Five women shaping CMLCs city-building work
- In recognition of the 115th anniversary of International Women’s Day, CMLC highlights five women contributing to Calgary’s city-building work.
- Five women across CMLC share the city-building initiatives that have shaped their careers.
- Featuring: Ashton Lee, Senior Project Manager; Jewel Chan, Development Manager; Julia Schreiber, Programming & Events Specialist; Kathryn de Guzman, Human Resources Manager; Sobia Parvaiz, Junior Accountant
On March 8, 2026, communities across the world celebrated 115 years of International Women’s Day – a global day that recognizes the achievements of women and reinforces the ongoing work needed to advance equity in our communities.With a workforce of 74% women, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) is filled with inspiring women who sit at the helm of our city-building efforts in Calgary.
Moved by International Women’s Day, we have highlighted five of these women and their contributions to city building work across Calgary and beyond. Read their answers below.
Reflecting on your career, what city building initiative are you most proud of?
Ashton Lee, Senior Project Manager
Ashton Lee is a Senior Project Manager at CMLC who finds inspiration from her time at the University of New Brunswick. While attaining her degree in Civil Engineering, Ashton worked as Project Assistant on the construction of the University’s new athletics complex, the Richard J. Currie Center. This quickly became one of the most meaningful projects of her early career as the topics and principles she was leaning in class came to life on the construction site.
One of my proudest moments was being part of the first graduating class to cross the Currie Center’s grand stage, knowing I had played a small part in bringing that space to life. The building quickly became a central gathering place on campus, hosting student events, varsity teams from across the country, and world class research through its Human Performance Laboratory. Its lasting impact on the campus and beyond continues to inspire my work today.
As Senior Project Manager, Ashton is supporting the delivery of the Werklund Centre Transformation and Olympic Plaza Transformation projects. Read Ashton’s full bio here.
Jewel Chan, Development Manager
Jewel Chan is a Development Manager at CMLC and most proud of her time leading the imagination of a new public washroom and community amenity in East Village through a nation-wide design competition. After several innovative design proposals, the project concluded with the construction of a vibrant public washroom and pickleball court known as ‘The Open’.
While the physical size of the project was seemingly small, the challenges that needed to be addressed and the resulting community impact were significant. This project energized the design industry as CMLC posed the challenge of not only creating a functional program in the from of a public washroom but also imagining a place that enhanced the public realm in the community of East Village.
The Open is now a multi-faceted amenity for all members of the community, and for Jewel, it is an example of ‘this and that’ innovative city-building thinking.
As a Development Manager, Jewel leverages her experience in the urban planning industry, communication skills and design-focused mindset to build vibrant spaces and places in Calgary’s Rivers District. Read Jewel’s full bio here.
Julia Schreiber, Programming & Events Specialist
Julia is CMLC’s Programming & Events Specialist. A career highlight for Julia is her time supporting the growth of BUMP festival, a mural project that expanded into a city-shaping public art movement. BUMP murals and installations can be found throughout Calgary and have played a role in transforming our city’s streets into a vibrant and culturally expressive urban landscape.
My role focused on building the relationships that made these projects possible - connecting artists, property owners, funders, and community members to turn blank walls into large-scale works of art. The impact went far beyond the murals themselves. The project created paid opportunities for artists, elevated diverse creative voices, and helped people see their neighbourhoods in new ways. Being part of something that not only changed the visual identity of the city but also opened doors and built lasting community connections is something I am very proud of.
As Programming & Events Specialist at CMLC, Julia champions our placemaking efforts, leading the creation and delivery of dynamic public programs in East Village. Read Julia’s full bio here.
Kathryn De Guzman, Human Resources Manager
Kathryn de Guzman, CMLC’s Human Resources Manager, is most proud of her work building out CMLC’s Human Resource program from ground up. By focusing on streamlining processes, creating efficiencies, and introducing targeted improvements, she has strengthened how people-related work is being delivered across CMLC and established a foundation that can support a growing organization.
I am the first dedicated HR employee at CMLC and was given the opportunity to help lay out the HR foundation for the organization. I helped establish a solid HR framework that has allowed the function to mature and scale alongside the company, while better supporting the incredible individuals who contribute their expertise, passion, and commitment to CMLC every day.
As Human Resources Manager, Kathryn oversees recruitment, employee development, workplace culture, and organizational policies. Read Kathryn’s full bio here.
Sobia Parvaiz, Junior Accountant
Sobia Parvaiz, CMLC’s Junior Accountant, spoke to her contributions to the financial stewardship of city-building initiatives since her time at CMLC – including the BMO Centre Expansion, Werklund Centre Transformation and Stampede Trail. By maintaining accurate financial records, assisting with budgeting and reconciliations, and supporting transparent reporting, she ensures public funds are managed responsibly and efficiently.
Although much of my work takes place behind the scenes, it plays an important role in helping these projects move forward with strong financial oversight. Knowing that my contributions help maintain accountability and financial integrity for developments that revitalize public spaces and strengthen communities is incredibly rewarding. It stands out to me because it demonstrates how even technical, detail-oriented roles like accounting can have a meaningful impact on shaping vibrant neighborhoods and improving the long-term quality of life for Calgarians.
As Junior Accountant, Sobia leverages her experience from oil and gas, transportation and construction sectors to perform accounts payable, receivable, and reconciliation functions. Read Sobia’s full bio here.
The CMLC team is a talented collection of urban planners, programmers, architects, developers, accountants, marketers and digital media specialists united by our passion to shape the future of the city where we live, work and raise our families. Learn more about our CMLC team here.
