Lesley Foy named in Top 10 Under 40 as industry future leader

Every year, Rock to Road asks the roadbuilding and aggregate sectors to acknowledge its best and brightest. And every year, you never disappoint. Lesley Foy, Senior Agrologist and Partner at Aspen Land Group in Edmonton, Alta., was named as one of the recipients of the award.

Lesley Foy has always enjoyed working within the natural resources sector in an environmental role. Her interest was sparked after job shadowing her father and his colleague, Michele Corry, when they worked for Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP).

“They were doing oil and gas authorizations and I job shadowed them. That led me toward the path of environmental management,” Lesley says.

While attending the University of Alberta in 2008 with a degree in Environmental Science, Lesley got her start in environmental consulting alongside Michele for a company in the oil and gas sector. After receiving her degree, Lesley decided to jump into the aggregate sector for a short time before joining Alberta Environment and Sustainable Development as a reclamation approvals coordinator. She spent four-and-a-half years there before joining Aspen Land Group, an environmental and regulatory consulting company dedicated to the aggregate industry.

“My dad was at the government for sand and gravel and thought I should try that out. I’m more or less following my father’s footsteps. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor,” she says.

Among the main individuals that have impacted Lesley’s career, Michele Corry has played a significant role with her support and mentorship from the beginning of Lesley’s career.

“In addition to managing the company’s finances and administration, Lesley always goes the extra mile to ensure excellent client service and mentorship to her employees,” Michele says.

Lesley has now been working in the public and private sectors of the sand and gravel industry for over 10 years and is currently an owner of Aspen Land Group alongside Michele Corry, her father and brother. She is extremely passionate about working on legislation with the sector that can benefit both producers and the environment.

Lesley Foy, Senior Agrologist and Partner at Aspen Land Group. Submitted photo

“I’m keen to the legislation and how it applies to regulations and finding solutions within the legislation for pit operations to abide by the rules while being environmentally conscious – meeting all those requirements while being cost effective and meeting their business demands. Those unique scenarios that require innovative solutions and require solutions through legislation to give operators an edge require thinking out of the box. It’s those unique scenarios that make the job interesting,” she says. “I thought I would miss [Alberta Enivonrment] moving back to the consulting world, but the opportunity that ASGA has provided me has put me back into the position where I get to be in both worlds I enjoy: solving problems and informing on legislation and guidelines.”

Lesley is currently the Chairperson of the Alberta Sand and Gravel Association’s (ASGA) Land and Environment Committee and has been on the committee since 2013. As chairperson of the committee, she has played an integral role in several policy and regulatory initiatives including: the passing of Bill 31 in just six weeks, an unprecedented achievement for the ASGA; significant contribution and coordination in the preparation of the ASGA Permitting Report, a recommendations document related to delays and inconsistencies on environmental permitting in Alberta; and is an ASGA representative for the regulatory policy review framework redesign and reclamation criteria for sand and gravel pits in Alberta.

She also sits on Lakeland College’s Advisory Committee for the Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Management (BASEM) program. This committee is dedicated to improving the program by keeping the BASEM program relevant to industry and regulations.

In her spare time, Lesley believes in helping those in need, and uses her favourite past-time to offer assistance.

“Lesley and Aspen Land Group feel it is important to give back to the community and charities, particularly the Edmonton Women’s Shelter,” Michele says. “As a talented quilter, Lesley enjoys creating beautiful hand sewn quilts. Many of these quilts are donated to the Edmonton Women’s Shelter to make a difference in the lives of women and their children.”