Join us on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025, in this inspiring and thought-provoking session, women leaders from across the transportation industry come together to share their professional journeys. Through candid conversations, they explore what it means to find fulfillment beyond traditional definitions of success, how they’ve aligned their work with their values, and the ways they’ve navigated challenges to build meaningful, impactful careers.
Panelists
Moderator: Karen Freund
Regional Executive Vice President at CIMA+, Karen is responsible for providing strategic direction of the Ontario business, overseeing operations, and driving organizational growth. Karen comes with more than 30 years of experience in the engineering consulting industry. She has worked for large multidisciplinary organizations in Canada, the US and the UK where she has led operations, and developed and implemented regional and national growth strategies. Having worked in many different markets, she has a diverse background in the industry including transportation, water, buildings, energy and more. Karen has held positions on various committees and boards including, being one of the founding members and former president of WTS Toronto Area Chapter, and board member and Chair of ACEC-Ontario Board of Directors.
Speaker: Jennifer Graham Harkness
Chief Engineer and Executive Director for Engineering and Construction Services at the City of Toronto, in her current role, Jennifer leads over 600 professional and technical staff, and is responsible for the engineering design and construction of the City of Toronto's water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation and solid waste infrastructure, with a capital delivery of more than 1 billion annually. Jennifer holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University. She is also Past Chair of the Asset Management and Infrastructure Council, and a member of the Chief Engineers Council with the Transportation Association of Canada. Jennifer has 33 years of experience in the Ontario government. She built her engineering and executive leadership career in the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), consistently achieving mandates for maintaining and expanding transportation infrastructure. Jennifer played a leadership role in an organizational transformation from a regional service delivery model to a province-wide functional model and became the first Associate Deputy Minister and Chief Engineer of the newly formed Transportation Infrastructure Management Division. Through Jennifer’s career, she consistently championed the development of people with a focus on personal commitment to anti-racism, diversity, inclusion, and equity.
Speaker: Khouloud El Hakim
Delivery Lead for Bechtel’s Ontario Line RSSOM contract, Khouloud is a management professional with 18 years of experience working internationally on mega infrastructure projects, on both client and contractor sides. She is currently working as the Delivery Lead for the Rolling Stock, Systems and Operations and Maintenance contract on the Ontario Line Project. Recent experience includes working as a Project Manager on the Riyadh Metro Project Lines 1 &2, where she was responsible for the construction completion and closeout. Khouloud also worked as an Engineering and Strategic Planning Manager at the National Project Management Organization in Saudi Arabia and as the Supervisor’s Representative on Crossrail’s Farringdon Station, delivering planning and technical assurance of construction and T&C works. She is passionate about supporting diversity in the workplace and particularly women in engineering. Khouloud received the Sir George Macfarlane Medal for 2018 from the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK, is a proud WTS member, is currently leading the Inclusion action planning for the Bechtel Infrastructure business unit, and is a fortunate mom of two little girls.
Speaker: Shannon McNeill
Senior Environmental Infrastructure Lead at GHD, Shannon is an environmental planner with nearly 20 years of experience specializing in environmental assessment, compliance and permitting. She holds degrees from Trent University in Sociology and Toronto Metropolitan University in Urban Planning. Shannon’s roles have extended across multiple sectors including conservation planning, power, climate change, infrastructure, and transit. Shannon’s career spans both public and private sectors in various environmental leadership roles. This experience provides a balanced perspective on how regulatory policy and program implementation can align with practical implementation of a range of infrastructure projects, including transit. Her leadership is defined by her diverse experience across multiple organizations with a focus on a strategic, collaborative, and results-driven approach. Shannon is an active member of WTS, having recently participated in the WTS Mentoring Program and previously contributed as a volunteer on the WTS Toronto Programs Committee.
Speaker: Tharshini Markandaier
Head of Procurement and Category Management at TTC, Tharshini is a procurement leader with experience in both the public and private sectors. She currently leads procurement and category management at the Toronto Transit Commission, overseeing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio that supports projects shaping the daily lives of millions. Recognized by Supply Chain Canada as one of its Outstanding Women to Watch, Tharshini is committed to mentoring future leaders and to building a procurement ecosystem that is sustainable, future-ready, and deeply connected to the people it serves. Outside of her career, she is a proud mother of two boys, a creative spirit who enjoys repurposing furniture, and an active supporter of charities that empower individuals and communities both locally and internationally.
- WTS Member Ticket: $15 (+HST and fees)
- Non-Member Ticket: $30 (+HST and fees)