Women in Construction Week: Many paths, one mission

Did you always want to work in this industry?

I’ve always been drawn to engineering and construction, even as a kid, but I didn’t always want to work in the construction industry.

Only after not enjoying my engineering design internships in college, I explored construction. Here I am, 13 years later, still loving it.

It’s an incredible feeling knowing that every road or bridge we drive on, or every airport we fly in and out of, was built by the people in our industry. With that comes a serious sense of pride and accomplishment.

What do you enjoy most about working in the construction industry?

The best part of the construction industry are the people, hands down. We work with some of the most wonderful people—smart, personable, and hard-working men and women that are proud to work for Skanska.

Being in the EHS field, I can influence how we build our amazing projects—in a safer, healthier, more environmentally-friendly and sustainable way—while still feeling that sense of pride that comes along with working in construction in general.

What are some highlights of your work?

As an EHS Director for Skanska USA Civil, I travel to heavy civil projects up and down the east coast.

One day, I’m riding a crew boat out to a barge where piles are being installed to support a new bridge. Another day, I am walking the cables of the George Washington Bridge all the way up to the top of the tower.

These experiences are the highlights of my career.

What is a part of your job that people would find surprising or unique?

People think that an EHS role is comprised of compliance and enforcing the rules, but it’s so much more than that.

As an EHS Director, I’m continuously learning. Every day, I get a clearer understanding of how our projects are built and the level of effort it takes to build them.

In my role, I’ve also met people from all over the world, all with different backgrounds, that I believe have made me better not only at my job, but a better person overall.

What led you to pursue a career in the development industry?

I didn’t specifically seek out a job in this industry. I began my Skanska career as an Executive Assistant and leaned into my inquisitive nature by asking a lot of questions. 

Skanska USA Commercial Development is a small business unit, so I engaged accounting, legal and our risk management team, which opened the door to the commercial development business.

If my brain is engaged, then my heart will follow. Now, I constantly dream about work, the office and our projects. 

What do you enjoy most about working in the development industry?

I love seeing an idea grow and enjoy being involved in the many processes that are a part of standing up a development!

So much goes into constructing a building—it’s not a simple decision nor one that comes to fruition very quickly. 

It takes vision, planning and insight that involves searching for land, buying a site, hiring consultants to guide the design of the building, and working with the construction side to build it. 

What is the proudest moment of your career?

Becoming a Development Associate, but also supporting this amazing team in Houston and watching them achieve so much in the past ten years. 

I’m a full-time cheerleader, and helping others achieve their goals is a love of mine. 

What are some highlights of your work?

By focusing on learning the business, supporting my team, and implementing the initiatives created for the Commercial Development business unit, I have created a hybrid role as Executive Assistant/Project Administrator. 

Now, other Executive Assistants are more involved in our development projects and have another way to grow within the company.

What led you to pursue a career in the construction industry?

My father is a carpenter, and I grew up watching him build residential houses. In high school, I took shop and woodworking classes, and in college, I became extremely passionate about climate change and environmental issues.

Sustainability consulting within the built environment is the perfect blend of my different interests and has been a rewarding and challenging experience.

Did you always want to work in this industry?

I was certain I wanted to work in sustainability and the opportunity to do so in the construction and real estate industry was the cherry on top!

What is the proudest moment of your career?

Being a mentor for young professionals. I know how challenging and nerve-wracking being new to an industry can be, and supporting and advocating for new employees or people interested in what we do is one way I enjoy giving back.

What are some highlights of your work?

Supporting projects in receiving sustainability certifications, including LEED®, Living Building Challenge and Passive House.

What is the proudest moment of your career?

In 2022, I was asked to be the Chair of the Red Shoe Crew for the Ronald McDonald House of Durham and Wake Counties. This role has opened my eyes to the great things the Ronald McDonald House does for families with sick children.

Over the last two years, we have done yard work, made dinners for wonderful families that deserved a home cooked meal, raised money and improved brand awareness in the Triangle community.

What are some highlights of your work?

I oversee Skanska’s strategic development for North Carolina, and I’m responsible for pursuing projects within our core markets of higher education, healthcare, municipal, K-12 and life sciences.

Through partnerships with our project teams, I work to strengthen our brand in the industry, identify new growth strategies and ensure we have a strong pipeline that aligns with our expertise.

What is a part of your job that people would find surprising or unique?

Business development is about listening and analyzing. A lot of people will tell you what you want to hear, and your job is to analyze each angle to determine a client’s true key issues or concerns for a project.

I feel personally responsible for each project we pursue. I try to know the logistics and phasing of a potential project as well as my project team does. I’m in the trenches with them to win.

