Women On The Go

 

• Name: Catherine McBride
  Position: Special Projects Manager
  How long have you worked at Voyago? 8 years 

• Favourite Quote:  â€œI want every little girl who’s told she’s bossy, to be told instead she has leadership skills.†
• Biggest Obstacle:  Achieving senior management in a male dominated industry (transportation) and be respected for my experience and knowledge. (which is still a struggle after 30 years) 
• My Greatest Strength as a Leader:  I treat everyone, from the janitor to the president, with the same level of respect.  If they are a good person, I don’t about titles or whether they have climbed the corporate ladder.  Every person in the organization counts and deserves respect. 

 

• Name: Carolyn Botten
  Position: Talen Acquisition Manager
  How long have you worked at Voyago? 1 year 

• How do you motivate your team members? Focus on the positive, point out when they do a great job, make sure they feel noticed & appreciated, have them look back at all their mini-wins if they are feeling frustrated or stuck, look beyond today or this moment to the end goal. 
• How can you contribute to a positive work culture? A positive work culture goes beyond just your own team, acknowledge and encourage others around you as well, say hi – smile, offer encouragement to others struggling with a task, point out the opportunities and share your positive energy. 
• What would you identify as your greatest strength? The ability to lift people up and encourage them by helping them recognize their strengths & change what they consider a weakness to an opportunity to learn and challenge themselves! Im also a pretty good party planner and like to get the dance floor started  

 

Name: Harman Atwal 

Position: Operations Manager 

Division: PTS GTA 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 8 Years 

• What advice would you give for those looking to advance into leadership roles? I think the biggest piece of advice I can give is to focus on your happiness and well-being. Success will follow those who are happy and passionate about their work. This can be challenging for everyone but especially women. We often feel as we need to make a lot of sacrifices juggling home and work life balance. It is easy to get fixated on the notion of “success and career advancement†but always make sure to take time to take a step back and recognize what is a priority. 
• What qualities do you think embody a successful people-leader? The qualities of a successful people leader I feel consist of being approachable, facilitating open communication, encouraging employee growth and development, and giving/receiving feedback. A successful people leader is one who not only manages/ delegates tasks to completion or performance targets but one who helps the team around them grow and further develop their skills. 
• How do you lead through growth and change? To successfully lead through growth and change as leaders I think it is important to remember not to fixate on “what†needs to be changed but the “why†these changes are occurring.  It is important to create a shared understanding behind the growth/changes needed and effectively communicate the purpose of the change. Any change or growth I find it helpful to link it back to our company values and explain the benefits created by these changes/ growth to help ensure success. 

 

Name: Lorna Jaques 

Position: Operations Manager  

Division: Schools Ottawa 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 7 years 

• What advice would you give for those looking to advance into leadership roles? Seek out new opportunities to grow and develop your skills. Voice your interests and ask for suggestions from your manager. 
• Do you have a favourite quote pertaining to your leadership style or what you strive to embody? Own your mistakes and learn from them. 
• What is the different between managing and leading? Managing is a one-person job, leading encompasses the team as a whole and allows everyone to be successful and grow. 

 

 Name: Sakshi Anand

Position: Human Resources Manager
How long have you worked at Voyago: 7 months 

• Do you have a favourite quote pertaining to your leadership style or what you strive to embody? â€œBefore you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.†—Jack Welch. 
• How do you foster and encourage employee development? Understand your people and their career aspirations. Support them in their journey to achieve their goals and celebrate their success. 
• How can you contribute to a positive work culture? â€œDiversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.†– By Verna Myres. This is my favorite quote as it tells you how inclusion builds a crucial connection that attract diverse talent, encourage their participation, foster innovation, and lead to business growth. 

 

 Name: Ketrina Richer 

Position: Health & Safety Manager 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 2.5 years  

• What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome in your career? The pandemic! This changed everything for everyone. A lot of us needed to become experts in leading their teams/ the organization through a time where there was new and changing information daily. 
• How do you motivate your team members? Remaining positive even when things are stressful. Explaining how the projects that we work on will advance the company, our department, or their careers.  
• How do you lead through growth and change? As our team has expanded in the last couple of months, I’ve tried to make this transition easier on my team by being transparent and creating timelines on when these changes will happen. It’s definitely not always easy but remaining positive about the changes and looking at the big picture help this transition as well. 

