2021 Civil Engineering Alumnus of the Year: Ms Catherine Harwood
Ms. Catherine Harwood
Catherine attended Murrumbeena Primary School in Melbourne before moving to J.V. Clark Elementary Secondary School in Mayo Yukon, Canada, and later Lahr Senior School, West Germany. She then returned to Melbourne, attracted by the arts-engineering program at Monash, graduating with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts in 1995.
Following her undergraduate studies, she returned to Canada, to join the Transportation Engineering Branch of Community and Transportation Services, with the Yukon Government.
She worked as a Bridge Engineer until 2004 when she became Superintendent of the Maintenance Branch in the Highways and Public Works team. She was promoted to Acting Director of the Transportation Maintenance Branch in 2007, responsible for strategic operations, maintenance and capital programs. In 2008 she became the Acting Senior Advisor, reporting to the Deputy Minister of Highways and Public Works to deliver a major construction project in Dawson City, Yukon.
From 2010 she led the Procurement Framework Review Project for the Corporate Services Branch and in 2013 become the Director of Procurement Support establishing the new Procurement Support Centre. A role that enabled her to implement organisational improvements across Yukon Government procurement.
Catherine recently led the collaborative development of a Yukon First Nations Procurement Policy. This policy is one of its kind in Canada, and more significantly, was co-written with representatives from Yukon First Nations Governments.
As an active member of Engineers Yukon, Catherine is a dedicated member of the engineering community. She is committed to promoting her profession, particularly the participation of women in STEM. She is an inspiring role model for girls and young women, especially those living in small, remote regions.
She loves that engineers are trained to be problem solvers. Her career success has been aided by her ability to create and sustain excellent working relationships at all levels of Government as well as with important Federal-Provincial-Territorial groups. It has also been supported by her capabilities that align with the Yukon Core Competency Framework, her positive reputation with Yukon businesses, and her deep knowledge of procurement. She has built trust by being firm, reliable and frank. She is most proud of her working relationships and her ability to build bridges, not the structural ones, the ones with people.
Catherine is currently the Assistant Deputy Minister, leading the Corporate Services Division of the Department of Highway and Public Works, Yukon Government. She is also the co-chair of the National Committee of Assistant Deputy Ministers of Procurement and has managed significant financial, human, and asset resources. She a Fellow and Professional Engineer of Engineers Canada, and has served two years as President of Engineers Yukon, and three years as a Director on the Board of Engineers Canada.