Welcome to Owner Impacts, a series dedicated to showcasing innovations, solutions, and leadership driven by our employee-owners—and powered by our people-first culture.
In celebration of Women in Construction Week, we asked some of the many talented women at Shawmut about how they started in construction, their advice for other women, and what they enjoy most about their jobs.
What do you enjoy most about your career in construction?
I’m never bored! I love that each project offers a new beginning and provides a sense of accomplishment at turnover. Every project also offers a new set of challenges, so it keeps your career interesting.
Before starting your career in construction, did you have any wrong preconceptions about working in the industry?
I came into the industry with a very open mind; however, I was aware of the preconceived notions of inequality, male domination, and the additional challenges women face. Being able to look beyond these has helped me get to where I am today.
What advice would you give a woman starting a career in construction?
Confidence matters. As long as you are striving to learn and grow, you can build confidence and strengthen abilities over time.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love getting to work with such a variety of different people and personalities—from trade partners, to architects and engineers, to owners, and everyone in between.
What was the most challenging part of your job when you first started?
Cybersecurity wasn’t considered a huge threat to the business when I started over 8 years ago. With no prior construction experience, I had to completely learn the business and the industry to identify the risks. We have really improved our protections since to be cutting-edge.
What makes you proud about the work you do?
I'm most proud of making sure workers get back home safely to their loved ones. Almost everything is replaceable in life, except for your life. I am proud to be a part of implementing and creating awareness of Shawmut’s safety culture to our employees, trade partners, and clients.
What is the best part of your job?
It’s so rewarding to see the positive impact I make through my work. As an assistant superintendent at our New York Public Library Aguilar branch project, I interact with community members daily who are excited to learn about the improvements being made. I’ve also helped make safety communication more accessible, leading toolbox talks in Spanish for trade partners. Through the ACE Mentor Program, I love introducing students to career paths I had never considered when I was their age.
What led you to pursue a career in the construction industry?
Early on in my career, I managed the financials and rollout of a company’s rebranding project, which sparked my initial interest in working on projects. I went back to school for my master’s in project management with a focus on construction. In finance, our monthly deliverables are the same, so projects make it much more exciting. Each one has a different story and eventually comes to an end. With every end is a new beginning.