The Canadian Institute of Planners’ 2025 Emerging Leaders Program brought together early-career planners from across the country to connect, learn, and grow as leaders in the profession.
In this Q&A, we catch up with Laura Lebel-Pantazopoulos, a program participant, who shares her key takeaways from the program, personal highlights, and advice for other emerging planning professionals.
What inspired you to apply to CIP’s Emerging Leaders Program, and what did you hope to gain from the experience?
I came across the Emerging Leaders Program on the CIP website. I was reading through some of the blog posts from previous years’ participants and felt that it would be a great growth experience for me as a planning consultant who was starting to manage larger projects and other people in my role. I was hoping to gain some inspiration from others to see how they go about leading teams of people and making an impact as planners.
How has participating in the Emerging Leaders Program influenced your perspective on leadership within the planning profession?
The Emerging Leaders Program helped to instill some of the “basics” of good leadership as well as leadership skills that are specific to planning. Through discussions with peers and learning from guest speakers with a ton of leadership experience, I gained clarity and a goal to be a leader who is thoughtful, raises others up, brings an optimistic presence, shares knowledge, and focuses the team on good planning with a big-picture perspective. Hearing the career trajectory, successes, and mistakes of some of our speakers taught me that being a great leader in planning is not a clear-cut path – you need to consider your own values, and find (or make) a work environment where you and those around you have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships and do good work.
Can you share a highlight or memorable moment from your time at the ACTION 2025 conference as part of the program?
It’s not just one moment – but I think our breakfasts and dinners with the other program participants were some of my favourite parts of my conference experience. Regrouping after conference sessions to discuss takeaways and how they apply in our planning experience across Canada allowed us to dive deeper into the questions the sessions raised. Also, getting to know each other and sharing our opinions over good food made the conference a more enjoyable and enlightening experience. It’s a built-in group of conference buddies. It also helps when you are lost in the conference corridors to have a group of people to message!
How has the program helped you build meaningful connections within the planning community?
Since Emerging Leader Program participants are planners from across Canada, it really built my network and widened my perspective of planning issues beyond my province of Ontario. At special receptions during the conference, I had the opportunity to meet and speak with some CIP Board of Directors and OPPI Council members. Talking one-on-one with all these planners who work so hard and think so deeply about the trajectory of planning as a profession was really inspiring to me, and they were all so invested in us and took the time to connect and discuss issues we were interested in. At the conference, I also ran into a lot of planners that I have been working with (sometimes for years) and had never met in person, which was amazing!
What advice would you give to future applicants considering the Emerging Leaders Program?
I would say “apply”! The Emerging Leaders Program is a rare opportunity to spend time focusing on your own development as a planner in a space where you can be honest and transparent about your questions, doubts, and aspirations. I think that, as planners, we all came to the profession with shared goals to advocate for good planning, but we can sometimes feel a little lost or constrained within the limits of our role within the profession, whether we work in the public, private, or non-profit sector. I heard from many other participants that they felt more inspired and reconnected to the planning community coming out of the program, and that it changed how they approached their work every day. I felt that myself as well. I’ve become more reflective about how I can make an impact in my day-to-day as a consultant and in my career overall.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with CIP members?
Just a huge thanks to Natalie Persaud RPP, MCIP, and Laurie Langlois, CIP’s Manager of Member Engagement for putting together the program, running it so smoothly, and creating so many opportunities for connection throughout the experience. The team behind the Emerging Leaders Program cares about your experience and wants to support you in your leadership goals. They show this through their presence, actively seeking input from participants, and adapting the program based on the group’s needs.
About the Author
Laura Lebel-Pantazopoulos is a Registered Professional Planner and a Senior Planner at The Biglieri Group Ltd., based in the Greater Toronto Area. She leads planning applications for a wide range of projects across Ontario, including mid-and high-rise development, residential subdivisions, shopping centre re-development, and industrial sites. Laura believes that flexible process and good communication are at the heart of every successful project, and advocates for creative and practical solutions to facilitate development with mutual benefits for all. Laura holds a Master of Planning in Urban Development from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Bachelor of Industrial Design with Distinction from Ontario College of Art and Design University.
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