2026 WIN Awards Emerging Leader Finalist

Laurence Lebel, Eng., P.Eng. ENV-SP, is a Technical Director with over 13 years of experience in the railway industry, including 11 years in leadership positions. She is known for driving innovation and technical excellence across complex, multi-disciplinary rail projects, with deep expertise in rolling stock subsystems integration for metros, tramways, automated systems, and intercity trains. Laurence joined AtkinsRéalis in 2018 as Interface Project Engineer on the Montréal REM, where she played a key role in coordinating infrastructure, rolling stock, rail systems, maintenance, operations, and third-party stakeholders—ensuring seamless physical and functional integration. From 2022 to 2024, she served as Systems Engineering Director for Canada, leading national teams and strategies across major transit programs. She is currently Deputy Director of Systems Engineering for Canada’s Alto HSR project, a transformative high-speed rail initiative spanning over ~1,000 km between Quebec and Ontario. In this role, she provides technical leadership on engineering management, systems architecture, integration strategies, and full lifecycle alignment during the project’s co-development phase. Laurence is recognized for her ability to solve complex integration challenges with creativity and a systems-thinking mindset. Fluent in French and English, she brings strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills to every project. She also champi ons cross- sector collaboration and technical excellence through her involvement in national initiatives that shape the future of rail and transit in Canada.