Ann Tremblay
Ann Tremblay joined the Carleton Board of Governors in 2019 as a community-at-large representative, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Building Program Committee. A Registered Professional Planner in Ontario and a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, Ann has worked within the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Her career has spanned over 30-years, and today, she is a Director in Architectural and Engineering Services at Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Originally from Ottawa, Ann looked forward to a change in scenery for her undergraduate degree. After finishing high school, she moved to Hamilton, Ontario and attended McMaster University. There, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Urban Geography and Sociology.
“While at McMaster I spent my summers in planning internships, first with the Niagara Escarpment Commission, and then later with the City of Hamilton, explained Ann. “I kind of got my planning feet wet at that time.”
Ann returned to Ottawa in 1985 and began her first full-time position as a Planner with J.L. Richards & Associates. She continued her early training and was mentored under the wing of the firm’s well known and regarded Planning Director: Daphne Wreathem.
“We all remember those who took a chance on us early in our careers, and I will always be grateful to Daphne for her time and valuable guidance,” stated Ann. “In this spirit, I have strived to do the same for others where I could.”
While working full-time, Ann started taking classes at Carleton University with a view to eventually enter the Masters in Public Administration program.
“At the time, the program seemed to be aimed primarily at mature, part-time students who were either already in public service or driving towards that goal” explained Ann. “The program offered classes often taught by senior members of the federal public service who, by their experience, brought great value to the learning material. For me, the most definitive benefit to doing a Masters of Public Administration at Carleton was having that really close tie to the federal government… it is far more tangible when you’re in the city where these things are happening. It felt like you were part of it.”
Ann graduated with her Masters of Public Administration and became a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) in 1997 after successfully completing program requirements and compulsory membership exams. Wanting to contribute to her profession, Ann became the Chair of the Eastern District of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute in 2001. During that time, she worked closely with the School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) at Queen’s University, and furthered her connections between students and practicing planners in Eastern Ontario.
Through this association Ann became familiar to SURP faculty members, and eventually started teaching project courses in an adjunct capacity.
“I worked with a professor [at Queen’s] who managed the project courses for the program. With his assistance, I developed a curriculum for a class I would teach in Sept. 2008,” explained Ann. “Since then, I have had the privilege of teaching a number of additional project courses, and each of these experiences remain very special to me.”
When asked what advice she would give to students starting their career, Ann offered four suggestions: learn and practice project management no matter what field you are in; network by joining organizations that interest you; never stop learning; and if you intend to stay in Ottawa, learn to speak French (or at least try).
When it comes to her reasons for having sought a position on Carleton’s Board of Governors, Ann stated that “it seemed a logical next step after having been involved with Queen’s University. A governorship provides a chance to contribute to the administrative side of the university house, with stewardship for the corporation and the advancement of our professionals of tomorrow in mind.”
Now in her second-year as a Carleton Board member, Ann relies on the wisdom gained from her decades-long career to inform her role as a governor. Ann’s municipal community and environmental planning, airport campus development, and real property capital project delivery experience with the Government of Canada is of particular relevance to her position as Vice-Chair of the Building Committee.
Carleton’s Board is 32 members strong, and Ann feels privileged to work with such an esteemed group of individuals. Even at this point in her career, she learns from her fellow governors – a pursuit of constant learning she hopes to pass onto Carleton students.
“Never be finished from education,” advised Ann. “The pursuit of knowledge should be lifelong.”
Click here to view the 2020-2021 Board of Governors membership.