The 5th Annual Women Who Build Summit

AGENDA Thursday, February 20, 2020 | 8:30am - 4:15pm

7:45am

Registration & Continential Breakfast

8:30am Welcome & Remarks

Nancy Greenwald, Executive Director, Construction Institute

Carolina Cudemus-Jones, Director of Design and

Construction Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Greetings from Chancellor Kumble R.

Subbaswamy, University of Massachusetts Amherst 8:45am 9:15am

Opening Keynote

10:30am 10:45am

Break

12:00pm 1:15pm

Morning Panel Discussion

Breakout Sessions Lunch

Afternoon Keynote

2:00pm Break 2:15pm

3:30pm

Afternoon Panel Discussion Closing Keynote

3:50pm Champions of Change Awards, raffle drawing, & Closing Remarks

Welcome to the Construction Institute We are the people you work with every day – owners and facility managers, architects

and

engineers,

contractors

and

subcontractors,

project

managers, consultants, manufacturers and distributors, governmental agencies,

lawyers,

accountants,

and

many

other

industry-related

colleagues. As a non-profit, nonpartisan organization, the Construction Institute has been providing vision, leadership, problem solving skills and unique, trade-specific education for over 40 years.

P ROGRAM DES CRIPTI ON S Opening Keynote

8:30am-9:15am

Shifting to Face the Winds: Challenges and Opportunities of Leadership in the New ‘20s As we enter into the new decade, there are wild winds blowing all around: those of racism, patriarchy, neoliberalism, classism and more. These winds arrest our progress and limit our ability to flourish as individuals and as a collective society. In this pressurized and politicized environment it is time for us to turn to face them head on. This keynote will address the ways we can stay moored to ourselves without blowing away as well as how we can come together to build sails for our organizations to give them new lift and life.

Jane Edmonds, Babson College

Morning Panel Discussion

9:15am-10:30am

Powerhouse Owners Our panel of Powerhouse Owners will explore what it takes to become a leader in the design and construction industry. They will share their insights about what leadership skills will be required to support the future success of the industry and how to develop those skills. Learn how leaders impact organizations and how they can be transformative to the organization. They will share their individual philosophies and practical approaches to training the next generation of leaders in their organizations and how are they leading their organizations and the industry into the future.

Sean Sweeney, Moderator, Arcadis US, Inc Denise Berger, AECOM Luciana Burdi, Massachusetts Port Authority Barbara Kroncke, University of Massachusetts Building Authority Catherine Walsh, Northeastern University

P ROGRAM DES CRIPTION S Breakout Sessions

10:45am-12:00pm

Would You Hire You? How do hiring managers determine who to hire? Ever wonder what happens on the other side of the conference table? Join national executive search consultants as they share industry insight and best practices to improve your career outlook. Topics include applying for new positions, acing interview questions, and evaluating an opportunity. This interactive session combines a presentation with group discussion.

Joe Wargo, Helbling & Associates Wendy Zang, Helbling & Associates

Reputation Capital Your professional reputation speaks volumes about you. It can open doors and give you access to opportunities. Conversely, a negative reputation can sideline your career track. This is your Reputation Capital. This presentation will examine how reputation is built and share specific tips for changing your reputation.

Attendees will hear from two experienced professionals in the construction industry about how they built their reputation and how their reputation benefits them, so attendees can put their reputation to work for themselves.

Jessica Murphy, Mirick O’Connell DeMallie & Lougee, LLP Catherine Schoenenberger, Stay Safe Traffic Products, Inc

P ROGRAM DES CRIPTI ON S Don’t Call Them Difficult Crucial conversations are often dubbed “difficult” because we tend to fear them. But navigating these conversations is a necessary part of work life, and an essential skill for any manager.

What makes a topic intimidating? What can you do in advance to best prepare for these discussions so they become productive rather than disruptive? How can you learn to frame and conduct communications in a way that increases your influence and strengthens the health of your organization?

