The Emerging Professionals Changemakers - Breanna Clayton & Phoebe Hill

Breanna Clayton, EPN’s Chair, and Phoebe Hill, EPN’s Vice Chair, both credit the mentorship, support network, and opportunities that the EPN provides with their success in leading the network. Breanna says “The EPN is guided and supported by two Sponsors who are senior leaders in WSP. Being able to access their advice and connections has been invaluable to me.” Phoebe adds “It’s incredibly helpful to see different perspectives from people who have a lot of experience. I’m only a few months into the role so having strong support from mentors has really helped me find my feet.”

Breanna is a Structural Engineer with WSP’s Bridges, Aviation and Roads team. She became actively involved in EPN soon after joining WSP more than six years ago. The EPN and the connections she made helped her understand the business and projects we work on. “The EPN has allowed me to connect with many colleagues across the business and clients. I've been able to develop those soft skills like how we speak to clients and how we articulate technical concepts for people who are in non-technical roles. There are a lot of times where, as a structural engineer, you'll submit a design and that’s where it ends. I now feel I understand what the team and client need beyond my role, which has allowed me to collaborate more with the broader team.”

When Breanna was encouraged to apply for the 2023 Vice Chair role, it was the support of a mentor who she trusted that gave her the push to go for it. “Having that support and encouragement to step up and be a leader was make or break for me. I also had a supportive network within my EPN team which encouraged me to apply, and I doubt I would’ve applied for the role if I didn’t have this support from my network."

Phoebe, a Design Engineer in our Property team, had a similar experience coming into the Vice Chair position this year. “I think that a lot of the time you need a bit of a push to take on new challenges and for me, EPN was there to support me and push me to take on the challenge of leadership. The EPN is a safe space to grow and learn from mistakes because of the strong peer support and mentorship network.

As EPN Chairs, having supportive mentors also allows Bree and Phoebe to grow the skills they need to be great leaders and mentors to the wider network of young professionals both within WSP and in the industry. Bree says, “Mentoring goes beyond basic guidance—it’s about soaking in diverse leadership and communication styles. It’s like shadowing someone for insights into how they navigate things. That’s where programs like the EPN are really valuable. They give you the chance to observe and learn from leaders in various roles, from regional leads to coordinators and sub-leads.”

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