From haute couture to hard hats, Holynde Smiechowski’s path to becoming an award-winning project manager is lined with life lessons.

Holynde Smiechowski was not expecting to hear her name.

It was one of the rare times in her professional career that she was unprepared for what came next.

In a room full of contemporaries, mentors and industry leaders at the Women’s Infrastructure Network Awards ceremony in Vancouver, B.C. in April, Smiechowski was recognized by a panel of judges with the 2025 Emerging Leader award.

The award highlights Smiechowski’s outstanding contributions to the infrastructure industry and recognizes her passion, commitment and unwavering determination.

While the award came as a surprise to Smiechowski, she may have been the only one. In her 13 years with PCL Construction, she has inspired her colleagues, impressed her mentors and repeatedly earned the trust and respect of clients. As project manager in PCL’s Vancouver office, she has been a part of many community-defining projects totaling more than $2 billion of work for PCL.

Smiechowski’s path to get here has been anything but orthodox, but that seems on point for the civil engineer who has long insisted two plus two equals five — suggesting there is more than one way to look at the equation.

Keep reading this article on pcl.com

Explore related articles you won’t want to miss:

Reclaim, Reuse, Recycle: Advanced Water Treatment Strategies for a Resilient Future

PCL Construction Recognized as One of Ontario’s Safe Employers

• 
•