Women leading with impact in infrastructure consulting

CPCS

March 6, 2026

In honour of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, three women from CPCS’s global team share how their work shapes more inclusive and effective infrastructure systems worldwide.

Josianne Pusterla is Vice President of Major Projects in emerging countries, including the Simandou Megaproject in Guinea.
Kitty Chiu is a mobility planner advising on major transportation projects.
Wendy Ayoola is a business analyst supporting the execution of infrastructure projects across Africa.

Josianne Pusterla – Vice President, Major Projects (Guinea)

“Teamwork is the key to success. Together, we are stronger.”

Leading major projects in complex environments takes confidence and collaboration.

“I’ve dedicated my career to developing countries. I started my career internationally right out of university, and I have worked in several environments and contexts that were sometimes complicated by the fact that I’m a woman in a man’s world. But I never felt intimidated.

I learned at a very young age to trust myself and to follow my instincts while also maintaining respectful interactions with others. I had great mentors. Learning to navigate more difficult contexts requires a lot of humility, patience, observation and adaptation. But I also quickly understood that teamwork is the key to success. Together, we are stronger. And since I’ve always had this ambition to be a positive vector of change, I had to be able to rally people, to influence them positively to achieve the major goals I’ve set for myself.

It is therefore about adopting a certain mental posture, focusing on your strengths, getting out of your comfort zone, assuming your ambition and taking advantage of your network! And accept that there is nothing perfect.”

Kitty Chiu – Mobility Planning Lead (United States)

“How we plan and design for infrastructure has an enormous impact on how people experience their day-to-day lives.”

Designing mobility systems through the lens of equity and everyday life.

“Early in my career, I believed that to keep pace with my peers as a working woman with plans for parenthood, I just needed to put in the time and effort to make progress early so that I could weather this welcome disruption to my career.

As I’ve gotten older, and now as the parent to a young child, I’ve come to appreciate much more the systemic challenges that disproportionately impact women, especially those with children and other dependents. Having supportive managers, teammates, and an employer with progressive HR policies and practices is certainly helpful but addresses only one facet of the broader issue.

Returning to work with this new viewpoint has sharpened my focus on what we could do as professionals tackling infrastructure and policy challenges to contribute our part in improving equity more broadly.

Much of my work in mobility is about making it easier for people to get to the places they need and want to go, to the people they need and want to meet, and to get the things and resources that they need and want to get. This is as much about the transport options used to move people as it is about how our societies give access by design.

How we plan and design for infrastructure has an enormous impact on how people experience their day-to-day lives, including whether they feel safe, secure and comfortable enough to make use of the spaces and services we create. The ways in which policies and programs are developed also inherently shape who is positioned to benefit or be burdened, which includes the lengths to which people need to go in order to gain access.

This perspective has changed how I approach my work, and now more than ever, I strive to think more carefully about who our systems work well for, and who has to expend extra time, effort, or risk to use these systems. In mobility and infrastructure, those tradeoffs matter, especially for people balancing competing priorities, such as caregiving, and who have limited flexibility. Bringing this awareness into my work by asking better questions and advocating for more inclusive strategies, feels like a meaningful way to align my professional role with my lived experience.”

Wendy Ayoola – Business Analyst (Nigeria)

“The world needs women who can translate data into development – one pivot table at a time.”

Turning data into decisions that drive development.

“In my role as a business analyst, I combine my technical expertise in data analytics with strategic project coordination skills. My journey has been one of growth and empowerment and I believe today’s world offers unprecedented opportunities for women to thrive in any field they choose, including management consulting.

Today, women are less limited by societal expectations. We now have the chance to excel, lead, and innovate in every sector. Let us continue to support and uplift each other, breaking barriers and shattering stereotypes. Together, we can create a future where every woman can achieve her fullest potential and make a lasting impact on the world.

To aspiring female professionals, let your spreadsheets tell stories that shift policies. Make every dashboard a catalyst for equity in the workplace. The world needs women who can translate data into development – one pivot table at a time.”

CPCS: Better infrastructure solutions. Better lives.