Sarah Elliott-Le Dreff (she/her)

About me

I was born/grew up in: Born in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Grew up in Whitby, Ontario.

I now live in: Markham, Ontario.

I completed my training/education at: Queen's University, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a minor in Physics. Humber College Continued Education, Project Management Certification.

What I do at work

I lead a team that provides cost, schedule, risk, and reporting services to the Darlington New Nuclear Project. This project will build Canada's first grid scale Small Modular Reactor. My day is usually divided into four types of work.  

1. Spending time with the Project Teams: I use this time to learn about any issues they are facing. This includes such things as risks or challenges that might affect the project. It also gives me time to learn about, and celebrate, their successes.
2. Addressing Project Team issues: Here, I work with my section managers to see how best we can use our team to support the Project Team. I also work with my section managers to make sure they have what they need to lead their sections.
3. Supporting my team: I help them with any problems they may be having in project controls strategy. This could be related to such things as cost management, phase gate planning, developing or implementing reports. Other problems could be related to managing the change control process, and ensuring our project schedules are in good quality.
4. Writing, developing and communicating reports. These reports are for various stakeholders and for various project executives. This includes such things as Performance Reports, Board of Directors Reports, and presentations to external stakeholders.

Having a math and physics background supports my day-to-day decision making. It also helps me address many of the technical issues my team faces. This could include performance metrics, financial accounting, and logic.

My career path is

In high school, I always wanted to work for Ontario Power Generation. I wanted to help develop clean energy solutions for the province. In University, I took math and physics courses where I learned the fundamentals of problem solving and nuclear energy. I completed a Co-op term at Ontario Power Generation. This gave me experience at OPG and expanded my network. It enabled me to demonstrate my ability to learn quickly and help others. I believe this experience helped me gain my full-time employment with the company.

I am motivated by

What makes me excited about work is knowing that every day is different. There are always new challenges to solve, and new people to learn from. This also means I’m always working on a project that will not only be beneficial for my company but also for Ontario and Canada. I enjoy collaborating with experts across the nuclear and Project Controls industry. Using a logical approach to solving problems makes work interesting and right for me. I enjoy creating a positive and supportive environment for my team.

How I affect peoples’ lives

My work supports Canada's Climate Change Goals. Being a part of a project with first-of-a-kind technology motivates me. It also provides rewarding and fulfilling feelings. By helping and guiding my team I am also affecting their lives and their careers.

Outside of work I

Outside of work, my favourite place to be is with my family (Husband Perrik, and sons Nate, Ethan and Joshua). We enjoy hiking, biking, camping or skiing. I also love doing Hot Yoga and going for jogs to unwind and disconnect.

My advice to others

My advice to a young person would be to not underestimate the various career paths of math and physics. Through OPG and Project Controls, I'm able to use my math and physics background in ways I never dreamed possible when I was in school. I'd advise everyone to say YES to opportunities to help others. This helps strengthen your team, but these actions will be noticed by leadership and recognized.