, building a stronger culture and a better future. And, if you want to know how two plus two equals five, she will be more than happy to explain it to you at a future Women in Construction meet-up or her next awards ceremony.