I wanted to help eliminate obstacles and level the playing field for women in the workplace — as much as I could at least.
Ezgi Cagatay, Coordinator, Facilities and Events
Ezgi Cagatay, Michener’s facilities and events coordinator, has followed her natural sense of exploration to a career in event management and community building. It was not at all part of the plan, but she’s always been someone willing to entertain other options.
“I always seem to end up doing is something that is slightly adjacent to what I was expecting to do,” Ezgi says, with a laugh.
“I feel like I have this vision of how my life is going to go and it never ends up quite there, but even when life leads me somewhere unexpected it turns out that it’s taking me to the right place to be.”
Ezgi was born and raised in Türkiye to parents who both worked as engineers — her mother ran her own electrical engineering business. Ezgi says living in Canada was frequently a topic of conversation as her parents wanted to come over, but that plan was held back from them by obligations and other restraints.
This may have helped Ezgi unknowingly prepare for the move herself.
“I went to a French high school — that is not common in Türkiye, but I just wanted to learn French as I had always planned to live somewhere else,” she says. “While I never thought that place would be Canada, subconsciously I may have been preparing for it.”
Ezgi arrived in Canada at the age of 16 and completed boarding school. She initially enrolled at Queen’s University for psychology, but upon discovering gender studies she switched majors. She would go on to complete an undergraduate and master’s degree in gender studies at Queen’s.
“My mom did serve as an inspiration for me in that regard,” Ezgi says. “She graduated from engineering as only 1 of 4 women in her class, and I know she struggled as a female small business owner.”
“I wanted to help eliminate obstacles and level the playing field for women in the workplace — as much as I could at least.”
While at Queen’s, Ezgi also delved into event management when she co-chaired her department’s student council. This would help lay the foundation for her future career, as upon graduation she worked to coordinate events for members of the non-profit Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada).
“I never expected a career in events, but I found this line of work fit my personality so well,” she says. “I enjoyed being the one to help bring communities together.”
The day Ezgi came to interview at Michener, as she waited in the main lobby and watched the scrolling slides go across the video board, she realized that she had found her next unexpected place to be.
Ezgi says a string of ads appeared on the board that promoted Michener’s Diversity, Inclusion, Values and Equity (DIVE) committee, the Michener Gitigan — an Indigenous garden located on-site — and the staff social club. Each one caught her attention.
“It felt like I had stumbled upon this place that supported a great cause and had all these incredible clubs that spoke directly to my interests,” she says. “It just seemed so cool, and I knew then that I wanted to be here.”
Since her arrival, Ezgi has assumed the role of co-chair of Michener’s DIVE committee, joined the Michener Social Club’s planning committee and volunteered with the Gitigan.
Ezgi says she chose this position at Michener because of how well it aligned with her personality, but the impact the institution has on the health system has made her proud to be part of this community.
“The diverse nature of events that I get to help organize, and the balance of creativity, physical work and problem solving involved, it keeps my role dynamic and fulfilling,” she says. “It’s the kind of environment where I truly thrive, which is why I enjoy it so much.”
“I also think our cause is very impactful,” she says, “and although sometimes it might not feel like my role is directly affecting the future health professionals heading out into hospitals and clinics, I know that big picture it is — in its own way.”
“It makes me really happy to be a part of it.”