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Karen Fong Chan named recipient of 2026 L.S. Lauchland Engineering Alumni Medal
Western Engineering is proud to announce Karen Fong Chan, BESc’99, BA’00, MBA’10, as the recipient of the 2026 L.S. Lauchland Engineering Alumni Medal.
The award recognizes alumni for their outstanding contributions to the engineering profession, business leadership and community service. Chan’s career across multiple industries and dedication to supporting women in engineering reflect the values celebrated by this honour.
“Receiving the L.S. Lauchland Engineering Alumni Medal is particularly meaningful because engineering has been such an important part of both my career and my identity,” says Chan. “I have taken a less traditional engineering path, but the way I approach problems, lead teams and think about systems is still very much shaped by my engineering education.”
Chan began her career as a sales and application engineer with Automated Systems Inc. before spending a decade at General Motors, where she held roles spanning manufacturing, engineering and government relations. She subsequently moved into technology, consulting and financial services, holding leadership positions at Rogers Communications, Deloitte Canada, BMO Financial Group and TD, where she served as Director of the Agile Centre of Excellence / Delivery Transformation.
She went on to become a founding member and executive of ADAPTOVATE's Canadian practice, helping establish and grow its management consulting business. She subsequently joined Interac, where she led enterprise agile transformation and enablement. Most recently, she joined Centrilogic's Business Transformation Practice, bringing her extensive experience in enterprise transformation, strategic execution and organizational change to complex client engagements involving AI and business transformation.
“The things I've been building have changed, but the engineering mindset has stayed with me: understand the problem, work within constraints, test assumptions, learn, and keep improving,” says Chan.
“Western also taught me that engineering is a team sport. The most interesting problems I've worked on throughout my career have never been solved by one person or one discipline.”
Giving back to the profession and the next generation
Chan's commitment to the engineering profession extends well beyond her professional career. She previously served as President and Chair of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers and currently serves as Vice-Chair of Camp 1, leading the planning and delivery of the Calling of an Engineer (aka the Iron Ring ceremonies) in the GTA. Her governance contributions also include recent appointments to the Western University Board of Governors and the Council of Professional Geoscientists Ontario.
Her contributions have been recognized through numerous honours, including being named as a Fellow of Engineers Canada (2019), receiving the Professional Engineers Ontario Order of Honour (2020), and recognized as a WXN Top100 Most Powerful Women in Canada (2022). For Chan, that commitment has roots in her own experience at Western. As a student, she benefited from the support of Heather Campbell, who was a few years ahead of her in Engineering. Campbell shared notes, offered advice about courses and professors, and encouraged Chan to run for VP Academic.
“None of those things may sound enormous individually, but having someone who had already travelled the path say, in effect, ‘You can do this, and here's what I've learned,’ made a real difference,” says Chan.
That experience continues to inform how she supports others.
“Mentorship isn't about telling someone which path to take. It's about helping them see possibilities they may not have seen for themselves, giving them access to what you've learned, and ultimately leaving them with more choices.”
Staying connected to Western
A three-time Western graduate, Chan earned a bachelor of engineering science in mechanical engineering in 1999, a bachelor of arts in English in 2000 and an MBA from Ivey Business School in 2010.
She has maintained her connection to Western through service and student engagement. She joined the Dean’s Advisory Council for Western Engineering in 2015, delivered the keynote address at the 2014 Women in Engineering Networking Brunch and spoke at Undergraduate Engineering Society conferences focused on first-year integration and professional development.
“Western has given me a great deal, so staying connected has always felt natural,” says Chan. “I enjoy working with students and young engineers in particular because they're at a point where there are so many possible directions their lives and careers can take.”
Her advice to those students reflects the unexpected turns of her own career.
“My advice would be not to feel that you need to have your whole career mapped out. I certainly didn't. Keep learning, stay curious and leave yourself room to explore opportunities you hadn't anticipated.”
Western Engineering congratulates Karen Fong Chan on her outstanding achievements. Her professional leadership, service to the engineering community and commitment to mentorship continue to inspire and support the next generation of engineers.
Karen Fong Chan will receive the L.S. Lauchland Engineering Alumni Medal at the Western Engineering Leaders’ Reception in Toronto on November 12, 2026.
