2020 Women Who Build Spotlight: Ellen Santos, The S/L/A/M Collaborative

Ellen Santos, Associate at The S/L/A/M Collaborative

How many years have you been in your current field? 21 years

Which project, deal, or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? University of Notre Dame’s Campus Crossroads Project, comprised of 800,000 s/f of three buildings including academic, athletic, hospitality, performance and student life programs. The diverse functions gave me the opportunity to be a part of the design, coordination and documentation of many project types all in one project. A project of this scale also reinforced the need for collaboration and teamwork that’s required to make a project of this scale be successful. I was fortunate to be part of a great team that provided the opportunity for growth in knowledge and process that I continue to apply in my current projects.

What would you tell your daughter about entering this profession? I would tell her that with hard work, perseverance and a positive attitude you will be on the path to success. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be willing to continue to learn. Be confident, be a great team member and a helpful colleague. It is a challenging yet rewarding profession.