 

Name: Sue Vail 

Position:  Human Resources Business Partner 

How long have you worked at Voyago:  3.5 years 

• What advice would you give for those looking to advance into leadership roles?  Get to know yourself first and understand what truly interests you, what you are good at and what you need to develop.  I do believe in “follow your gutâ€.  If the role doesn’t feel right to you, there is a very good chance that it isn’t, and that is okay.  Make some steps or do some exploring to see if there is something better suited for you.    
• What qualities do you think embody a successful people-leader?  Get to know your team and what is important to them.  Actively listening to them.   Checking in on them frequently and asking for their feedback.  Be empathetic. Ensure they are recognized/thanked frequently.  Ensuring they are comfortable to approach you.  Ensure you follow through on commitments you have made. Lead by example. 
• How can you contribute to a positive work culture?  Listening.  Treating everyone with respect.  Never forgetting that everyone is human and everyone is unique.  Personalities, opinions, methods of learning, upbringings, past experiences make every person unique, so we need to understand and acknowledge that when interacting with others.   

 

 Name: Jessica Knechtel 

Position: Operations Manager  

Division(s): York Schools, UHN & BWG 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 2 years 

• What advice would you give for those looking to advance into leadership roles?  Work hard and smart, learn, listen, observe, ask questions, and get to know different facets of your business and industry!  Make connections, respect one another and get mentors!  If you want to grow in an organization, people need to know this.  Don’t be afraid to talk about your career aspirations and find out how to get there.  Learn your current role better than anyone else and always improve.  Remember to be teachable, and go the extra mile. 
  
    
• What would you identify as your greatest strength? Connecting and supporting people!  This is my greatest strength.  You can learn so much by just listening and interacting with individuals.  Knowing your people, can help you in running your business. 
  
    
• What professional goals have you set for yourself that you are working towards achieving?  We want to be the best transportation company out there; providing safe, reliable service, where people want to keep coming back to us!  We are aware of our competition and industry challenges, and we always ask, can we be better?  This is our mission, and we continue to do this every day. 

Name:  Maria Thuss 

Position:  Operations Manager 

Division: PTS LHIN 1/2 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 3 years 

• How can you contribute to a positive work culture? Lead by example, have a good attitude, look for solutions not problems. Being passionate about what we do and how we serve and make sure people know what a difference we make to others in a time of need.  The service we provide is needed.  Listen, encourage and support, sometimes that includes tough love.  I always like to make sure to greet everyone personally even if I am in the middle of something and thank them for what they do.  If at the end of their shift, ask how day was and let them know how much what they do is appreciated. 
• How do you lead through growth and change? Keep focused on the end goal or bigger picture and keep sharing the vision.  Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in what’s not going right.  Focusing on solutions not problems, you tend to get more of what you focus on ðŸ™‚ Celebrate the successes and learn from the challenges and failures, they are not defeats but chances to learn and improve.  Roadblocks in life, whether business or personal, are detours to bigger blessings.  I am always open to constructive criticism, positive and negative, and always looking for ways to learn and grow personally and professionally.   
• Do you have a favourite quote pertaining to your leadership style or what you strive to embody? Identify your problems but give your power and energy to solutions. Your past does not equal your future. 

Name: Penny Phibbs 

Position: Operations Manager 

Division: Schools Brant/Francobus 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 2.5 years 

• What qualities do you think embody a successful people-leader?  I believe a “people-leader” would do any job that she or he asks of their staff, be real with their staff, show compassion, and empathy 
• As a people-leader, how do you lead by example? I am always available to my staff, I drive a route when needed, I involve myself in all meetings so that I am up front, and they know who I am, so they feel comfortable to speak with me freely. Always respond to a call, text, or email as soon as possible.  I am honest with them and listen to them and help them out in situations at work. I make sure that I speak with all new trainees each day that they are in.  I am a hands-on leader. 
• What is the different between managing and leading? Managing gives the work out but leading helps motivate them achieve their goals.

