Two-time Canadian Olympian and Order of Canada recipient Karina LeBlanc, C.M., will headline Engineers Canada’s 2025 30 by 30 Conference on May 21, 2025, in Vancouver, BC.
With a prestigious career that spanned almost 18 years at the international level, LeBlanc participated in five FIFA World Cups and two Olympic Games, winning an Olympic medal, and making her and her team household names. Currently, she is the President and General Manager of Portland Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.
A positive role model and highly sought-after motivational speaker, LeBlanc is a passionate advocate for inclusion, diversity, and humanitarianism. Her career path has taken her around the globe and has seen her speak at United Nations General Assembly events on two separate occasions. She has also spoken at the United Nations Race Against Climate Change and other major events including Canada's 150th Celebration, Women Empowerment Conferences, as well as several Leadership Conferences, and was the Host of TED x Vancouver. LeBlanc inspires and motivates her audience to ask hard questions, to engage in challenging conversations, and ultimately to become a better version of themselves.
LeBlanc is a passionate advocate for inclusion, diversity, and humanitarianism. As president of the Karina LeBlanc Foundation, she mentors and provides scholarships to young women in sport. LeBlanc is especially proud of her role as an Honourary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy and as a UNICEF ambassador. In 2020, LeBlanc was inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.
LeBlanc’s keynote address during the 30 by 30 Conference will be livestreamed. Register here for the full-day in-person conference at Vancouver’s Sheraton Wall Centre, or for the livestream of the keynote.
Emily Nichols will emcee the day’s events
Engineers Canada is also happy to announce that Emily Nichols, B.Sc. (Eng), M.A.Sc. (Eng), P.Eng., will serve as the day’s emcee. Nichols is an experienced trainer, speaker, and emcee who founded Connect Better Inc. to work with organizations that want to strengthen the human skills we (still!) need in an increasingly technical world.
As the president of Connect Better Inc., Emily creates transformational experiences through speaking, training, and event hosting.
A professional engineer with decades of experience in manufacturing and innovation, Emily has worked with organizations like PepsiCo, PPG, Janssen, and Henkel, improving products and processes from breakfast cereal to automotive paint and electrical steel. Emily easily connects at all levels of organizations, inspiring deeper understanding and collaborative teamwork.
For most of her engineering and manufacturing career, Emily was “the only” or “one of the few” women on the team. In 2023, she crafted her experiences into a compelling TEDx talk on gender-inclusive language and leadership: What if we didn’t have to be ‘one of the guys’?
Register today to take advantage of early-bird pricing
Engineers Canada envisions an inclusive and welcoming engineering profession that truly reflects the diversity of Canadian society. Over the past decade, we have focused on addressing the underrepresentation and marginalization of women through research, community building, knowledge sharing, and uniting the profession around the 30 by 30 goal. With its theme of “Solutions and accountability towards an inclusive engineering profession,” this year’s 30 by 30 Conference will bring together leaders from engineering regulation, employers, and education to address barriers within their control and influence, collaborate on innovative solutions, and promote accountability for fostering the success of women and marginalized groups in the profession.
Join Engineers Canada at the 2025 30 by 30 Conference. Register by March 14 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.
