Category: Spotlight Content

What was your first job and what did you learn from it? I worked for a masonry contractor in Boston, where I quickly learned how few female voices there are in this trade and how important mastering a clear, deliberate, informed voice is when striving for success. Establishing my voice didn’t happen overnight—especially as a newly-graduated project manager—but once I found it, it was a serious game changer.

What are you doing differently in 2019 that has had a positive impact on your career? I think one of the most important things you can do to maintain a successful career is to keep learning. I have made a big effort over the past few years to learn about a new technology or system on every project.

What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? My biggest fear when I started out was failing because I was going into a field I had never worked in. Erland really took the time to foster my learning and allowed me to embrace all of the future opportunities that were presented to me in this role. Having that support has made me truly successful in my position.

What are you doing differently in 2019 that has had a positive impact on your career? I think really taking the time to acknowledge your personal wins has a huge, positive impact on your career. It’s not that you need to humble, brag, or toot your own horn, but you should never downplay your success at work.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first job out of Wentworth Institute of Technology was working with a concrete contractor in Staten Island. It was not my ideal career choice, but the market was weak at the time. After working in the trailer for a few months, I was let go and scrambling to find a new job.

What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? I think, like most women in construction, I feared I wouldn’t get the respect I deserved and that in this male-dominated industry, I wouldn’t be taken seriously. I also feared that becoming a mom three times over would somehow interfere with how I’d be looked at by some of my peers.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it? I started working in my family’s construction business at a young age. I would work on miscellaneous residential and commercial projects with my dad and my papa, whether it be brickwork, tiling, framing, or demolition.

What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? My construction experience began as a field/project engineer at the Dearborn STEM Academy. One of my biggest fears was entering a predominately male dominated industry as a young woman.

What are you doing differently in 2019 that has had a positive impact on your career? I’ve decided that 2019 will be the year that I take charge of my career and stand my ground. It’s the year where I make a difference for myself and for others around me. I believe as a woman in this industry, it is important to assert yourself.

Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? I started working as the sustainable design/LEED consultant and energy efficiency specialist for National Grid in 2006, work that has continued through present day. I built on 13 years of advanced energy efficiency expertise consulting that contributed to crafting their utility incentives programs.

Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? I started working on Swampscott High School as the project architect and took over as project manager when it went into construction. The personal growth that was afforded to me during that project was tremendous.