2023 Women in Construction: Katherine Kenney, Northstar Project & Real Estate Services

What made you interested in seeking a career in the AEC industry? Untraditionally, my interest in the AEC industry was sparked after graduating with an undergrad degree in public relations. Post-graduation, I worked in an admin role at an architecture firm, where I saw firsthand the excitement, pride, and change a real estate project can drive. In the AEC industry, we are constantly creating positive change, whether as big as a ground-up job, changing the skyline, or as small as an office refresh. I knew then I wanted to be more involved and went back to school for a master’s in project management of construction, ultimately becoming an OPM.

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? In the past year, I assisted in successfully delivering Sanofi’s North American headquarters – a project four years in the making which included two buildings totaling over 900,000 s/f. The goal was to consolidate seven R&D facilities and one administration office scattered across Mass. into two adjacent buildings. The consolidation’s main intention was to bring the different departments together to drive collaboration across the science.  Now when walking the 11 floors of the R&D space or sitting in the cafeteria for lunch, I see the different departments intermingling; I can only imagine the incredible discoveries they are making.