Women in Public Works
The City’s Public Works portfolio exhibits Vaughan’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusivity in employment and encourages applications from qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds. The City believes representation matters, and women belong in all aspects of the community, city and business.
Women in every department within Public Works – Environmental Services; Transportation and Fleet Management Services; and Parks, Forestry and Horticulture Operations – bring knowledge, expertise and experience that are critical to the portfolio. Together, these departments provide a variety of programs and services that directly impact residents and businesses across the city every day. These activities include winter maintenance of municipal roads, sidewalks and pathways; maintenance of parks, boulevards and open spaces; forestry and horticulture services; fleet management of all City vehicles and equipment; traffic services and administration of the crossing guard program; management of garbage and recycling collection; and water, wastewater and stormwater services.
The City is dedicated to educating the community about the opportunities and benefits of working in these departments. This page will feature women from the Public Works portfolio who, along with the City, hope to inspire younger generations to follow in their footsteps.
Meet some of the women in Public Works below:
Vincenza Carelli
Park Attendant I, Parks, Forestry and Horticulture Operations
What is your current position and what do you do?
“I’m a Park Attendant 1. I look after park maintenance with a crew, including debris cleanup, grass cutting, shrub bed maintenance and playground inspections. We make sure that residents and children can enjoy parks in a safe environment.”
Can you tell us about your professional background and what led you to Public Works?
“I’ve worked in different outdoor environments, including at a golf course, which I love. However, I wanted to be part of something bigger – a corporation where I knew I could make a meaningful difference. That’s what led me to apply to the City, where I’ve now worked for 19 years."
What do you love most about working in Public Works?
“I love making a difference and impact on new seasonal workers, teaching and guiding them to do the work properly and safely. I also find it rewarding when residents praise us for our work in our parks, or in the winter when we clean the sidewalk, making it safe for them to walk on.”
Akila Tavarasa
Process and Quality Improvement Specialist, Public Works
What is your current position and what do you do?
“I am currently a Process and Quality Improvement Specialist within Public Works. In this role, I work across our three departments to identify and deliver process improvements that enhance the quality and efficiency of essential service delivery.
My work can range from optimizing operational processes, such as how routes are planned or how work is scheduled, to facilitating workshops with frontline staff and leadership, to identifying opportunities for improvement. At the core of my role is ensuring we continuously improve how we deliver services to residents, making them safer, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of our growing city.”
Can you tell us about your professional background and what led you to Public Works?
“I’ve spent my entire career in the public sector, supported by an educational background in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Toronto. I’ve always been passionate about service delivery, specifically how we can ensure programs and services are delivered with quality, integrity and impact.
Earlier in my career, I worked at the provincial level, supporting initiatives to maintain the quality and integrity of social assistance delivery. That experience really shaped my interest in continuous improvement and the importance of strong systems behind public services.
I joined the City’s Public Works portfolio two years ago, where I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with frontline and operational teams. What drew me and continues to inspire me is the ability to directly support essential services and contribute to improving how we serve our community every day.”
What do you love most about working in Public Works?
“I love that Public Works is truly at the foundation of everyone’s daily life, yet much of the work happens behind the scenes. These teams are the invisible heroes of our city.
From maintaining our parks and open spaces to ensuring safe drinking water to keeping our roads running smoothly, these services are essential, and they impact residents every single day.
I feel incredibly proud to play a role in supporting this portfolio. Through continuous improvement, I’m able to empower the teams behind these services, helping them find better, more efficient ways to do their work and elevating the impact they have on the community.”
Grace Mulcahy
Acting Manager, Traffic Services, Transportation and Fleet Management Services
What is your current position and what do you do?
“I am currently the Acting Manager of the Traffic Services team. I lead and support traffic initiatives throughout the city, including the traffic-calming program, and resolve resident concerns and address day-to-day traffic operations matters.”
Can you tell us about your professional background and what led you to Public Works?
“I have a degree in Civil Engineering from York University. My career began in Public Works at the Region of Peel as a Construction Inspection student in the Water Division. I enjoyed working in local government and, after graduating from university, began working in traffic, as I had always been interested in transportation engineering. I have been working in the City’s Traffic Engineering department for more than three years.”
What do you love most about working in Public Works?
“I love working with the public and making a positive impact on the community. Whether you walk, bike, drive or take transit, traffic impacts all of us. I enjoy having a meaningful impact on residents and visitors in the City, ensuring the roads are safe and moving effectively.”
Jessica Castellucci
Waste Management Co-ordinator, Environmental Services
What is your current position and what do you do?
“I am a Waste Management Co-ordinator in the Environmental Services department. In my role, I support the planning and delivery of waste management programs, including waste reduction and diversion initiatives. I work closely with residents, contractors and internal teams, and I’m often out in the community helping educate and engage people on proper waste practices.”
Can you tell us about your professional background and what led you to Public Works?
“I have a Master of Environmental Applied Science and Management and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, with a focus on sustainability and policy. I started my career with the City in Recreation Services, where I worked directly with residents and gained a strong understanding of municipal operations. I also worked with the Service Vaughan team, engaging with residents regarding any questions, concerns or feedback they had.
Through those experiences, I realized how much I value working in a role that directly supports the community. Combined with my interest in environmental sustainability, it felt like a natural fit to transition into Environmental Services.”
What do you love most about working in Public Works?
“I love seeing the tangible impact of our work on both the community and the environment. Even small changes in how people manage their waste can contribute to being a more sustainable community overall, and it’s rewarding to be part of that. As a lifelong resident of Vaughan, it’s especially meaningful to contribute to the community I’ve grown up in.
I also value the collaborative nature of Public Works. A lot of our work involves engaging with different departments, contractors and community stakeholders to find practical solutions to complex challenges. It’s motivating to be part of a group that genuinely cares about improving services and making the city a better place.”