Magic Moment: When a project is more than a building but marks a moment when society begins to change, this recently happened while working on the Anishnawbe Health Centre file in West Don Lands. There wasn’t one indigenous member of the design team, review team, or design review panel when we started. In the beginning, we advocated for the applicant to hire an Indigenous Architect to oversee the entire block redesign. We introduced principles of indigenous place-making into our design process. Its success prompted Waterfront Toronto to add an Indigenous Panel member to their Design Review Panel, which promoted other City Design Review panels and commissions to follow suit. What started as a loss for knowledge and a desire to make something meaningful has resulted in discovering how we talk about and design spaces with indigenous place-making in mind.
Key Influence: Lorna Day, Director of Urban Design (retired) CofT and Shalin Yeboah, Director Transit Expansion Program CofT.
Key Lesson: Lorna always encouraged me to use my rational brain, even when my passionate brain didn’t want to listen.
Shalin can always see the big picture, despite all the political noise. It’s a real skill.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: We really need to be focusing on complete communities with good quality of life and small environmental footprints. Your neighbourhood should meet eighty percent of your needs, and you should be able to access them without needing to own a car. We spent too much time just moving around. Post-Covid, I think we have to focus on completing the neighbourhoods that don’t work.
On Championing Others… I really like working with new members of the City Planning team and beyond, being a soundboard or guide as they figure out this crazy collective project we call city-building. I really enjoy being surprised by new ideas or techniques and am quick to recognize people’s efforts.
One word that captures you: Curious, and I like to improve things.
Secret Talent: I learned to cut hair, mostly my husband, son and fathers as part of Covid. I also like renovating houses with my husband, but I don’t think that is much of a secret.
erin June 18th, 2021
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Magic Moment: Early in my career, I asked for stretch assignments as often as I could, many of which were outside of my specific area of responsibility. One day I heard about a really exciting and important project and, before I could even ask to be involved, an MD recommended me for the team based on her experience with me on an earlier stretch assignment.
Key Influence: Early boss (pre-real estate)
Key Lesson: (1) Never be afraid to ask a question, and (2) Never rely on others to find you interesting learning or career growth opportunities.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: We need to think beyond the built form and focus on delivering positive outcomes for people and communities. We need to build greater levels of future flexibility into everything we do.
On Championing Others… I actively expose people to new people and ideas, bringing them to meetings they wouldn’t naturally be invited to, recommending them for cross-functional committees or projects, etc. I also believe it’s very important to get exposure to presenting early on, so look for opportunities for individuals to get in front of groups and help make sure they’re set up for success.
One word that captures you: Engaged. Whether professional or personal, I am always all in.
Secret Talent: Photographic memory.
erin June 18th, 2021
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Magic Moment: My iterative and evolving journey is punctuated by moments of inspiration, decision making and purpose. There are three moments among many that I share here that relate to both life and career. The first was working and living in Barcelona as a student. Immersed in a city under transformation that was trusted to architects and artists who worked with a seemingly cohesive cultural hand, I was inspired to embrace the material presence of architecture and to trust in the power and responsibility of space and craft to profoundly shape a community’s future. The second was when I chose to return to work after maternity leave with my first son. While I adored caring for him, this decision made to honour the efforts of my parents who gave up everything to immigrate with nothing but two young girls yet gave us the gift of education. The decision was also to be true to myself and to be responsible to my duty to my new son, to raise him as a sensitive man who can understand the role of women not only as caregivers but in all our potential. And third, the realization of the U of T Multifaith Centre, my first project with my firm. The grace of its purpose to be a place of understanding and exchange between differing peoples still moves me and I remain honoured to have played a role in its creation.
Key Influence: Diarmuid Nash who trusts and believes in me and my sons who teach me to learn from youth not just experience.
Key Lesson: He teaches me to keep an open mind to possibilities, to see the value in places where it is not obvious and to learn from and be responsible to the people around me.
