Speakers CLF 2026
Expert Perspectives on Leadership in Construction
CLF brings together a dynamic lineup of professional speakers and respected construction industry leaders who bring both expert insight and real-world experience.
Through powerful stories, practical strategies, and candid conversations, they will explore what it means to Lead Yourself, Lead Others, and Lead Your Organization in today’s evolving construction landscape.
Each speaker has been carefully selected to challenge perspectives, spark new thinking, and equip you with ideas you can bring back to your team and organization.
Steve Farber
Best Selling Author & Leadership Speaker, President of Extreme Leadership, Inc.
Steve Farber, President of Extreme Leadership, Inc., specializes in developing organizational cultures where leadership is accessible to everyone. He founded The Extreme Leadership Institute and created the Radical LEAP framework, inspiring individuals to make impactful changes. An accomplished author, his books include Love is Just Damn Good Business, Greater Than Yourself, and The Radical Leap, the latter being recognized as a classic. Farber has collaborated with numerous organizations across diverse industries, promoting transformative leadership principles.
Dr. Paul Farnan
Occupational & Addiction Medicine Specialist
Dr. Paul Farnan is an Occupational and Addiction Medicine specialist with more than 30 years of experience working at the intersection of workplace safety, substance use disorders, and recovery. He works with safety-sensitive industries to help leaders recognize substance-related risk early and build recovery-inclusive workplaces that support both safety and workforce stability. A Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Farnan has delivered over 100 presentations nationally & internationally on practical leadership approaches that strengthen worker wellbeing and retention.
Scott Adkins
Operations Manager at PCL Construction
Scott is a professional engineer with over 27 years of experience across Western Canada and the Northwest US. His career spans the heavy civil, commercial, and institutional sectors. Since joining PCL in 2005, he has been actively involved in corporate initiatives focusing on employee growth, pension investment, recruitment, and PCL’s Canadian DEI council. Scott is dedicated to advancing sustainable economic growth for VRCA members.
Jonathan Boyce
Senior Vice President, BC at Ledcor Construction Limited
Jonathan is the Senior Vice President, BC, at Ledcor Construction Limited, bringing over 25 years of experience in project management, operations, and business leadership. He has overseen major construction projects across Canada and the U.S., including large-scale mixed-use developments and institutional builds. With a background in construction management and a Bachelor of Architecture from Ryerson University, Jonathan is dedicated to driving innovation and operational excellence.
Frances Cartmel
Business Development and Marketing Manager at Graham Construction
With over 20 years of experience supporting business development and pursuit strategy within the construction industry, Frances Cartmel has recently moved into a leadership role as a Business Development and Marketing Manager with Graham Construction. Growing from early administrative and coordination roles, she now leads strategic proposal development and client-focused initiatives for major building projects in British Columbia. Known for her collaborative leadership style and strategic insight, Frances is recognized as an emerging leader committed to elevating pursuit excellence and shaping the future of the industry.
James Cassano
Projects Director at Graham Construction
James is a senior construction leader with over 20 years of experience delivering complex projects across the UK, Alberta, and British Columbia. A civil engineering graduate, he is deeply passionate about the construction industry, and his background includes significant international work and leadership of major portfolios across commercial, institutional, high-rise residential, healthcare, heritage, entertainment, recreation, and mixed-use sectors. Recognized for driving successful pursuits and building strong stakeholder relationships, he is a collaborative leader and a mentor within Graham Construction and the Build the Builders program. As part of the senior leadership team in BC, he champions performance and people development. Outside work, he enjoys running, playing drums, and dreams to join a band.
Maddie Davidson
Business Manager at Davidson Bros. Mechanical Contractors Ltd.
Maddie Davidson is an operations leader at Davidson Bros, heading operations and sales for a high-performing mechanical contracting firm in the Lower Mainland. Known for a no-nonsense style, she focuses on building better teams, stronger businesses, and a resilient construction industry. A Board Director for MCABC and MCA Canada, Maddie shapes workforce development and sustainability discussions. Passionate about people and inclusion, she pushes performance, accountability and growth while challenging barriers to women’s leadership in construction.
Ronan Deane
Strategic Development Manager at NAC Constructors
Ronan has over 25 years of experience in project engineering and business development, specializing in infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and water systems. As Senior Project Development Manager at NAC Constructors, he is committed to enhancing industry engagement and workforce development.
Igor Glos
Senior Estimator at Etro Construction
Igor Glos is a seasoned estimating professional at ETRO Construction who turns complex designs into clear, buildable projects. He’s always on the front lines, working closely with consultants and trades to find smart, practical solutions and quite often cost-saving wins. A key part of his team, Igor is known for his competitive edge (friendly… most of the time). Outside of work, he’s active with the VRCA Young Construction Leaders, bringing energy (and a bit of chaos) to every event.
