Sheliza Kassam | Engineers Canada

Sheliza Kassam’s volunteer work began when she was hospitalized after an allergic reaction to her 12th birthday cake from a severe allergy to nuts. She was distraught, but her parents, both African immigrants to Canada, reminded her how lucky she was to have a party, as many families in the world cannot afford a birthday celebration for their children.

That prompted Kassam to volunteer at a Calgary shelter on future birthdays. At age 16, she created Children’s Birthday Miracles (CBM), which hosts birthday parties and provides gifts for children living in shelters. A few months later, she met the founder of McDonald’s Canada at a gala in Toronto. He offered to sponsor her organization if she registered it as a charity.

Since then, Kassam and her all-volunteer team at CBM have hosted over 350 parties in Calgary and Western Canada, and as far away as Africa and Peru. She also created Party it Forward, a program that lets children donate their birthday presents to support CBM’s work.

Now a professional chemical engineer working for Pembina Pipeline Corporation as a field engineer supporting the Drayton Valley area, Kassam’s charitable work has broadened. After a close friend was lost to cancer at age 17, Kassam brought CBM to Kids Cancer Care Calgary, hosting birthday parties for children living with cancer. She also supports KCCC’s rehabilitation exercise program outside of CBM, recently securing a grant to purchase Fitbits for program participants and helping code a web API to let KCCC track the data, which will improve kids’ treatment plans.

Kassam is a passionate advocate for women’s STEM education and career development. She serves on the boards of the University of Calgary Engineering Endowment Fund’s board, frequently mentoring students at the Schulich School of Engineering, and of Canadian Women in Energy, where she mentors young women engineers and leads site tours of field operations.

She says great support is the key to her success. “I have three mentors in my life. They push me and constantly coach me professionally, personally, and mentally. If it wasn't for them, I would not where I am in my career. I tell people all the time: go find a professor or leader in the community and get to know them. They might be pivotal to your growth.”