Symone Parera, Senior Project Manager, EllisDon has been awarded the Toronto Construction Association’s 2022 Best of the Best Sean P. McKenna Young Construction Leaders’ Award.

The Sean P. McKenna Award is presented annually to a "rising star" in the Toronto Construction industry with the admirable qualities that ultimately make them great industry leaders. Winners distinguish themselves by going "above and beyond" the call of duty and by making significant contributions to the overall betterment of the industry.

“Symone is an exceptional professional, leader, and mentor. Her knowledge, vision, and dedication extend beyond her day-to-day activities on the job,” said Andrew Anderson, Senior Vice President, EllisDon. “She is not only committed to her team’s personal and professional development, but also to those young minds of tomorrow.”

Symone started her career at EllisDon in 2010 as a LEED Coordinator and worked on a multitude of projects, including Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex, Brock University and Mirvish Village. As someone who loves to give back, she has held an integral role in the work EllisDon does with Build a Dream, a specialized program that encourages and empowers female students in grades 9-12 to pursue careers underrepresented by women. In addition to her work with Build a Dream, Symone mentors students through the ACE Mentorship Program which aims to get young individuals into the architecture, construction and engineering sectors. Symone is also a ULI Volunteer Classroom Facilitator where she works with high school students and challenges them to think more critically about Urban Plan issues.

To learn more about the Toronto Construction Associations Best of the Best Awards click here: https://www.tcaconnect.com/News-Events/Awards.html