 Name: Shael Verma

Position: Supervisor
Division: PTS GTA
How long have you worked at Voyago: 1 year 

• What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome in your career? Coming from a different company, it was quite a challenge to learn and acquire skills to be a PTS supervisor. It has been quite a journey and I am still learning everyday making sure crews take me seriously even though I haven’t been on road as much. 
• How do you motivate your team members? I try to motivate by having as much as knowledge there is to know about the job and duties there for my crew. Praising and rewarding them when they do great, making sure I correct them with correct knowledge when need be. 
• How do you foster and encourage employee development? I think foremost fostering and encouragement is done during the orientation and onboarding process since that’s the first-hand experience crews get to how their job would look like. Moving forward, I just try to make sure that I interact with them continuously and keeping myself available to all the questions. 

Name: Lauren Healy 

Position: Accountant 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 9.5 years 

• Do you have a favourite quote pertaining to your leadership style or what you strive to embody? “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” —Jack Welch 
• How can you contribute to a positive work culture? By promoting communication and transparency. Also, by recognizing employees for their hard work and dedication. 
• What would you identify as your greatest strength? Empathy by understanding and sharing the individual’s feelings. This creates an environment for employees to feel valued and respected. 

Name: Jessica Murray

Division: I.T

Position: I.T Support Analyst/ Specialist

How long have you worked at Voyago? 10 months

• Any words of wisdom or a favourite inspirational quote you’d like to share? Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. – Dr. Seuss
• Best Advice you were ever given? In Highschool I had this one teacher who always told his students “ Never be afraid to ask a questionâ€, Sometimes people are so afraid of just coming up to someone to ask a question, but they shouldn’t be, No question is a stupid question.

Name: Sasha Assinewai
Division: Fleet Maintenance
Position: Automotive Service Technician-Apprentice
How long have you worked at Voyago for? 7 months 

• What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? Women can do just as much as a man can. It might be a-bit different, but we can do it. In most cases it can be better or faster.  
• What’s the best advice you were ever given? If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again.

Name: Michelle Lupson
Division: Checker
Position: Checker Support & Administration
How long have you worked at Voyago? 20 years 

• What are you most passionate about right now? Acceptance of people with disabilities, I have a special needs son which has made me more sensitive and aware to the concerns of people with disabilities being accepted within society. 
• What’s the best advice you were ever given? To never give up on what you believe, and that tomorrow is always a new day to achieve your goals. 

 

Name: Johanna Brown
Division: Transit Owen Sound
Position: Driver
How long have you worked at Voyago?: 6 months. 

• What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace?  The one thing I wish people knew about women in the workplace, as far as my personal experience goes, is that the stigma of inequality for the most part is absent. All employees are equal. Voyago has been nothing but encouraging and supportive of not only me but all of the women on our team.  We are exactly that, a team that sees no difference in perceived abilities based on gender but instead focuses on the success of our fellow employees.   
• How do you empower yourself and those around you?  I like to empower all of my fellow co-workers, women and men within all positions at Voyago.  Small reminders that people are doing their job well and professionally can help to keep their own personal confidence up and its reassurance of their value in the workplace.  Uplifting and acknowledgement of peoples abilities creates an enjoyable work environment and motivates women and co-workers alike.

Name: Katie Gordon
Division: Corporate
Position: Executive Assistant
How long have you worked at Voyago? 5 years 

What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome in your career? Learning from my losses, I’m a big believer that you learn more from your losses than your successes. If you keep track of your losses, you’ll be more conscious of why they are happening and how you can problem solve in the future. It’s okay to make mistakes. 

Name: Kaitlyn De Aguiar
Position: Supervisor
Division: PTS GTA
How long have you worked at Voyago: 2 years 

• Do you have a favorite quote pertaining to your leadership style or what you strive to embody? My favorite quote pertaining to my leadership style would be “Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader…they set out to make a difference. Its never about the role – always about the goal†Being a leader means that you are in a role where people are looking at you to make the change. One thing I always like to tell my friends would be that don’t look at what I’ve achieved and what I’m doing look at the goal; anyone can achieve this goal you just have to put your mind to it. 
• What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome in your career? The biggest obstacle I have had to overcome in my career was gaining the confidence in myself to take on a supervisor role. Being a young adult and stepping into a leadership role was very scary for me as I was unsure if people would take me seriously or understand my point of views. Over this past year in my leadership role I have been able to gain confidence in myself allowing me to have success in my role. 
• What is the difference between managing and leading? As Peter Drucker once said “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things†Management is someone who is telling others what to do and how to do it right. A leader is someone who is teaching others the right things to do and how to do them so they can become leaders themselves. 

