2018 Women in Construction: Jennifer Heikkinen, DPR Construction

Name: Jennifer Heikkinen

Postion: Senior Project Manager

Company: DPR Construction

Years in the A/E/C Industry: 19 years

What associations or organizations are you a member of? I’ve been involved with the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team to raise funds for the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research for 11 years

Why the A/E/C Industry? My father was an electrician so I grew up visiting job sites. I enjoyed seeing a building come together. I would look at the framing and try to figure out what room we were in – where the closets, fixtures, and counters would end up. In school I always enjoyed math and science, so teachers encouraged me to go into engineering. After finishing up my degree in civil engineering and working on several internships in the field on the Central Artery Tunnel project, I realized my preference was to work on-site and see things get put together every day, which is when I decided to pursue a career in construction management in lieu of pure civil engineering.

Advice/Keys to Success: I think the most important thing you can do in this industry is to listen well and ask good questions. The trade foreman love what they do and are happy to talk with you about their craft. I’ve learned so much about what makes a quality detail, why codes have changed to favor different installation practices, and what products are best in which situations from talking to subcontractors in the field. Equally as important is to be timely in answering questions and processing administrative paperwork, from change orders to submittals. It is important to not be the obstacle keeping other project team members from getting their work done. What was your most notable project in 2017? I recently completed Keralink International’s new Boston area cleanroom. They are a non-profit organization with a mission to reverse corneal blindness through transplantation. It is incredibly rewarding to be a part of building a space where the occupants will do such positive work and improve the lives of others through restoring eye-sight. That is the motivation that gets me out of bed every morning.