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Meet Krista Pell, Vice President, People & Performance at Ausenco

An experienced international business leader with 20  years human resources and talent management experience, Krista Pell is recognized for her strategic, exuberant and hands-on approach to people and performance. Throughout her career, she has proven her drive to develop and implement people management and organizational development strategies and solutions that create systemic change, enhancing the engagement and effectiveness of all employees. But did you know this impressive executive was once a star on the rugby field? Learn more about Krista below.

Want to hear more from Krista and two other power-house female energy executives? Join us in Calgary on October 4 for our luncheon event Women In Power: Calgary’s Senior Executives Weigh In.

 

 


 

 

My first job ever was… I had a newspaper route for the Guelph Mercury.  After that I worked at the mall food court for a small ice cream and snack shop called Fast Eddie’s.

 

I chose my career path because… I always loved the combination of coaching others and consulting leaders on how to improve their business outcomes. This evolved perfectly in to a career focused on People and Performance.

 

My proudest accomplishment is… My daughter.  She is 9 years old and is thoughtful, kind, well-traveled and understands diversity in our world.

 

My boldest move to date was… Leaving my successful role and moving across the world, which I actually did twice! Once from Canada to the Cayman Islands and then 7 years later I decided to leave that role and move back to Canada.

 

I surprise people when I tell them… I compete at a world level in CrossFit and that I have competed on the world stage in rugby and cheerleading. Quite a unique blend!

 

My best advice to people starting their career is… Ask a lot of questions and don’t be afraid to participate in discussions that scare you a little bit.  This is where all the learning happens.

 

My best advice from a mentor was… Be myself and use all the experiences I have had in life, that is when I will be most successful.

 

My biggest setback was… I think I have been fortunate in that I don’t look at any one thing as a big setback. There have been lessons learned but for the most part I feel that I have been on a forward trajectory.

 

I overcame it by… Anytime I have felt like I was being stagnant in my role or development I looked at how I could challenge myself to do something to change it!

 

Work/life balance is… Critical to happiness. It looks different for everyone and changes for me on a weekly basis, but I value my personal life as a priority and that is what makes me more successful in business.

 

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know… I actually don’t know! Probably that I led the Cayman Islands Women’s Rugby team to a NACRA (North America Caribbean Rugby Championships) in 2010, I don’t think that is on the internet.

 

I stay inspired by… The fact that there is still so much learning and improvement I can do in everything I am involved in. It keeps me hungry!

 

The future excites me because… I feel that I am very comfortable in my understanding of how I can positively impact others and make a difference in my career and personal endeavours.  When you have a very clear understanding of who you are you also have clarity in how to maximize your accomplishments!

 

My next step is… I hope as exciting as the past 20 years of my career has been. I sense some changes in the future!

 

 

 

Want to hear more from Krista and two other power-house female energy executives? Join us in Calgary on October 4 for our luncheon event Women In Power: Calgary’s Senior Executives Weigh In.