 Name: Katie Bradley

Position: Supervisor 
Division: Transit Southwestern Ontario
How long have you worked at Voyago? 11 years 

• What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome in your career? Biggest obstacle has been moving from the LC to the Transit Division and not “being the smartest kid in the class” anymore. But learning everything new has also be the most rewarding.  
• What advice would you give for those looking to advance into leadership roles? Just do it! No matter what happens Voyago has so many people around to help and assist with anything you may need to be support in any leadership role. With all the great opportunities it’s easy to find the perfect spot. 

Name: Latoya Prout-Stratton
Position: Billing & Customer Service Supervisor
How long have you worked at Voyago? 9 years 

• Do you have a favourite quote pertaining to your leadership style or what you strive to embody? There are so many, but 2 of my favourites are: “Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position.†Brian Tracy “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.†Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. 
• How do you motivate your team members? By giving positive feedback. Encouraging a healthy work life balance. And by being available to them. 
• How do you lead through growth and change? Stay connected with my team; Ensure they are aware that you are aware of their achievements and let them know they and their efforts are appreciated. 

Name: Preet Behniwal  

Position: Performance Supervisor 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 6 years 

• How do you motivate your team members? I like to talk about possibilities of results and ability to create solutions. Asking open-ended questions that lead the mind to think creative and outside the box. 
• As a people-leader, how do you lead by example? I participate in tasks that are challenging to the team and I dive in first and start doing it. This motivates others to follow.  
• How do you foster and encourage employee development? Employee Development is a really important factor when it comes to motivation and retaining employees. I try to regularly talk to the team about their individual likes and dislikes, their goals and new things they want to learn. Once we talk about those things, we find opportunities to work towards the goals and eliminate the dislikes. 

Name: Brandy Skellett 

Position: Supervisor 

Division: PTS London 

How long have you worked at Voyago: 10 years 

• How do you motivate your team members? I do small things to make staff feel appreciated each day, even if its just little snacks staff love it! 
• As a people-leader, how do you lead by example? I will never ask anyone to do something I wouldn’t do myself. I go on the trucks when needed, I do COVID calls, I comply with CVOR. If staff are expected to perform a task, I too am expected to do the same thing 

What is the different between managing and leading? To me leading is teaching and guiding people. Showing them what’s expected by doing the task myself and not just demanding it. Managing to me is maintaining to make sure those expectations you have set out are met. 

Name: Lucy Dubois
Division: Transit North
Position: Supervisor
How long have you worked at Voyago? 4 years 

• What is the different between managing and leading? I feel leading is motivating and influencing my team as compared to controlling while managing. 
• How can you contribute to a positive work culture? To contribute to a positive work culture I try very hard to be positive, to encourage and be appreciative of everyone and what they do. 
• What would you identify as your greatest strength? I feel my greatest strength is,  I truly care about our team as individuals and a collective and I believe and care about the service we all provide. 

Name: Brenda Newcombe 

Position: Transit Training Supervisor 

How long have you worked at Voyago? 19 years 

• Do you have a favourite quote pertaining to your leadership style or what you strive to embody? My favorite quote for leadership is, “Have no one do something you will not do yourself” and “Lead by example” 
• What would you identify as your greatest strength? One of my greatest strengths as a leader is to ” Always listen first and never jump to blame.” One of my greatest strengths is “I can listen and not judge” Always have an open mind to other people’s concerns and try to help steer them in the right direction.

Name: Oleksandra Makovska
Division: Human Resources
Position: Talent Acquisition Assistant 
How long have you worked at Voyago? 2 years 

• What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace? I wish this was no longer a question. I believe people need to know that all employees, no matter their gender, should feel valued, empowered, supported, acknowledged, and provided assistance to grow their strengths.  
• Who have been your role models? What do you admire about them? My inspiration started with my mother. Women in my family always have been independent, resilient, and hard-working. However, my mother is a unique one. Even with limited resources, she would be able to find solutions in any situation. She would pour all her energy and inspiration into her work to achieve the best outcomes. At the age of 30, with the help of my dad and two kids, she built her own telecommunication business from scratch. She was determined to become one of Ukraine’s few female business owners. Her passion and fervor inspired me and are a constant source of energy for me on my life’s journey. Other women have inspired me along this journey, particularly those who persevere, maintain, and own their voices. 

