I Am Inter Pipeline: Leader of the Pack with Alicia Pope

On weekends, Alicia Pope trades the worksite for the rally obedience ring, competing alongside her dog Cloe where success depends on teamwork, communication and technical skill.

“Success in rally obedience trials relies on your relationship with your dog,” Alicia says. “If your communication isn’t clear or you’re not in sync, things can go sideways pretty quickly.”

Alicia has worked at Inter Pipeline’s Heartland Petrochemical Complex as a Health and Safety Supervisor for more than 5 years. A lot of the things that make her successful at HPC are transferrable to her commitment to coaching her dogs. What started as a way to help her dogs build confidence has grown into a skillset that’s shaped how Alicia approaches challenges far beyond the competition ring.

When something doesn’t go according to plan at the plant, or with the dogs, the issue can often boil down to uncertainty. Rally obedience training reinforces the importance of clear communication, trust and the willingness to pause, listen and adjust. Alicia applies that approach at work every day.

“Alicia is a valued part of the Heartland Team. She leads by example and really lives our values in how she shows up and gets the work done. She’s always looking for ways to improve how we do things, without ever losing sight of doing it safely. She takes on challenges head-on and her work in Rally Obedience reflects that same drive and commitment we see from her every day. She’s built a strong career with IPL, and it’s great to see her continuing to grow,” says James Williams, Senior Manager, Heartland HSSE.

Whether guiding her dog through a rally course or supporting teams on site, Alicia brings a focused approach rooted in communication, continuous improvement and a shared commitment to doing better every day.