What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? As a geotechnical practice leader, my greatest professional achievement has been helping lead several climate resilience projects in the City of Boston to help prepare for the effects of climate change and sea level rise. I’ve worked on resilient designs at Langone Park & Puopolo Playground in the North End, the 60-acre Moakley Park flood barrier in South Boston, and East Boston’s waterfront flood protection design, as well as the new Boston City Hall plaza project. I’ve also led and grown our geotechnical team while navigating through the pandemic. It’s been rewarding to see our geotechnical staff and qualifications expand throughout Boston and along the eastern seaboard.
What steps have you taken to ensure the continued success of your firm? As part of our strategic plan, we developed a firm-wide initiative for excellent project management. We identified the need for a current/revised project management training module, policy, and process that would help ensure excellent project management for our clients. I led this effort with our energy practice leader and developed our new program which has been rolled out to the entire organization in 2020 and 2021.
Why should women consider a career in construction? Even as a child, I loved the idea of engineering and building (Legos were my favorite). It is exciting for me to be part of shaping our built environment, designing and delivering solutions that both work and respect our natural environment. Construction is a very exciting space to be in, and no matter your gender, it’s important to follow your passion.