Features Features Women in Forestry
Next-gen leaders: Meet Dianna Embleton

This year marks the 10th edition of CFI’s Top 10 Under 40 award, where we celebrate the bright young champions of our industry. We are very proud to present our industry’s top of the crop – the young leaders, innovators, change-makers, mentors who achieved so much at a young age, inspiring others, and giving back to their communities.

To acknowledge and highlight each winner’s contributions, CFI will feature one of 2022’s winners every week for the next 10 weeks.

This time, we introduce our readers to Dianna Embleton, continuous improvement advisor for Tolko Industries in Armstrong, B.C.

With 14 years of experience at Tolko, Dianna works closely with 16 divisions across the company, determining ways they can improve their operations – whether it be in safety, production, efficiency, or employee engagement.

The 39-year-old has become the go-to resource for solving some of Tolko’s most complex problems. She is also responsible for the co-ordination of Tolko’s wide data gathering system and was involved with the implementation of a new standard that will drastically improve the safety of workers in and around electrical systems. The UBC alumnae is also involved with bringing up the next generation of sawmill leaders, as she works with BCIT to develop and enrol people in their wood products programs. As well, she is leading a project with UBC engineering students to find innovative alternatives for wood ash.

“Dianna is the unsung hero of our industry, and she deserves this recognition 10 times over,” says co-worker Jessica Rempel, a 2019 recipient of CFI’s Top 10 Under 40 award.

“She is always striving to make improvements wherever she goes … and is the kind of person that makes you feel like you can accomplish your goals and she will give you the support you need to do so,” Rempel adds.

Next week we will showcase the achievements of winner Calvin Lee.