What trends or innovations do you believe will shape the future of your field, and how are you positioning yourself (or your firm) to be at the forefront? I believe the pace of change in technology in the engineering and construction industry is only going to accelerate. For the first 20 years of my career, very little changed. Revit replaced AutoCad and email replaced phone calls, but in the past 5-10 years almost every facet of how we do our jobs on a daily basis has changed. As leaders, we need to be open-minded to new ways of doing things and create a culture where all ideas are welcomed and considered to position us to adapt to the constant changes and advancements.

Who or what has inspired you most in your career, and what advice would you share with the next generation of women entering the A/E/C industry? My love for math and problem solving inspired me to become an engineer, but I found my true passion and inspiration after returning to work following the birth of my first child. I soon realized that I had little to no resources to navigate being a working mom in a male dominated field and a male dominated firm. I was inspired to work toward creating a better environment and culture for the women who would come behind me, and provide the mentorship to support them in their careers.

What’s your favorite way to recharge or get inspired outside of work? Spending time outside, in nature is one of my favorite ways to recharge.