International Women’s Day 2024: #InspireInclusion

Women’s* participation, contribution, and achievements in various fields and spaces are necessary. A truly inclusive world regards the role of women as changemakers, trailblazers, leaders, decision-makers, lawmakers, and important contributors to radical, positive, and progressive movements in society.

Today, on International Women’s Day and every day, Republic celebrates the many women who make up our diverse and dynamic team. We believe that women are vital in the workplace and the fields of architecture, design, engineering, and many other disciplines.

In these short interviews, Julia McIntyre (she/her), Leah Leibl (she/her), and Pam Zyla (she/her) talk about their roles at Republic, their motivations, inspirations within their professions, and what inclusion means to them, advising those just starting their careers to be fearless in the pursuit of their passion.

*Note:  Woman/women includes cisgender, transgender, and non-binary women, or anyone who identifies with womanhood.

Julia McIntyre, Specifications Writer

“I’m hoping for a future where there’s not even a question about what women can bring to the table.”

Q1: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do at Republic.

I’m Julia McIntyre. I’m a Specifications Writer at Republic, so I do technical writing.

Q2: What inspired/motivated you to choose the career you’re in now?

I played the trombone professionally for 22 years but I wanted to, and this is my catchphrase, “use the other side of my brain”.

I wanted to use the logical side of my brain because music is very passionate, it’s of the soul, and you need to follow your heart. But I also have a very logical brain and I love to organize and get things done. I thought it was time to switch gears.

Q3: Do you think women* are vital to the field/career you’re in?

Absolutely. Women provide something different to everything, not just technical writing or specifications writing. When I think about this broadly, with a perspective largely coming from my last career (in music), I believe that any organization that wants to succeed should take advantage of all the great minds out there. Not saying that I’m specifically a great mind, but any organization that wants to succeed should include different perspectives. Everyone has different perspectives.

If you take advantage of having diverse perspectives, you can solve problems faster. You’ll see issues from many sides – whatever gender, religious background, race – we all have different perspectives, and we can be creative about how to get things done. Why would you exclude anyone from that?

I’m hoping for a future where there’s not even a question about what women can bring to the table. Does it matter what their gender is and how they identify? I don’t think it matters, as long as you get the job done and you bring something to the table.

Q4: What does inclusion mean to you? Do you actively create and/or engage in initiatives that promote inclusion?

To me, it’s a workplace that is respectful of what you bring to the table.

When I was in the orchestra, which is very white and male-dominated, people who were not men and racialized individuals, were excluded from the auditions. Over time, the musicians’ union created what’s called a “blind audition”. The musicians walk on stage behind temporary walls, so no one can tell what they look like or make assumptions, and you audition sight unseen. A lot of women and racialized people got their jobs because of the blind auditions.

I think in terms of what inclusion means, a respectful workplace where what you produce, be it specifications or sound, is respected for itself. The product that you put out into the world is respected.

Q5: What is your advice to women* who want to pursue a career in your field?

I find that sometimes you still have to be a bit better than your male counterparts to be noticed or taken seriously. It’s sad.

I remember this story of my mother in the 80s, she was a project manager, and she sometimes attended conferences with my dad. They gave my dad a badge and assumed my mother was just a visitor, so she would have to say “No, I’m the conference attendee.”

To be taken seriously, you must fight the fight, become better, and make less mistakes. Maybe that’s sad but it’s true, and at the other end of it, when you finally find a place that respects you, they will be impressed with the work you do. Keep proving them wrong.

Leah Leibl, Director, Legal and Corporate Services

“I encourage the inclusion of women in everything, to the point where we no longer need to be talking about how we get more women in the law or STEM.”

Q1: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do at Republic.

I’m Leah Leibl, I’m a lawyer and the Director, Legal and Corporate Services at Republic.

I don’t have a typical lawyer job because I work in-house. Most other lawyers who work in a specific area of the law don’t get the pleasure and opportunity to do a lot of the things I get to do, which are law and law-adjacent, or quasi-law.

I get to meet with everyone on the front end because I deal with everyone’s employment agreements. I’m also in discussions and conversations about what it’s like to join Republic. I’m typically one of the first few people you chat with when you join the firm.

Q2: What inspired/motivated you to choose the career you’re in now?

My mother reminded me that I went on the Model United Nations in grade 10. Most people are assigned a country, you research your country, and you vote on different bills based on what that country would typically do. I was lucky enough that I wasn’t assigned a country, I was assigned a court case, and I was a judge on the International Court of Justice.

I suppose I was influenced or motivated by that event, and it contributed to my desire to go to law school. Law school was a lot of fun and I loved it, I would go back to law school in a heartbeat!

Q3: Do you think women* are vital to the field/career you’re in?

Yes. Women think differently, have different experiences, and different ways of thinking. Alternative perspectives are important when you’re dealing with and shaping the law, writing new laws, and amending current laws.

Q4: What does inclusion mean to you? Do you actively create and/or engage in initiatives that promote inclusion?

I recall this Ruth Bader Ginsburg quote, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” It shouldn’t be that women are the exception. I think that speaks to the way I approach feminism; everyone should be at the table.

I encourage the inclusion of women in everything, to the point where we no longer need to be talking about how we get more women in the law or STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

Q5: What is your advice to women* who want to pursue a career in your field?

Dream big. Don’t let gender be any sort of reason why you don’t do something, even the stuff that men or anyone can do.

Pam Zyla, Project Director

“Inclusion is making opportunities available to everyone.”

Q1: Tell me a bit about who you are and what you do at Republic.

I’m Pam Zyla and I’m a Structural Technologist and PMP (Project Management Professional), working as a Project Director at Republic.

Q2: What inspired/motivated you to choose the career you’re in now?

I enjoy working with clients and the project team. I like the pace of organizing and scheduling different components at the same time and working collaboratively with all parties.

Q3: Do you think women* are vital to the field/career you’re in?

I do. Bringing more diversity and experiences to the table will improve perspectives and approaches. This is valuable in the general workplace and for project management.

Q4: What does inclusion mean to you? Do you actively create and/or engage in initiatives that promote inclusion?

Inclusion is making opportunities available to everyone. That could be both the opportunity to fulfill specific roles, and the opportunity to learn new skills.

I have been involved with different mentorships for others with similar backgrounds and I think it is important to encourage and connect.

Q5: What is your advice to women* who want to pursue a career in your field?

Do it. Pursue it. Reach out to your connections and make new connections. Ask what other people in your field have done and how it worked out for them.

Make time to connect, ask questions and share ideas.