They show me everyday what it is to support and be there for each other. They amaze me with their strength, talents and resilience as they navigate the complexities of the world.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: Undoubtedly the biggest challenges we need to act on immediately are the intersecting issues of social justice in a world of conscious and unconscious biases and sustainable design and construction in the climate emergency. Our industry has to see our agency and act on it, commiting to change and seeking out and voicing to our clients new and emerging needs for our collective future. Specifically some issues are the construction of clean water supply for all, increased connection to and respect for nature, affordable housing, pedestrianization of cities, provision of community amenities and inspired places of education for all communities. Architecture has a role in shaping our social infrastructure and if built with and operated with renewable materials and resources we will create demand and accelerate change to new industries that move us to a green, inclusive future.
On Championing Others… I mentor young talented architects formally through the OAA process, I sit on a number of design review panels where I have opportunity to support aspiring designs and share my knowledge and information with colleagues outside my firm to help to enable their work. I have promoted and nominate my extraordinary peers for distinction and create opportunities for the youth in my firm to grow and achieve. As a member of the BEAT Advisory I support and assist in guiding the youthful executive on worthy initiatives in the the area of equality in architecture.
One word that captures you: Committed.
Secret Talent: I have a first dan black belt in Taekwondo.
erin June 18th, 2021
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Magic Moment: Railway Lands Master Plan – late 80’s and early 90’s. Being part of the team to advance the Railway Lands Secondary Plan that created a new comprehensive mixed-use plan extending and connecting this area to the surrounding downtown and waterfront – through a street, block and open space plan and ensuring the provision of needed community infrastructure including schools, community centre and child care. I’ve come full circle on this plan with the opening of the new co-located Canoe Landing Community Recreation Centre and public and catholic elementary schools adjacent to the Canoe Landing Park, all of which is serving a large and vibrant community.
Key Influence: Barbara Leonhardt and Gregg Lintern.
Key Lesson: Barbara was ‘leaning in’ long before there were any books on the topic. She taught me to think first and foremost about the public objectives that need to be achieved through policy and development approvals. She was always forward thinking, bold and had a huge passion for ensuring that planning addressed the needs of our most vulnerable populations. Her brilliance and commitment to excellence set a high bar for me in my career.
Gregg is one of the great city builders I have had the pleasure of learning from over my 30+ year career at the city. He is forward thinking, balanced and bold. He creates an amazing environment for team work within City Planning and is always open to new ways of thinking. The work achieved and now being implemented through TOcore – the Downtown’s future Plan are a credit to his leadership and future thinking.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: Investment in our parks and public realm – to create great places. Municipalities and developers need to really work together to comprehensively address this need – the value and benefit will be generational. Investment in affordable housing – to keep our younger population and families. Without making significant gains in affordable housing in all areas throughout cities, we risk hitting a tipping point that will result in greater polarization and ultimately a decline of our urban areas.
On Championing Others… I actively mentor staff across many division’s in the city – our younger staff are our future city builders.
One word that captures you: Passionate about city building – particularly the softer side. My best moments were working in the equity seeking areas of the city – Lawerence Heights, St. James Town, Bathurst Quay. Working with community members and seeing first hand their dedication, commitment and investment in improving their communities despite the many personal challenges they faced, energized me and made me even more committed to ensuring good and equitable city building outcomes were achieved.
Secret Talent: Baking!
erin June 17th, 2021
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Magic Moment: Joining SCS Consulting and being given the opportunity to grow a team, mentor and teach of what I have learned over the years in the niche field of Cost Sharing. The common question is ‘what is cost sharing?’ and the only response is ‘something you do not learn in school’. The moment when you see it ‘click’ is when you know you have done your job well.
Key Influence: Mac Cosburn. He trusted me, put faith in my ability, taught professionalism, integrity and overall kindness.
Elizabeth Sawicki. She was there at the beginning of my career. She was on the client side of the table, spent time to work with me in understanding clients needs and to just be a friend.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: There are so many, where to start. Striking that balance between environmental protection, economic growth and providing affordable housing for our next generation.
Secret Talent: I love potting, that is making pottery. Keeps me grounded.
On Championing Others… Right now I am focusing on mentoring junior staff so we can provide the industry with the quality service well into the future.
