An Island public servant has become the first Atlantic Canadian woman to serve on the executive of the International Right-of –Way Association, announced Paula Biggar, Minister of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.
“Sharon Slauenwhite is a valued part of my department’s properties section, providing expertise and fairness on issues that arise around acquiring and maintaining rights-of-way for public works projects. I am pleased to see her sharing her insights and approach with colleagues around the world,” said the minister.
Sharon Slauenwhite was elected secretary of the International Right of Way Association at the group’s annual board of directors meeting June 15, 2016, assuming responsibility for policy development and strategic planning as well as organizing and keeping official records. Slauenwhite is the fourth Canadian and just the second Canadian woman to serve on the IRWA executive.
The International Right of Way Association is a professional member organization comprised of global infrastructure real estate practitioners. Since its inception as a not-for-profit association in 1934, IRWA has served professionals who acquire, manage and transfer the land rights needed for building and maintaining energy and transportation infrastructure. IRWA has nearly 10,000 members from over 15 countries around the world.
IRWA members are employed by governments, utilities and private developers in fields such as energy and transportation.
“By earning this position Sharon offers proof that neither a person’s gender nor the size of the jurisdiction they serve should stand in the way of a public servant’s leadership being recognized,” said the minister.
IRWA is a volunteer-driven organization comprised of multi-disciplined professionals employed by private industry and government agencies as: appraisers, project managers, surveyors, engineers, environmental specialists and title experts.