2019 Women in Building Services: Claudia Castro, Shawmut Design and Construction

Name: Claudia Castro

Title: Project Manager, Luxury Homes

Company Name: Shawmut Design and Construction                

How many years have you been in your current field? 7 years

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? 
Shifting from commercial to residential building and onto the largest project of my career—a renovation of a 1920’s mansion—as the lead project manager. I learned to adapt my methods and approach my client relations differently to provide the best client service and final product.

Which of your philanthropic endeavors are you most proud of? 
Shawmut generously offers a paid day off to volunteer and makes it extremely easy to partake in outreach programs. I have a background in hospitality, and find our monthly Friday soup kitchen service to be profoundly rewarding. 

What does it mean to you to be a team player? 
I manage my teams cooperatively, working hard to identify strengths and delegate accordingly while ensuring I keep people challenged. I value each team member and adapt my own style of approach to ensure we collectively benefit and produce the best work. Without active participation from each person on our team, a project will not succeed.

What trend(s) do you predict to dominate your industry in 2019? 
I’m already seeing an uptick in lifestyle fit-outs over retail spaces. With Amazon coming to New York, I expect we’ll see an increase in luxury residential needs in and around the city.