Leslie Woo
Chief Planning and Development Officer, Metrolinx
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Leslie Woo is a respected leader with over 25 years of experience building sustainable communities and shaping urban growth in Canada’s fastest-growing urban region, the Greater Toronto Area. Woo recently assumed the role of CEO at CivicAction, a premier civic engagement organization that convenes established and rising leaders from all sectors, backgrounds, and experiences, CivicAction catalyzes actions and impactful solutions to address barriers to inclusion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and beyond. Before joining CivicAction, Woo was at Metrolinx for over a decade, including her time as Metrolinx’s Chief Planning and Development Officer. She is a trisector athlete with experience in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. She is an experience a planner, architect, and community activator. An accomplished leader, Woo was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2017 by WXN, Spacing Toronto’s Transit Changemaker in 2016, and Canada’s Women’s Infrastructure Network’s 2015 Outstanding Leader. Founder of shebuildscities.org, Woo uses her voice and platform to amplify and celebrate other women city builders.