2022 Women in Commercial Real Estate: Kara Chiccarelli, Skanska USA Commercial Development Inc.

What advice would you offer to women getting into the CRE industry? Be inquisitive. Get comfortable being the person asking the questions rather than being the person providing answers. When I started working in development, I quickly recognized there are so many disciplines involved and that you must rely on a cadre of consultants and professionals who are experts in their respective fields. It’s a constant learning process of asking the right questions to get the insight and context you need to arrive at decisions that result in the best outcomes for your project. My advice would be don’t hold back when it comes to getting the information you need – ask away.

Are you part of any CRE organizations? How have they helped your professional development? I’m a member of CREW Boston and NAIOP. Both organizations have been important to my professional development in different ways, and I’m thankful to the team at Skanska for encouraging and supporting my interest in career learning opportunities. NAIOP has great educational programing and is active in governmental policy advocacy, which has helped me stay current with industry news and trends. For me, CREW Boston has been all about making connections with such a strong, established network of female practitioners. I’ve met many great people through CREW and found everyone invested in making meaningful connections and helping each other progress.