Laura Cooley, Limbach Jessica Smith, Bergmeyer Associates

Forging Your Own Path - 4 Perspectives on Creating Your Roadmap to Success Have you ever thought about striking out on your own? This breakout session will allow you to begin your own roadmap for success. Led by moderator Laura Cruickshank, FAIA, a champion of WBE’s and MBE’s, our panel of business owners representing different professions in the AEC industry will share their stories and practical advice. What enabled them to invest in themselves, what resources did they need, and how did they overcome the inevitable obstacles?

Laura Cruickshank, University of Connecticut Natasha Espada, STUDIO ENÉE architects Colleen Moore, City Point Partners, LLC Paige Sarazin, Sarazin General Contractors

P ROGRAM DES CRIPTION S Afternoon Keynote

1:15pm-2:00pm

Building Your Career: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom Do these statements sound familiar? A girl will not do as well as a boy in math. Girls will not like the study of engineering. A woman would be too soft, or timid, to endure the environment of on-site work and the harsh environment that comes with it.

A woman will not be accepted as a manager in the Middle East, particularly in a military environment. A woman must “dress for success.”

When confronted with such statements in the world around me, I found it useful to ask, why? Inspired by John Kenneth G albraith and his use of the term “The Conventional Wisdom” in The Affluent Society, I found it easy to define such statements as the construction industry’s conventional wisdom -- those commonplace beliefs that are so acceptable and comfortable to the traditional participants. They are at times, without further analysis, invoked to resist change. I intend to demonstrate how challenging the conventional wisdom helped in building my career.

Aisha Nadar, Advokatfirman RunelandAB

Afternoon Panel Discussion

2:15pm-3:30pm

Renegades and Trailblazers Explore the essence of what makes these women exceptional trailblazers in their own unique niche of the construction industry. What was the spark that made these women create their own path, find their true passion and calling? Learn the characteristics they feel are critical to having a successful and meaningful career in this industry.

Anamaria Popescu, Moderator, Berkeley Research Group Construction Practice Jean Carroon, Goody Clancy Katie Faulkner, Katerra Jane Henry, SeeHerWork Siggy P fendler, Columbia

P ROGRAM DES CRIPTI ON S Closing Keynote

3:30pm-3:50pm

Lessons Learned The most important lessons I learned in my life....so far! I will also reflect upon many of the stories heard over the course of the day.

Denise Berger, AECOM

Closing Remarks

3:50pm-4:15pm

Champions of Change Awards, raffle drawing, & Closing Remarks 2020 Champions of Change Awardees

Mark Adams Director, Capital Project Management Columbia University Irving Medical Center Mark Adams has consistently supported women in the industry, hiring and mentoring women-owned businesses for major capital projects, building multiple teams that included a majority of women, and training and supporting individual women to grow their careers.

Carolyn Stanworth President and CEO BL Companies Carolyn Stanworth heads an employee-owned company whose core leadership includes 7 women among 16 key people. As a leader and mentor to both women and men, Stanworth has harnessed the power of employee ownership to engage and strengthen the BL team.

proudly supports the

Women Who Build Summit as they celebrate the strength and influence of women in the construction industry

www.whiting-turner.com Construction Management | General Contracting | Design-Build | Integrated Project Delivery

MEET T HE KEYNOTE

DENISE BERGER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATION OFFICER, NORTHEAST REGION DESIGN AND CONSULTING SERVICES AECOM

Denise Berger, FAIA joined AECOM in February 2020 as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Northeast, which includes Metro New York. Previously, Berger was Chief of Operations for the Engineering Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) where she oversaw dayto-day operations as well as key strategic priorities, enterprise wide-engineering initiatives, and the expansion of integrated project delivery and use of Design-Build as the PANYNJ’s prime contracting strategy. In this capacity, she managed a team of more than 550 architects and engineers responsible for the planning, design, construction, and commissioning of $1.3 billion annually in critical transportation projects for the region. During her 30year career at the PANYNJ, Berger led many complex, largescale capital projects, including those related to the World Trade Center Master Plan. In 2016, she founded the PANYNJ’s Women’s Council to empower and advance women in leadership roles.

