WOMEN’S WORK

TAMARA PONGRACZ
KARAKATSANIS: FIDIC, PONGRACZ : BCIT
CATHERINE KARAKATSANIS
CATHERINE KARAKATSANIS was recently elected as president
of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers
(FIDIC), becoming the 昀椀rst female president in the association’s 110-year history.
Karakatsanis is COO at Morrison Hersh昀椀eld Group
(now Stantec), a consulting engineering and management
昀椀rm. She is responsible for more than 900 professionals in
26 o昀케ces across Canada and the United States and one in
India.
“I feel humbled by the trust shown in me to represent
this brilliant industry organization on a global scale. I
feel extremely fortunate and honoured to be able to serve
my profession and industry through FIDIC and I will be
working hard to ensure that I do so in a way that makes a
di昀昀erence,” said Karakatsanis.
“I have worked and volunteered in consulting engineering continuously for over three decades. As a structural engineer and the chief operating o昀케cer of Morrison
Hersh昀椀eld, a consulting engineering and management
昀椀rm, I am familiar with, and indeed still experience the
many challenges facing our industry—challenges that I
believe FIDIC helps the member 昀椀rms address.
“I know 昀椀rst-hand that our industry is in a position
to directly enhance the wellbeing of society through the
critical work we do. Our world is facing key and urgent
challenges on many fronts including clean water, clean
and a昀昀ordable energy, good health, infrastructure needs
and climate change, all amid wide disparities in standards of living and the threat of an unstable world. As a
result, our industry will continue to be as important and
vital as ever. And I strongly believe that we are in the
enviable position that a public otherwise worried about
the future can trust us as professionals who put the public
welfare above all else.”
RENEWCANADA.NET
BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY’S (BCIT) Tamara Pongracz
is continuing to help lead the province’s e昀昀orts to attract,
retain and support women in the trades through her
position at BCIT and her new role with the Construction
Foundation of BC’s (CFBC) Board of Directors.
Under encouragement from her father, an Indigenous
plumber pipe 昀椀tter and union activist, Pongracz entered
the trades in 1988 as a welder’s helper in the Kootenays.
A combination of genuine interest in the trades and the
prospect of 昀椀nancial independence played major factors
in her initial career decision.
“Having an Indigenous father who was a brilliant
tradesperson, he was my role model,” said Pongracz. “He
was leap years ahead of his time to encourage me to go
into the skilled trades… I found the work interesting, but
the money is what grabbed me. Trades work o昀昀ered me
my independence.”
Years later Pongracz is now an Interprovincial Certi昀椀ed
Plumber and holder of a Master of Education Degree
from Simon Fraser University. Under Pongracz’s direction, BCIT introduced a holistic approach to their women
in trades curriculum.
Most recently, a commitment to CFBC’s Board of
Directors will allow Pongracz to channel her passions and
past expertise towards the guidance of CFBC’s programming and initiatives alongside a number of BC’s industry
leaders.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to have the opportunity
to join the folks at the Construction Foundation of BC,”
said Pongracz. “I have watched the enthusiasm of Abigail
[Fulton, CFBC executive director] …I’ve seen the amazing
work that they have been doing.”
Pongracz’s advice to women looking to enter the
trades?
“Be a part of the change, but don’t change who you are
because people won’t respect you for that. Be con昀椀dent in
yourself and be yourself.”
MAY/JUNE 2024 – RENEW CANADA 9

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