Contributing to APEGGA Professions Motivates New Assistant Director

The newest addition to APEGGA's management team accepted the position to "make a difference in the professions," she says. Lianne Lefsrud, P.Eng., began her duties in FEBRUARY as assistant director of the Professional Practice Department, a new position made necessary by the Association's dramatic growth.

"APEGGA is very outward looking. This is a chance to examine the different aspects of the professions, all the specializations in all the disciplines. It's a very broad view," says Lianne.

She comes to APEGGA's head office in Edmonton from CN, where her most recent position was transportation engineer in Transportation Planning. She advanced through eight positions at CN after joining the company in May 1996.

Lianne graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering in 1993, then continued on to complete an interdisciplinary master of science degree in environmental engineering and sociology in 1996. She's a member of the Edmonton chapter of the Association of Women in Engineering and Science, and a member of the Alberta Women's Science Network.

The Professional Practice Department appeals to Lianne because it's a key part of APEGGA's regulatory role and directly linked to professionalism. Accepting the position is a good career move, one that will "most certainly make me a better professional," she says.

Lianne and her husband Darin Richards, P.Eng., a consulting engineer, have a three-year-old daughter, Sara, and a son, Tait, 15 months. The couple just completed the renovation of their Mill Creek home, which was a project that took up much of their spare time.

Now that the renovation is complete and her children are older, Lianne looks forward to focusing more time for her "fairly standard" set of hobbies - running, reading and golfing.

Ray Chopiuk, P.Eng., the department's director, says: "Lianne brings a fresh, new perspective to Professional Practice. I'm very pleased to welcome her aboard."

The Professional Practice Department coordinates and administers a range of activities related to advising on, establishing, reviewing and enforcing standards of practice for the three APEGGA professions. The department and various committees it's associated with encourage members to practice ethically and professionally.