Where Leadership Meets Humanity: A Conversation with Michele (Ouimet) Zorzi

As heard on the Breaking Ground: Women in AEC Leadership podcast

At Colliers Engineering & Design, our vision of advancing the built environment begins with empowering the people who shape it. In a recent episode of Breaking Ground: Women in AEC Leadership, Michele (Ouimet) Zorzi, Senior Director of Marketing, joined host Reanna Dempsey to share her personal journey, one defined by continuous growth, leadership grounded in empathy, and a commitment to lifting others along the way.

With more than 17 years at the firm, Michele has seen Colliers Engineering & Design evolve through rapid expansion, acquisitions, and opportunities that pushed both the organization and its people forward. Her own career has followed a similar path. A background in design eventually led her into the AEC industry, a place she admits she never expected to be but quickly embraced. “When I came into this firm, I remember saying, ‘I’ll stay as long as my job keeps changing and growing,’” Michele shared. “Seventeen years later, it’s still growing, and so am I.”

A significant part of Michele’s leadership journey has been her work co-founding Colliers Engineering & Design’s Women’s Organization, an Employee Resource Group (ERG) created alongside Chief People Officer Allison Colantuoni to strengthen culture, support retention, and create meaningful spaces for employees to grow and connect. Launched at a time when ERGs were far less common in AEC, the group helped set a new standard within the firm by offering development opportunities, building community, and encouraging broader participation across teams and disciplines.

The Women’s Org’s growth over the years reflects its impact. What started as small initiatives and early leadership panels has become a companywide program that helps employees build skills, confidence, and meaningful relationships. For Michele, it’s also been a way to give back while strengthening retention and culture, a theme she returns to throughout the episode.

Her conversation with Reanna also touches on a deeply personal chapter: Michele’s experience battling cancer. She shares how it reshaped her understanding of vulnerability and the importance of showing up authentically even, and especially, during challenging times. “I used to think I had to keep everything private, to just power through. But sharing your story can give others strength. Leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about being human,” Michele shared.

Michele’s reflections offer an honest look at modern leadership. One rooted in empathy, self-awareness, and the courage to keep evolving.

To hear Michele’s full conversation and explore her insights on leadership, resilience, and creating spaces where everyone can succeed, listen to her episode on Breaking Ground: Women in AEC Leadership.