As Director, Major Projects and Asset Management, Gail wears two hats at Hydro, as her areas of responsibility are linked but different. She helps lead the planning and delivery of Hydro’s largest regulated capital projects—those greater than $50 million— and supports the Asset Management team in advancing Hydro’s Asset Management activities.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m originally from Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, and I am the youngest of four children. I began my engineering studies at MUN but later transferred to the Technical University of Nova Scotia (now Dalhousie) in Halifax to pursue Chemical Engineering. After graduation, I moved to Alberta and worked on a range of projects with engineering firms, oil and gas companies, and even a distillery!

In 2011, I moved back home to Newfoundland and Labrador and joined Hydro as a contractor for a few months in 2012. I came back in 2015, and officially became a Hydro employee in 2018.

I have a wonderful husband, Tony, and we have two amazing kids—Alison (24) and John (21). I also have a cat named Penny. I’m an avid reader, an amateur history buff, and a lover of music. My happy place is at our trailer, especially around the campfire with our friends. I also spend time with my aging parents and make the most of any opportunity to be with my adult kids.

What does an average day look like for you?

Executing major projects takes a lot of coordination and relationship building, so my days are filled with meetings, both group and one-on-one and a good amount of stakeholder engagement. I’m regularly preparing, reviewing, and presenting information about our projects and department to internal and external stakeholders.

On top of all that, there’s the day-to-day: approving requisitions and invoices, problem-solving issues, mentoring team members. It’s never boring!

Why is your job important to Hydro?

I’ve helped lead the development of governance for major projects, ensuring and documenting how we are applying lessons learned and aligning with good industry and utility practice. I also play a key role in providing strategic alignment—communicating with leadership and across the organization, sharing how we fit into the bigger picture, what we need, how we are progressing, and where we are headed.

Beyond project execution and day-to-day operations, we’re also building a brand-new department from the ground up. That means introducing new systems and processes to Hydro, like document control, quality management, and project controls. Many of these new systems and processes will also support our future asset management objectives.  A lot of my time goes into researching, reviewing, and brainstorming how we can set ourselves up for success. I’ve often said, “In Major Projects, we’re building the plane as we’re flying it!”

What role do you and your team play in ensuring Hydro can provide safe, reliable power to our customers?

The major projects we’re delivering are high-risk and critical to maintaining system reliability as demand grows. With the scale and cost, delays or missteps can have major financial impacts.

We’re building a highly skilled team that applies lessons learned from past projects as well as good industry and utility practice. Our goal is to deliver these projects with no harm to people or the environment, on time and on budget, supporting reliable, least-cost electricity to our customers in an environmentally responsible manner.

In my Asset Management role, my team and I are working closely with various groups across the organization to identify gaps, improve overall asset management visibility, and set the stage for continued accountability and enduring asset management culture. 

Altogether, these efforts support Hydro in delivering safe, reliable power to our customers.

What would you say is the most challenging part of your job?

Fitting good project management practices into the framework of a regulated crown utility isn’t easy. Whether it’s balancing transparency with commercial sensitivity or implementing progressive contracting strategies within the framework of the Public Procurement Act—nothing is straightforward.

Is there any particular aspect of your work with Hydro that’s especially important or motivating to you?

The people. They’re the reason I made the jump from contractor to employee. I’ve been lucky to work with teams who care about doing the right thing, who have each other’s backs, and who know how to laugh. Those relationships mean everything.

Hydro is full of good people doing good work every day. Honestly, I think we often don’t get enough credit. If delivering these projects well—using sound practices and effective communication can help shift public perception—then that’s a win! If our work in Major Projects and Asset Management can help other parts of Hydro, even better!

I’m proud of how far we’ve come and excited about where we’re headed. We started from scratch and have built a strong team, solid processes, and systems that work. Watching it all come together and hearing positive feedback is incredibly rewarding.

That applies to Asset Management too. We’re still early in this journey but seeing how that team works together and the difference they can make is impressive.

Leading major projects and asset management is never simple, but it’s meaningful work—and being part of a team that’s building something for the future of our province is a privilege I don’t take lightly.