Our Mission
As a national not-for-profit, our mission is to have women as equal participants in trade and technical roles in the electricity sector. We work in close collaboration with a wide range of firms to advance and support the interests of the many stakeholders already significantly engaged in developing workforces that are reflective of regional diversity.
Our approach is in two streams, we advise leaders through a gender equity lens on how to advance their diversity and inclusion goals; and Women of PLT offers programming that is open to men and women – with a focus of supporting women in early, mid, and late careers in trade and technical roles.
Women of Powerline Technicians (Women of PLT) officially launched in 2016, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Our vision and ambition for the future of work go well beyond Canada’s electricity sector.
Who We Are
Lana Norton
Co-Chair
Lana Norton is the Executive Director and Founder at Women of Powerline Technicians, a not-for-profit whose mission it is to have women as equal participants in trade and technical roles in the electricity sector. With a decade of field experience in Canada’s electricity sector she has held progressive roles in Distribution Operations. Employed with a local distribution company in our Nation’s Capital, Lana manages the day-to-day operations of metering services.
She currently serves as Chair of the Program Advisory Committee for Electrical Engineering and Powerline Technician programs at Algonquin College. Lana holds a Powerline Technician diploma and is currently working towards her Bachelor of Business Administration.
Paula Burgin
Co-Chair
Paula is the Director of Smart Grid and Asset Management at Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc. She is accountable for leading the strategy, planning, implementation and day-to-day performance of the protection and control, asset management and control room activities that serves 73,000 + electricity customers in Oakville.
Paula joined Oakville Hydro in 2011, previously she was responsible for overseeing the management of two affiliate companies under Oakville Enterprises Corp. and leading the Customer Care division to accept the 2018 Ontario Energy Associations Customer Service Award on behalf of Oakville Hydro’s Journey to Customer Service Excellence.
Land Acknowledgement
Women of Powerline Technicians acknowledges with gratitude that we hold space on aboriginal land that has been inhabited by Indigenous people prior to first contact. Our headquarters are located on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg people. Indigenous people are the original stewards of the land, and environmental sustainability and responsibility are rooted in Traditional Knowledge. We are accountable to future generations. Women of PLT endeavours to consume with sustainability in mind, be respectful of the life earth sustains and celebrate all people who have a relationship with the land.