Joleen Mazurat - Al-Terra

Edmonton
Team member since 2021

Department
Leadership Team, Transportation (Urban)

What is your favourite Al-Terra fundraising activity and why?
My favourite Al-Terra fundraising activity so far has been "Who Let the Dogs Out?" This was an event with the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) where we visited with a litter of puppies named by our Al-Terra team. My family has been a supporter of SCARS through their gift markets, so I was excited when our charity committee chose SCARS as our 2024 Charity of Choice. Also, who can resist puppy cuddles?

What advice would you give a person who is just starting out in engineering?
Curiosity is an essential characteristic of an engineer. It leads us to explore, ask questions, understand the problems we are trying to solve, and come up with creative solutions. Curiosity keeps us learning and growing, striving for continual improvement. Be curious!

How do you cultivate work/life balance?
Finding work/life balance has been one of my greatest challenges, and is something I continue to take conscious action to establish. I heard once that we need seven pillars in order to have a balanced life, where work is just one of those pillars. I remind myself of this regularly, planning time to focus on the other priorities and activities in my life such as family, friends, exercise, and hobbies.

As the manager of Urban Transportation at Al-Terra, I bring over 17 years of experience in transportation engineering, with a technical background focused on concept planning and design for urban roadways, renewal projects, and active modes infrastructure. I’ve built my career on a foundation of collaborative design, bringing together multi-disciplinary teams with diverse perspectives to develop innovative solutions to projects. I believe that we are most successful when we design for people, where understanding the big picture is crucial to making balanced design choices.

My strong communication skills have been honed through years of public engagement, participation in the Edmonton City Council Initiative on Public Engagement, and in my role as Lead for Public Engagement and Communications during my time as Planning and Design Supervisor with the Yellowhead Trail Freeway Conversion Program at the City of Edmonton. I’ve focused my recent learning to improve my collaboration and knowledge in designing infrastructure for people, including courses in communications and facilitation through IAP2, in the GBA Plus approach to design, and in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). In project management and supervisory roles since 2013, I hope to continue building strong teams that are knowledgeable and skilled, able to achieve both their career and personal goals.

In the work I do, I’m proud that I contribute to building a city where my children can grow, learn, and live feeling safe and secure. I hope that this inspires my kids to follow their passions as they navigate their own careers. When I’m not working, you’ll find me volunteering as team manager and cheering on my kids at soccer or baking a sweet treat.