She currently serves on the advisory board of NYIT School of Architecture & Design and the Board of Directors of Professional Women in Construction and Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International. Berger has received numerous awards, and in 2019, WTS’ Greater New York Chapter named her “Woman of the Year.”

M EET T HE KEYNOTE

JANE EDMONDS VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMMING AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH BABSON COLLEGE

Jane Edmonds’ career spans over 30 years of business experience.

She has successfully led and managed small and large business and government organizations, including her own business that she founded in 1981. In her work, she helped organizations such as GE Capital Corporation, Fidelity, Bureau of the Census, United Technologies & McKee (now called CDM Smith) expand the contributions of their diverse human resources through leadership development, coaching, team-building and dispute resolution.

She has served as a member of Governor Mitt Romney’s cabinet and as head of the Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development. Following graduation from law school, she was also appointed by Governor Michael S. Dukakis as Chair of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (“MCAD.”) Edmonds serves on a variety of for-profit, state, and non-profit boards, among them Lahey Health & Medical Center, Goodwill Morgan Memorial, the Group Insurance Commission, the Boston Women’s Workforce Council and Facing History & Ourselves. She holds a B.A. from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School.

MEET TH E KEYNOT E

AISHA NADAR SENIOR CONSULTANT ADVOKATFIRMAN RUNELANDAB

For over 30 years, Aisha Nadar has been actively involved in all phases of the negotiation and implementation of largescale cross-border infrastructure and defence programs. Her consulting engineering experience includes holding senior level positions in the public and private sectors in the United States, the Middle East and Europe. Today, Nadar ’s professional activities focus on procurement and contract management. She regularly advises clients on strategic procurement planning, contract drafting, contract management and dispute resolution and acts as arbitrator, mediator and dispute board member and has experience of proceedings under ICC, LCIA, SCC, DIAC, AAA, CRCICA, UNCITRAL and FIDIC rules. Nadar has carried out assignments related to procurement reform for organizations such as the World Bank, USAID and US DoD and is a regularly invited speaker at universities and specialized conferences on construction contracts and dispute resolution. She is a member of FIDIC’s Board, with primary responsibility for the FIDIC Contracts Committee, and is listed on FIDIC President’s List of Accredited Adjudicators. Nadar holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (University of Nebraska), an MBA (University of Texas-Austin), an LL.M. in International Commercial Dispute Resolution (Queen Mary, UoL) and has completed the CIArb Diploma Course in International Commercial Arbitration, Oxford.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

LUCIANA BURDI DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR CAPITAL PROGRAMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY

Architect and planner, with almost 20 years of experience working and managing design and construction projects, Dr. Luciana Burdi, Intl. Assoc. AIA, CCM is the Deputy Director for Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs for the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). In her role, Burdi is leading the shift of Capital Programs towards a more innovative, progressive, BIM and Design Technology-driven department. By adopting Lean and Lean Construction principles and concepts, she is committed to create a culture of continuous improvement focusing on maximizing the value for customers, improving quality outcomes, while reducing non-value-added activities. She was instrumental in implementing an employee engagement program in the department which received Authority-wide recognition and still exists today. Prior to joining Massport, she held several positions at the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She is a member of the CMAA National Board of Directors, the Chair of the CMAA (Construction Management Association of America) Emerging Technologies Committee, and is an instructor at both WPI (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) and WIT (Wentworth Institute of Technology). Burdi is an active member of the Lean Construction Institute New England Community of Practice, and AGC (Association of General Contractors) of America.

