Category: Spotlight Content

What inspires you: As an immigrant, I feel privileged to have be able to pursue my passion and earn a master of science in Architectural Acoustics from RPI. I am honored to work in an industry, and specifically in a company, where people from diverse backgrounds are welcomed and celebrated.

What inspires you? My desire to meet people from all walks of life and to discover different cultures motivated me to move to Boston from Brussels, right after I graduated from college. At Acentech it is wonderful to have a group of female colleagues who are always very kind to share their knowledge and advice, not only on a professional level but on a personal level as well.

What are you doing differently in 2019 that has had a positive impact on your career? I was recently deployed to the Middle East for the majority of 2018. I am extremely grateful to be home and grateful for the support from Lee Kennedy upon my return. While overseas, I assumed a similar role to that of an owner’s project manager.

What project, transaction, honor or accomplishment are you most proud of? When I first saw the sad state of the 267-foot Ayer Mill Clock Tower in Lawrence, once the symbol of America’s textile industry, made possible by generations of hardworking immigrants, I wanted to restore it.

Who are three women – living or dead – that you would like to have drinks with and why? 1. Ruth Bader Ginsburg because she has been influential in her career in so many facets of equal rights.

What is the best leadership advice you have ever received? Who was it from? From my mother: be humble and self-aware and accept that you cannot be an expert in everything. Don’t be afraid to take guidance and advice from the outside and build your network accordingly!

What was your first job and what did you learn from it? The first job I had was cleaning cottages on the weekends at the age of 13. This taught me a great amount about responsibility and work ethic. Some of these houses would be trashed, because the previous tenants didn’t have any respect for the property.

Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? Leaving my first job out of college and starting at Acella. I have learned that a working environment where you really fit in outweighs most other benefits!

What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first job was managing a snack bar at a local pool club. I learned many things from working there. I was responsible for managing a budget, inventory, employees, and client expectations. The biggest thing was it helped me begin to manage people

Who are three women – living or dead – that you would like to have drinks with and why? Rachel Carson, Alice Waters, and Rosalind Franklin. Their bodies of work inspire me, period. The fact that they were in the gender minority of their respective fields is kind of icing on the cake. I would be interested to hear all three talk about their work and its cultural context, because it seems like they each homed in on these somewhat subversive topics that were way ahead of their time.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it? I worked on a ranch in Wyoming for two summers during high school! While there, I learned the importance of hard work and the results one can achieve when they put their mind to something. I learned how to take initiative, ask questions, and solve problems – skills I use every day in both my personal and professional life. 

Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? The Chase 1 was a game changer for me. I was an assistant project manager, hungry to do more, I took it upon myself to jump in with the field team and get the amenity area turned over on time for the client.