2021 Women in Commercial Real Estate: Katherine Cruz, PE, Associate & Project Manager, Hancock Associates

What led you to your current profession? I was interested in engineering but wanted a career that wasn’t too technical and had lots of variety – civil engineering was a great fit! Also my mother, who was bursar at a local university, knew it was important for me to pick a career-centered major before starting college and stick with it. It was great advice.

What are some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor? Mentorship allows us to share enthusiasm and knowledge on new projects and challenges. I find mentorship is great for morale and motivation.

What trends will dominate your industry in the coming months? I think our use of virtual communication will continue to grow. I’ve seen presentations to public boards and agencies, as well as within project teams, become increasingly informative and sophisticated, and often more effective and seamless than meeting in person.

In the past year, what project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of? I am proud that we have been able to remain efficient throughout the challenges of the pandemic. We’ve worked on great projects that have stayed on schedule through permitting and construction and it’s exciting to see them progress!

What is one characteristic that you believe every woman in commercial real estate should possess? I think it’s important to know that we can remain true to ourselves and confident in our abilities while working in a male-dominated industry which can be intimidating.

What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you? I write a new to-do list at the beginning of every week and update it as the week progresses. This helps me prioritize our workload and keep track of upcoming tasks and deadlines.