TSA CONNECT 2025: Newcomers

We know it can be difficult to make connections when moving to a new place—let alone an entirely new country—but don't worry, the TSA has your back! For our last TSA CONNECT of 2025, we’re excited to once again put our focus on internationally-trained professionals and newcomers seeking to establish their career paths in Canada.

And who better to answer questions about moving to a new country than our Featured Guests who have all successfully navigated transitioning their lives and careers to Canada—each in their own unique way! With degrees, licenses, and professional experience from South Africa to Venezuela, Algeria to India, our amazing lineup of guests will share how they have managed to translate their experiences into a variety of career paths in their new home in Toronto, including traditional architectural practice, working at suppliers and vendors, public sector employees, and more.

Join us for a fun and insightful evening, make some connections, and hear some of the many stories and advice on career paths, job searching, and more from our amazing Featured Guests!

Schedule

6:30 PM — Doors Open

7:00 - 8:00 PM — Structured Networking Sessions

8:00 - 9:30 PM — Mix and Mingle

Light refreshments will be served and a cashless cash bar will be available (debit, credit, Apple Pay, or Google Pay only).

Featured Guests

For this session, we have a diverse lineup of internationally trained Featured Guests who represent a wide variety of paths and industry careers in the architecture and city-building community. Visit our website to learn more about each of them.

More Featured Guests will be added as they are confirmed.

• Abdenour Arar, Arcadis
• Adriana Sartini, GBCA
• Andrew Caldwell, Brian O'Brian Architect
• Ara Boynarian, Adamson Associates Architects
• Audrey Daudon, Studio JCI
• Duanne Render, Gensler
• Fernando Perez Alvarez, Entuitive
• Jiya Benni, 8 80 Cities
• Kasmin Devashrayee, Turner Fleischer Architects Inc.
• Mahdie Irannejad, NORR
• Maria Urdaneta, MillerKnoll
• Marcela Miranda, Metrolinx
• Sabrina Castellanos, Q4 Architects
• Sakshi Sood Joshi, BDP Quadrangle
• Shima Bagherzadeh, Stantec
• Zeynep Benk, PLANT

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About the TSA CONNECT Series

Join the Toronto Society of Architects for evenings of networking and relationship building as Featured Guests from Toronto’s architecture and design industry share their experiences, perspectives and advice on issues of practice, career, and life. Each session will feature new guests, topics and small group discussions, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and form connections with our Featured Guests. Sessions, guests, and dates are announced in the TSA Bulletin as they are confirmed with limited tickets for each session, so make sure to sign up so you don’t miss out!

This event is free for TSA Members using the discount code found in the TSA Bulletin and on your Member Dashboard! Not a member yet? Membership is open to everyone and you can join here (student memberships are free!).

Above photo by Yianni Tong.

This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of Arcadis and Stantec.

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Host or Publisher Toronto Society of Architects