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• Western Engineering alum Regan Stewart reflects on courage and leadership at Lynda Shaw Memorial Lecture

Western Engineering alum Regan Stewart reflects on courage and leadership at Lynda Shaw Memorial Lecture

(L-R) Murray Taylor, Carol Taylor, Regan Stewart, Women in Engineering Co-Presidents, Kate Selby and Grace Neville; Lynda Shaw Memorial Award winner Malaina Choy, Ken Coley, Anthony Straatman. (Western Engineering)

Western Engineering welcomed Regan Stewart, BESc’94, chief operations officer at Jamieson Wellness Inc., as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Lynda Shaw Memorial Distinguished Lecture.

Held in honour of Lynda Shaw, a third-year mechanical engineering student whose life was tragically cut short in 1990, the annual lecture brings together students, faculty and alumni to reflect on leadership, resilience and the impact engineers can have on society.

“It’s an absolute privilege to be invited to speak here today and an even greater honour to do so in remembrance of Lynda Shaw,” Stewart said. “Although I didn’t know Lynda personally, I was a first-year mechanical engineering student at the time and remember how deeply the loss impacted our engineering community.”

Stewart reflected on what she learned about Shaw’s character—qualities she said continue to define strong leaders in engineering.

“Leadership in engineering is not defined solely by technical excellence,” Stewart said. “It’s defined by courage, curiosity, continuous learning and the strength of the relationships we build.”

From Western Engineering to executive leadership

More than 30 years ago, Stewart sat in the same lecture halls as the students in attendance. After graduating from Western with a degree in mechanical engineering, she began her career working in HVAC design before completing an MBA while working full-time.

Her career later expanded into manufacturing engineering and operational leadership roles across supply chain, human resources and sustainability, ultimately leading to executive leadership roles in industry.

Reflecting on her professional journey, Stewart shared four lessons that shaped her career: courage, lifelong learning, using one’s voice and building strong networks.

Courage builds confidence

Stewart began by speaking about the importance of courage in building confidence.

“Studies show men often apply for jobs when they meet about 60 per cent of the qualifications, while women tend to wait until they meet nearly 100 per cent,” she said.

She recalled one of her first experiences as a young engineer conducting a construction site inspection.

“It was intimidating walking into a trailer full of contractors as a young engineer,” she said. “But I gathered my courage, addressed the issues we needed to fix and that’s how we started to build a strong working relationship.”

Confidence, she explained, is built through action.

“Confidence grows through experience and brave action,” Stewart said.

Lifelong learning

Stewart also emphasized that engineering is rooted in continuous learning.

“No engineer is ever finished learning,” she said. “We have to remain curious, learn from our mistakes and keep growing.”

She shared an early career moment when she became stuck trying to find the perfect solution to a manufacturing challenge. Her manager encouraged her to move forward with the option most likely to succeed rather than waiting for perfection.

“That lesson stayed with me,” Stewart said. “Sometimes progress comes from taking action and learning along the way.”

Using your voice

Another key lesson was the importance of speaking up and contributing ideas.

Early in her executive career, Stewart found herself hesitant to speak during leadership meetings.

“I would have a thought but hesitate to share it, and inevitably someone else would say the exact same thing,” she said.

Encouraged by her manager to contribute earlier to discussions, she committed to speaking up.

“Once I started doing it, it became easier every time,” she said. “Your voice doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be heard.”

Building strong networks

Stewart closed by encouraging students to intentionally build professional relationships.

“Strong relationships matter, but we also need broad networks that connect us to opportunities and new perspectives,” she said. “Reach out, ask questions, have coffee with someone. Those connections can grow into something meaningful.”

Honouring Lynda Shaw’s legacy

The Lynda Shaw Memorial Lecture continues to honour Shaw’s legacy by bringing inspiring leaders to Western Engineering to share their experiences and insights with the next generation of engineers.

Stewart encouraged students to carry forward the lessons she shared.

“Start with courage. Embrace lifelong learning. Use your voice and build strong relationships,” she said. “Those lessons will serve you wherever your journey takes you.”