What made you interested in seeking a career in the AEC industry? I have always enjoyed art, design, and thinking outside the box. As I got older, I developed an interest in learning how things worked and problem-solving. After taking a high school physics class, I focused my college search on design schools with engineering and/or architecture programs, and then selected the University of Vermont due to its location and size. While in college, I learned about sustainable stormwater management and fell in love with the many technologies and strategies used to mitigate stormwater runoff resulting from land development. It has been extremely rewarding to see a design incorporated into a project’s landscape and to know that it is both benefitting the project as well as the environment surrounding it.

What tips or advice would you offer to other women who are considering entering the AEC industry? Follow your instincts and go for it! The industry is a vast but small place. If you start out in one corner of it today, you may end up in a different corner 10 years from now; a corner you may never have known existed. It is also likely you’ll cross paths with familiar professionals throughout your entire career, so continue to build relationships.

You never know how that relationship might impact your personal life or professional development in the future. Also, do not lose sight of the work you’ve done as an individual, and what ultimately brought you to this point in your life and career. Make your own path and enjoy the process.