2016 Women in Real Estate: Christina Galati

Christina Galati, FXFOWLE

Name: Christina Galati

Title: Architect

Email: [email protected] 

Years in real estate: 5

Company Name: FXFOWLE

Year Founded: 1978

URL: http://www.fxfowle.com/

Telephone: 212.627.1700

Twitter @FXFOWLE

How did you get your start in real estate?

After graduate school I was fortunate to begin working almost immediately at FXFOWLE based on the recommendation of a close friend who was working there at the time.

What real estate associations or organizations are you a member of?

American Institute of Architects; American Institute of Architects, New York Chapter; United States Green Building Council (USGBC); Urban Green Council (NYC)

What recent project or transaction are you most proud of?

A recent project that I am proud of is the new School of Nursing for Columbia University. I worked on the project from conceptual design through construction documents and the project is now under construction. It was an invaluable experience and will be a great new asset to the school.

What recent honor, achievement or recognition has meant the most to you and why?

I recently passed all of my ARE exams and became a registered architect in the state of New York. This means a lot to me because the licensure process is a rigorous system that requires a lot of dedication and hard work. Once completed, it is an asset that I will have for the rest of my career.

What have been some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor?

I have been fortunate to have many mentors throughout this early phase of my career. Each one is helpful in providing unique advice, guidance and support, for both long term career planning goals as well as short term project specific situations. I have also been lucky enough to serve as a mentor for designers who are right out of school. The experience is rewarding. I try to give the support and guidance I have received.

Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why?

I think the strongest influence on my career is knowing that architecture and the built environment has a huge impact on the quality of people’s lives and the environment. This belief is what fuels my passion for design and great architecture.

What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you?

Checklists. I have always been an avid list maker and find this skill to be extremely helpful at work. Outlining tasks, establishing priorities and setting milestones is key to getting things done in a timely way.

What is the best advice you have received and who was it from?

The best piece of advice I have received was that there is something to be learned from every experience. When I first started working, I had a mentor who told me that the first seven years of your architecture career are critical and that you need to learn and absorb as much as you can. He said that with each project or task I should ask what can I learn or how can I improve upon what I already know.