One word that captures you: Impartial.
erin March 10th, 2021
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Alexandra De Gasperis is Vice President of DECO Communities, a land development company born of the family-run TACC Group. Alexandra, proud of her almost five-decade family legacy of construction and land development sought to build a legacy of her own with DECO Communities. DECO Communities is a land development company and a division of the TACC Group, one of Canada’s largest builders in construction and infrastructure. We build modern, master planned communities to enhance lifestyle and support all life stages. Our planning and development processes are informed by our design-forward principles; from architecture, to parks and public spaces and the craftsmanship within our interiors. We bring a contemporary lens to building sustainably resilient and vibrant communities to enhance how people live.
Alexandra practiced law at Kagan Shastri LLP in the areas of land use planning, development, and municipal law as well as commercial litigation. Alexandra joined Kagan Shastri in 2012 as a summer student and completed her articles with the firm prior to being called to the bar in 2015. As an associate, Alexandra was involved in many notable cases which helped shape the planning and development landscape in Ontario and has appeared dozens of times in the Novae Res Urbis (NRU).
Alexandra graduated with a Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies from Western University in 2010 before obtaining her law degree from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom in 2013.
Alexandra believes that community building does not stop at her development work. Alexandra’s community involvement began at a young age when she co-founded and became Executive Director of the Burgundy Brick Foundation (BBF) in 2007. The BBF supports affordable housing and initiatives to combat youth homelessness in Ontario. In 2011, BBF was chosen to be a Women’s Build Ambassador by Habitat GTA – something for which Alexandra is very proud since she is a dedicated supporter of Habitat for Humanity.
Alexandra proudly sat as Co-Chair of the Sponsorship Committee for the ULI Spring 2020 Toronto meeting, helping to raise over 2 million dollars, exceeding the sponsorship goal by 106%. In July 2019 Alexandra was appointed to the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) board of directors. Alexandra is passionate about city building, art and design and firmly believes that these disciplines must interact to create vibrant communities.
erin February 18th, 2021
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Magic Moment: A ‘magic moment’ was my involvement in the establishment of the Places to Grow Act, 2005 and the impact it was going to have in driving the development of our communities in the future.
Key Influence: My mother. As a professional woman in male dominated spaces herself, she coached me on how to stay true to self.
Tony Dean. Admired his ability to stay focus on the real objectives and not get distracted by ‘noise’.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: As one of the fastest growing and most diverse regions in North America, there are many challenges that the industry will need to continue to tackle when it comes to growth management (e.g. goods and people movement, economic development, housing, environmental, etc.) in ensuring the effective utilization of lands and development. I believe the next big challenge is finding ways to embed the concept of intersectionality (i.e. taking into account people’s overlapping identities and experiences in order to understand the complexity of prejudices they face) as we look to build better communities that are equitable, non-oppressive, and reflect as well as celebrate the true diverse nature of the city-region.
Secret Talent: I am an amazing kids birthday planner.
On Championing Others… My championship of other women and men in the industry have taken many forms including but not limited to internships, formal and informal mentorship, 1:1 career pathing advice (especially for persons of colour), and connections through guest lecturing.
One word that captures you: Innovative. I am a self-described change agent who does not think outside the box but rather blow up the box!
erin September 9th, 2020
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Shauna Dudding is an experienced developer and creator of resort destinations. With over 25 years of experience, she has deep expertise in master planned resort and community development, focusing on creating exceptional places and experiences that stand the test of time. Her global perspective has contributed to the expansion of one of the worlds’ most recognized golf resort brands, with execution of multiple resort destinations internationally. She has led teams across broad geographies, navigating complex approvals with multi-stakeholder engagements, and guiding global construction teams to deliver on integrated design, development and construction initiatives scaling to over $2B in execution value.
erin September 8th, 2020
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Mary Castel, Partner, leads Urban Strategies’ Business Development and Communications functions across their four studios in Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver and Buffalo, NY. She has worked with institutional and public sector clients to develop innovative community engagement programs for various award-winning projects in Canada and the US, and was instrumental in founding the Urban Strategies® Academy, a collaborative employee education program that acts as a knowledge accelerator and cultural incubator. She is a Champion of the Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI), has held management roles with the Toronto Chapter of the Urban Land Institute, is a member of W-GRID, a Board Member of the Miles Nadal JCC, and was a founding member of the Women’s Development Collaborative
erin September 4th, 2020
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