2020 Women in Construction: Colleen Barrett, Senior Associate, Interior Designer at Sasaki

What are you doing differently in 2020 that has had a positive impact on your career? I am embracing change and saying ‘yes’ to new opportunities, which has led to more exposure to leadership roles and advancing my career. While this may be a small change to make, it has pushed me out of my comfort zone on numerous occasions. Whether that means being the design lead on a project, participating in a speaking engagement, or joining a new networking group, this small change has ultimately led to positive outcomes and pleasant experiences where I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’m looking forward to continue to saying ‘yes’ and seeing what doors open. 

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? Being a member of the design team for Akamai Global HQ project in Kendall Sq. in Cambridge is my most notable project in the past year and is also my greatest professional achievement. It was so rewarding to have been on the project from the very beginning, and being involved in all aspects of design, including the design of the workspace, company engagement meetings, coordination meetings, construction and the furniture design. It has been gratifying to see the project vision and goals come to life and see employees use the space and connect to each other in ways that weren’t previously possible.