Keeli Husband
Director of Business Development at EllisDon
Keeli is the Director of Business Development for EllisDon Corporation’s BC Area, working collectively with the leadership team on positioning for opportunities, managing relationships for the business and coordinating with the firm’s internal teams of experts to support strategic approaches to potential new projects across the province. Keeli has a Bachelor of Science degree in Bio-Psychology from the University of Victoria and is a mom of three young boys. She has worked in construction for over 18 years and through her roles in civil construction, project management, development and business development has experienced the industry from many different perspectives. She is passionate about representation for women in the industry and is the Chair for the Vancouver Construction Association’s Young Construction Leaders Executive Committee.
Polina Kouzmina
Founder & Principal Consultant | Executive and Team Coach at THriveworks
As a former executive, with nearly two decades of experience in leadership and organization development in male-dominated fields for companies across Canada and the USA, Polina Kouzmina’s career focus has been on developing leadership capability and guiding leaders and teams through transformative change.
Currently, as Founder at Thriveworks, Polina leverages her extensive background to drive a thriving executive and team coaching and strategic consultancy practice. Her mission is to foster positive change and growth for individuals, teams, and the organizations they are a part of.
Anne-Marie Langlois
Vice President and Head of Engineering Canada at COWI
Anne-Marie Langlois is Vice President and Head of Engineering Canada at COWI. Trained as a bridge engineer with a focus on service life design, she combines technical credibility with commercial, operational, and people leadership capabilities developed through progressive advancement from technical engineering roles to executive leadership. Anne-Marie brings an end‑to‑end perspective shaped by firsthand experience in designing, delivering, and leading complex infrastructure projects.
Craig Larkins
Director of Advocacy and Engagement at VRCA
Craig brings 15 years of experience in news media, including roles at CBC and Global News. He later transitioned to politics as Director of Communications for four MLAs in Manitoba and has taught digital marketing at a university level.
John MacKenzie
Vice President and District Manager, BC Region – Buildings at Bird Construction
John MacKenzie, Vice President and District Manager for Bird Construction’s BC Buildings region, has 25+ years delivering large institutional, commercial, and mixed-use projects worth over $900M. A LEED® Accredited Professional, he’s known for strategic project delivery, operational excellence, and team building. Previously in senior leadership with a national contractor, he won multiple VRCA Awards of Excellence. Committed to mentorship, safety, sustainability, and continuous improvement, he now leads regional operations, driving performance and strategic growth across BC.
Carley MacKinnon
Sales Manager at Greywolf Equipment
Carley is currently the Sales Manager at Greywolf Equipment. She has over 10 years of experience in equipment rentals and sales across the Toronto and Vancouver markets—longer if you count the hours spent driving equipment in the yard at City Rentals growing up. She is passionate about building strong industry relationships and, through her involvement with the YCL committee, hopes to inspire the next generation of leaders.
Mike Maierle
Founder, President, ETRO Construction
Since founding ETRO Construction in 2015, Mike Maierle has built an industry leader recognized for complex projects, technology, and forward-thinking solutions. His people-first leadership has grown ETRO to nearly 200 employees and $200M annually. Beyond construction, through the ETRO Family of Companies and CapitalM Ventures, Mike has launched ventures into real estate, services, and integrated platforms for long-term growth.
Denis Malinowski
Senior Project Manager at Bird Construction
Denis Malinowski is a Senior Project Manager at Bird Construction with experience delivering complex institutional projects across British Columbia. He brings the perspective of an emerging construction leader focused on the evolving dynamics of communication, collaboration, and leadership in today’s workplace – balancing old-school construction wisdom with changing expectations around workplace culture and how teams work together. Denis is passionate about building strong teams and helping modernize the industry through practical, people-focused leadership.
Jeannine Martin
VRCA PRESIDENT
As President of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), Jeannine champions the Vancouver construction industry through advocacy, education, and facilitating business connections, elevating over 1000 member companies through proactive and inclusive leadership. With more than 25 years of experience in construction and engineering, she brings industry understanding and expertise that elevates her ability to uplift issues important to the construction industry.
Jeannine’s success in the male-dominated fields of construction and engineering inspires resilience and leadership among women, fostering growth and diversity within the industry.
Terry McKaig
Founder of the Actuate Agency
Terry McKaig is a Hall of Fame Head Coach and former Canadian National Team athlete who spent 23 years building UBC’s elite baseball program. Today, Terry brings his expertise in high-pressure performance to the construction industry. Recognizing the high-stakes nature of the job site, he partners with construction executives and HR leaders to bridge the gap between simply “getting it done” and elite performance. Through leadership workshops, AMP coaching, Terry equips teams with the grit, stress management, and accountability systems needed to thrive.
