Joanna Ankersmit

Joanna Ankersmit has an accomplished track record with over 20 years of experience in managing complex and challenging mega infrastructure projects in Canada. She has a held various management and senior leadership positions in the Government of Canada, responsible for high profile infrastructure projects which directly shape the future of the national landscape.

Joanna is currently the Director General for Laboratories Canada Programme, a $2.8 billion capital program to renew and develop world class science facilities to enable and support federal scientists to conduct leading-edge research and collaboration with the national and global science communities. She is responsible for the program’s overall management, and management of strategic partnerships among science departments, agencies, post-secondary institutions and industry leaders.

Before being recruited to lead the Laboratories Canada Programme, Joanna oversaw the Government of Canada’s Northern Contaminated Sites Program, tasked with managing and remediating Canada’s most challenging contaminated mine sites, Giant and Faro mins. There, she led a team overseeing contractors responsible for delivering technically complex solutions to manage and remediate contamination of the two mine sites.

In both of these roles, Joanna has continued to demonstrate her abilities and leadership in engaging and working with a wide range of stakeholders, all with unique interests and requirements, to develop meaningful solutions to address pressing infrastructure challenges across Canada. She has developed a strong network of female professionals in the private and public sectors, and continues to dedicate her time to supporting women’s career development in a traditionally male-dominated industry.