What advice would you give young women interested in joining the construction industry?

Find a mentor in the industry and then return the favor and become a mentor once you’re established in your career.

I’ve had many insightful mentors throughout the years, both men and women, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their wisdom, guidance and insight.  

Did you always want to work in this industry?

No, I've worked in HR across a variety of sectors, including public and private. One thing that's been important in my professional growth and development has been to support a variety of workforces.

I'd worked alongside diversity and inclusion (D&I) in my previous role, but never owned the function. I was attracted to Skanska because I was given the opportunity to lead D&I for USA Commercial Development.

What do you enjoy most about working in the development industry?

Learning a new business model and what it takes to be successful supporting the employees within it. I love the creative minds that work together to deliver these tangible outcomes, which are quite beautiful!

I also love how our focus on sustainability is our differentiator in this industry.

What are some highlights of your work?

I’m responsible for implementing our business unit’s D&I strategy, managing the talent management and talent development function, and influencing the cultural transformation.

I rely on my background in psychology and education to make an impact with every individual, team and the business unit overall.

What advice would you give young women interested in joining the development industry?

It’s not any different than most industries, but it lacks equal representation, especially in leadership. We need more women to add innovative perspectives and thinking.

What led you to pursue a career in the construction industry?

Growing up in New York, I was amazed by the built environment around me. I loved creating and problem solving, and I excelled in math and science courses, so I studied civil engineering in college.

My first internship was with a design firm. I came to Skanska the following summer and I knew right away that construction was a better fit for me.

I love the excitement of being on site, the focus on teamwork and collaboration, and the opportunity to make a tangible impact. 

What is the proudest moment of your career?

Successfully opening the roadway network at LaGuardia Airport. I started on the project as an intern and continued my work there as a field engineer after joining Skanska full time.

I was fortunate enough to see the full cycle of road and bridge construction from foundation to completion. As a New Yorker, it was incredibly rewarding to make such a positive impact on my community.

What are some highlights of your work?

One highlight of my work has been successfully integrating drone technology into the Skanska Civil Northeast team’s operations.

By utilizing drones, we can obtain a comprehensive visualization of our projects and extract useful data, leading to improvements in collaboration, safety, efficiency and cost savings.

What is a part of your job that people would find surprising or unique?

Part of my role on the Harmon Yard project is to manage the architectural scope of work.

I was surprised by the intricate level of detail involved and how often I need to collaborate with the architect to ensure we are aligned with the design intent and the client’s vision.

Even something as simple as selecting a grout color for tile involves a lot of thought and decision making.

Did you always want to work in this industry?

I was interested in becoming an architect when I was younger, but I ultimately pursued a degree in teaching.

I joined Skanska while waiting to start graduate school and enjoyed working with the project team and learning about building, so I delayed going back to school for several years.

Eventually, I completed my Master of Arts in Teaching, which opened the door to new opportunities within Skanska. First with our Healthcare Center of Excellence (COE) and then the USA Building Learning Council team.

What is the proudest moment of your career?

Being a founding member of the Northwest Skanska Women’s Network (SWN) Chapter. SWN provided me with an opportunity to meet new people, give back and support others.

What is a part of your job that people would find surprising or unique?

Recording narration for some of the courses available in the Skanska Learning Center.

What advice would you give young women interested in joining the construction industry?

Get outside of your comfort zone and grow. This can include volunteering for a new task within your team, learning a new skill, joining a new committee or taking on a new role.

What led you to pursue a career in the construction industry?

I’ve always been drawn to the built environment and the way it facilitates human connection. Buildings can foster community, healing and learning.

What is the proudest moment of your career?

Researching jobsite robotics at the Autodesk Technology Center, and then presenting at Autodesk University on my research with the Boston Dynamics Spot mobile robotic platform.

What are some highlights of your work?

I love getting to help project teams solve problems. There are endless opportunities to make our projects safer, more efficient and more insightful using data analytics and technology.

Another highlight has been designing and implementing the Ideation Labs hackathon which has generated over 30 different projects.

This internal hackathon allows employees to work on problems that impact their day-to-day work. Many of these projects have been scaled nationally to help Skanska across the U.S!

I also manage the drone program on the west coast and created our national drone pilot training program.

What is a part of your job that people would find surprising or unique?

I have a tiny graveyard under my desk for discontinued construction tech hardware.

It’s not too uncommon for tech start-ups to fail fast, and when they do, I like to keep a little piece of history—including VR and AR headsets, wearables, trackers, and a cool hardhat that looks like it’s from a sci-fi movie!