2024 Women in Construction: Danica Woo, Northstar Project & Real Estate Services

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? My most notable project is with Dartmouth College’s new housing initiative. As their owner’s representative, I support the college’s 10-year vision of bringing 1,000 new beds to students, faculty, and staff. The team and I are managing a ground-up, multi-family residential building, a new housing format for Dartmouth College students. This first of several new structures will have approximately 290 beds in a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartment-style units. Through this project, I work with a highly talented female executive team whose skill and expertise help drive this high-profile and technically challenging project and set an example for women in construction at all levels.

What has been the driving force behind your success in the AEC industry? I think something as simple as my confidence has been the driving force in my success. As a young professional in the industry, my voice can be easily overlooked in such an intense, technical, and male-dominated industry. To have confidence does not require expertise but rather an eagerness to lend a different point of view, an eagerness to learn from my mentors and peers, and to have purpose within my team. My ability to confidently communicate has set me apart and helped open doors to new projects, experiences, and successes.

What is your favorite / most beneficial part of Women in Construction week? My favorite part about WIC week is that it provides a spotlight for project managers like me who are working hard to build their careers. Stories and articles like this help to highlight the smaller successes that can reach audiences of other young professionals who may be starting out in the AEC industry or thinking about joining the industry. While it is inspiring to read about award winners and top female executives in the industry, it is also encouraging to read about my peers with whom I can connect and celebrate.