Project Manager
Lendlease Construction
In the past year, what project or accomplishment are you most proud of? I am most proud of the completion of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Koch Ambulatory operating room project. Like most of the jobs we work on, this project was complex, and the project team overcame challenges related to material and equipment delays. Through creative thinking and re-strategizing, along with collaboration from the design and owner’s team, we were able to build out most of the space to accommodate equipment later on in the project. This allowed us to maintain our schedule and turn over the space for use without impacting the end users! It was exciting to grow with this project and take on a larger role with the team as the project progressed.
Which professional associations or organizations would you recommend to women who are starting out in the AEC industry? For women just starting in their career, the Women Builders Council is a great support network. This organization focuses on providing opportunity and education to women in the AEC field and has been a fantastic resource to meet women leaders in our industry. It also provides opportunities to explore different facets of construction not traditionally highlighted, such as legislative advocacy and professional development. The ACE Mentor program has also been a great opportunity to not only give back but understand the roles and processes of our design teams.
What was a pivotal point in your career? The opportunity to work on a project in Washington D.C. with Lendlease reinforced the trajectory of my career. Through this project, I further developed my management and leadership skills as the work environment in D.C. is very different then New York City. Our coworkers are our greatest education tool, and I was able to collaborate with many colleagues from across the Lendlease U.S. regions. This experience afforded me the opportunity to take on more of a leadership role and, upon return to New York, affirmed my abilities to step into more complex work with my current team.
How can AEC companies recruit more women? Supporting the current women within our industry shows that leadership is possible for women. Programs specifically aimed at supporting women leaders are great ways to highlight the talent that currently exists in our field. It is exciting to see many companies start to delineate equality and equity and sponsor more leadership and growth workshops for women in the AEC field. Highlighting these opportunities shows potential employees that there is opportunity for a diverse group of people in our industry.
What is your favorite building in New York? I would say the iconic Empire State Building. During my undergraduate degree at Case Western Reserve University, my professor gave a lecture about the construction of the Empire State Building and highlighted how it only took 13.5 months to build. Given that it was built at the height of the Great Depression and World War II, this was a huge accomplishment for New York. Additionally, growing up, I had an uncle who was a building engineer at the Empire State Building. It was a great reminder of home and the intensity and scale that we build at in New York.
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