Michael Lepage

Humans of Project Controls

Education EN ↓ 5 episodes

Real stories. Real people. Real impact. Behind every Gantt chart, schedule, and risk register is a person with a story to tell. Humans of Project Controls is a series that goes beyond the spreadsheets to spotlight the professionals shaping the future of project controls. Each episode features candid conversations with industry leaders, rising stars, and unsung heroes - diving into their journeys, struggles, triumphs, and the lessons learned along the way.

Author

Michael Lepage

Episodes

“Projects Are Chaos”: Dale Foong on Baselines, Better Decisions, and What’s Next in Project Controls 25.06.2026 50:03

In this episode of Humans of Project Controls, host Michael Lepage meets with Dale Foong to discuss project controls, leadership, and entrepreneurship. They engage in a wide-ranging conversation on what project controls looks like in the real world, and where the profession is heading. As co-host of the Project Chatter and Gen AI Podcast, Dale shares the significance of active listening. He also e...

Dr. Ali Montaser on Mega Projects: Why “On Time & On Budget” Is a Myth 28.05.2026 56:02

In this episode of Humans of Project Controls, host Michael sits down with Dr. Ali Montaser, Vice President of Project Controls at Accenture Canada, to talk about the real side of delivering mega projects. Ali shares his journey from civil/structural engineering in Egypt to leading project controls across transit, rail, energy, oil & gas, and hydropower in Canada, the U.S., and the Middle East...

Stop Trusting the Tool: How Great Project Controls Leaders Think (Sedat Akkaya) 28.04.2026 46:55

In this episode of Humans of Project Controls, Plan Academy’s Michael Lepage sits down with Sedat Akkaya, Director of Project Controls at Hydro One Toronto, to unpack the human side of project controls and why the tool should never become the goal. Sedat shares his career journey from studying civil engineering in Turkey to a defining co-op experience in Russia (1991) that sparked his passion for...

Starting Over in Canada: Ernesto Llorens on Leadership, Project Controls and Having Fun 02.04.2026 47:18

In this episode of the Humans of Project Controls Podcast, Michael Lepage sits down with Ernesto Llorens, Head of the Project Management Office at the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).Ernesto shares his journey from Venezuela to Canada, what it was like to rebuild his career from scratch, and the lessons he learned about leadership, communication, vulnerability, and the human side of project contr...

The Pressure Vessel Disaster That Changed How I Schedule Projects 12.02.2026 47:05

Welcome to the very first episode of the Humans of Project Controls podcast! Join host Michael as he sits down with Shoshana Fraizinger, a seasoned project controls professional with deep roots in engineering and nuclear projects. In this candid conversation, Shoshana shares her journey into project controls, the realities behind the technical jargon, and the importance of human connection in a da...