Haylee Morgan
DIVISION MANAGER AT HOULE ELECTRIC
With over 12 years in the electrical contracting industry, Haylee Morgan has led complex institutional, commercial, and residential projects with a strong focus on quality and execution. She is an active champion of innovation, driving company‑wide adoption of new technologies and building processes that create consistency and enhance project performance. As a Division Manager, Haylee is dedicated to developing future industry leaders, fostering a collaborative culture that empowers teams and strengthens the construction community.
Neil Murray
Director at BTY
Neil is a Director at BTY providing Project Monitoring and Payment Certification Services for a wide range of construction projects across British Columbia. Working in the Sports & Entertainment, Leisure, Residential, Commercial, and Industrial sectors, Neil’s primary focus is providing project due diligence to Owners, Investors and Lenders, helping them monitor their investments through a wide range of value-added services. He accomplishes this through expertise in budget reviews, schedule evaluation, payment certification, project progress monitoring, value of works completed assessments, and project reporting.
Will Pauga
Owner & President at Southwest Contracting Ltd.
Will Pauga, owner and President of Southwest Construction, brings a wealth of experience from his background as a competitive rugby player and coach in New Zealand and Western Canada. Growing up with strong ties to the Samoan national team and New Zealand’s All Blacks, Will’s leadership is deeply rooted in a team-first mentality. His approach emphasizes collaboration and collective success, ensuring that every member of the team succeeds together.
Will’s extensive construction experience spans various roles, from General Superintendent to Project Manager, before becoming President of Southwest in 2014. Will is a former Chair of the VRCA and a current Director on the BCCA Board of Directors. Will remains focused on quality over size, emphasizing the importance of reputation and delivering excellent service. Outside of work, he enjoys a strong family life with his wife, Karen, and their three children.
Romain Penet
Owner at Lyon Lifts Ltd.
Romain Penet is the owner of Lyon Lifts, a construction equipment company specializing in boom lifts and telehandlers across North America. Known for his energy and straightforward approach, he is committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience. Passionate about sports, he sponsors teams and athletes across various levels and genders, and is intentional about using his business to give back to the community.
Jesse Percy
RBT2 Infrastructure Projects Technical and Commercial Lead at Port of Vancouver
Jesse Percy is a senior infrastructure executive with 25+ years of experience delivering complex transportation and civil projects across BC and the Yukon. He has led more than 20 Design-Build and Alternative Project Delivery pursuits and executions, including Progressive Design-Build and Early Contractor Involvement. Jesse currently serves as the Technical and Commercial Lead for RBT2 Infrastructure Projects, supporting the delivery of a nationally significant port expansion project. His background spans field operations through executive leadership, with a focus on strategic delivery, risk management, and advancing modern project delivery models.
Dollina Rodocker
Communications and Marketing Manager at Bird Construction
Dollina is a Communications and Marketing Manager with Bird Construction, bringing deep, multi-sector experience and a strong passion for connecting people through thoughtful communication and engaging events. She plays a key role in business development by strengthening relationships, growing Bird’s industry presence, and creating spaces where partnerships and opportunities can thrive. As a cultural leader, she brings people together to strengthen engagement, collaboration, and community while helping elevate Bird’s brand and visibility across BC’s construction sector.
Maxime Spakowski
President & CEO at Ferro Building Systems Ltd.
Maxime Spakowski is a strategic business leader with nearly two decades of experience in the construction sector. With an open management style and a strong understanding of the dynamics that define high-performing teams, she drives operational excellence and delivers innovative, results-driven solutions grounded in collaboration and a genuine commitment to advancing BC’s construction industry.
Rick Wagner
President at Maxwell Floors
Rick Wagner, President of Maxwell Floors Ltd., began as an apprentice in 1981 (Surrey, BC; additional training in Zurich). In 2000 he and Stewart Kolenda purchased Maxwell—Rick as Owner & President, Stewart as Owner & CFO—and expanded its institutional, commercial, and industrial presence across BC, specializing in healthcare, education, and corporate sectors. Rick serves over 20 years on INSTALL’s labor–management board and CCA roles, supports training/apprenticeship, and enjoys travel, biking, skiing, family time, and volunteering.
Thank You to Our Sponsors & Partners
CLF 2026 is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and partners who believe in investing in leadership across the construction industry.
Your commitment to developing people, strengthening organizations, and advancing our community allows us to create a powerful forum for connection, growth, and real impact.
Thank you for your partnership, your leadership, and your continued support of CLF and the future of our industry.
Sponsors
presenting Title sponsor
EllisDon
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