Name: Rhonda Phillips
Division: Transit Kitchener
Position: Driver
How long have you worked at Voyago?  7 Years 

• Who have been your role models? What do you admire about them? My Mom.  She has survived heart issues, single parenthood while holding down a 44hr/wk. job, widowed twice, she’s owned and ridden two brand new Harley Davidson Motorcycles, and she still smiles. 
• What world and national events have significantly impacted your life? Y2K – While the rest of the world was preparing for a technological mayhem, I was looking in the eyes of my miracle baby – 2nd last baby born in KW of the millennium.

Name: Bonnie Sue West
Division: Schools Ottawa
Position: Payroll Admin
How long have you worked at Voyago? 7 years 

• Any words of wisdom or a favourite inspirational quote you’d like to share?  “Love your family, work hard, relax and make me time!” 
• Who have been your role models? What do you admire about them?  My mom. Just turned 75 years young. She works fulltime, is a mother, grandmother, great grandmother and still has time to be a volunteer with the Lions Club in Stittsville. Always taught us how to be strong, work hard and the rewards will follow. She always makes time for family. She is the foundation of our family. 

Name: Shelby von Wahl
Division: Transit
Position: Data Analyst
How long have you worked at Voyago? 7 years  

• What in your life has brought or given you the greatest satisfaction or fulfillment? Looking back, what would you have done differently? What would you do again? So far, fostering kittens has given me the biggest sense of fulfillment in my personal life, I’ve rescued and fostered several litters of kittens, and a couple adult cats. I love being able to save animals who have no voice of their own and provide a safe space for them to grow up and thrive, and I’ve always had an affinity for animals, so it was the most logical first step for me. I would have loved to have gone into wild animal rehabbing or fostering on a larger scale, but the requirements and regulations for that makes it difficult to break into without a lot of resources to begin with, however when I have more space to do so, I definitely plan on continuing to foster when I can. 
• What in your life has brought or given you the greatest satisfaction or fulfillment? Looking back, what would you have done differently? What would you do again? I find fulfilment in knowing that I’m able to improve the lives of people and animals around me for the better, and fostering animals is one of the ways in which I can do that in my life. 
• What are you most passionate about right now? I’m passionate about sustainable living, I enjoy finding ways to make less of an impact on the planet and give back when I can. Things like reducing plastic in my daily life by buying locally, in bulk, or at refillery stores, growing and making my own food when possible, and using reusable, and sustainable alternatives for daily use items whenever I can. It’s my dream to someday purchase a plot of land and build a sustainable farmstead using renewable power and have enough space to produce more of my own food myself using sustainable farming methods.

Name:  Amy Almeida
Division: Fleet
Position: Fleet Administrator
How long have you worked at Voyago? 7 years 

• What do you want to achieve next? I always want to learn new things. I enjoy when new tasks are given. Bring the fleet team closer as a team under new management in last year. 
• Any words of wisdom or a favourite inspirational quote you’d like to share? I have two that I have followed over the years. “Don’t sweat the small stuff†and “mistakes make you grow†
• What are you most passionate about right now? I really enjoy having a comfortable work life balance with my 4 children and partner. Family is very important to me. 

Name: Robin Ridsdale

Division:  Health & Safety
Position:  Health & Safety Coordinator
How long have you worked at Voyago?  2 ½ years 

• Any words of wisdom or a favourite inspirational quote you’d like to share? â€œHow important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!â€â€” Maya Angelou 
• What in your life has brought or given you the greatest satisfaction or fulfillment? Looking back, what would you have done differently? What would you do again? Obtaining my Human Resources Certificate and my Occupational Health & Safety Certificate by attending night school while raising two children under the age of five.  It was a huge undertaking, and I was pretty proud of myself for successfully achieving this goal.