MEET TH E SPEAKE R

JEAN CARROON PRINCIPAL – DESIGN, PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY GOODY CLANCY

Jean Carroon, FAIA LEED Fellow, is a principal at Goody Clancy, a Boston-based design firm committed to building social value through a practice embracing architecture, planning and preservation. Carroon’s focus is on the opportunities inherent in the stewardship of existing places to shape a healthy resilient world. She combines an understanding of history and building technology with a commitment to transforming places – redefining their relevance, utility, and flexibility while sustaining and enhancing essential beauty and value. Carroon is a Fellow of both the American Institute of Architects and the LEED program of the U. S. Green Building Council. She has served as a peer reviewer in the Design Excellence Program of the General Services Administration since 2008. Carroon is a frequent speaker, teacher and advocate for holistic design and the author of Sustainable Preservation: Greening Existing Buildings published by Wiley.

She holds a B.A. and M. Arch. from the University of Oregon and served as the president of the Boston Society of Architects in 2019.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

LAURA COOLEY ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT LIMBACH

Laura Cooley is currently Associate Vice President & Director of Training and Development for Limbach, a nation-wide integrated building systems provider, which manages all components of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and control systems, from system design and construction through performance and maintenance.

She oversees all training and development for the company’s ten business units and holds a seat on the company’s Women In Construction and Service Advisory Board with special emphasis on mentorship, leadership and training. Cooley graduated as an Industrial Engineer. With over twenty years in the construction industry, her diverse experience includes: project account management in micro-electronics; validation and commissioning management on bio-tech projects; and regional internal consulting for performance and operational excellence. As a private consultant she has contributed to the development, peer review and management of processes, procedures, development and execution of data analytics, audit, training and continuous improvement. Cooley has been an examiner for the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence - Baldrige Award; an ISO 9000 auditor; a QualTec SixSigma Instructor for Facilitator Skills, Team Leaders and Project Success Planning. She is an experienced partnering facilitator, instructor and coach.

MEET TH E SPEAKE R

LAURA CRUICKSHANK ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, MASTER PLANNER & CHIEF ARCHITECT UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Laura A, Cruickshank, FAIA, the University of Connecticut’s Master Planner and Chief Architect and Associate Vice President for University Planning, Design & Construction, is responsible for the immediate and long-range planning, design and construction of UConn’s $2B Capital Plan for Storrs, the Regional Campuses and Law School. Prior to UConn, Laura Cruickshank was the Yale University Planner and directed planning and design on the Yale central campus; and led Yale planning, design and construction for the Yale-NUS College in Singapore. Prior to Yale, she was in private practice for over twenty years. Cruickshank received a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke College and Master of Architecture from the University of New Mexico School of Architecture & Planning. She holds architectural registration in Connecticut and is an elected member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects, the Society for College and University Planning, the Association of University Architects and the National Organization of Minority Architects.

MEET T HE S PEAKER

NATASHA ESPADA PRINCIPAL STUDIO ENÉE ARCHITECTS

Natasha Espada, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP is the founding Principal of STUDIO ENÉE, a women and minority-owned design firm with an expertise in architecture, urban planning, and interior design.

She has over 25 years of design and construction expertise in both renovation and new construction of institutional, civic, and commercial buildings and has a special interest in design excellence and sustainability. The majority of her projects are for colleges, universities and public institutions, which require innovative planning and design, creative solutions, limited budgets, and successful user/client/team collaboration. Espada is the 2020 President of the Boston Society of Architects/AIA. Among many initiatives, her focus is on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the profession and in making Boston a Design City by promoting the value of architecture, design, and art equitably to all of the neighborhoods in Boston. She is a mid-career mentor for Women in Design and an adjunct professor at Northeastern University. As a Puerto Rican, she is dedicated to helping rebuild Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria as a collaborator with ResilientSEE and she serves on the board of the Town of Needham, Massachusetts’ Permanent Public Building Committee.

MEET T HE S PEAKE R

KATIE FAULKNER VICE PRESIDENT DESIGN KATERRA

Katie Faulkner is currently the Vice President for Design at Katerra, a technology-based construction company specializing in end-to-end integration for full project delivery. Before that, she was a founding partner of NADAAA, an award-winning Bostonbased architecture and design firm. NADAAA’s commitment to a process-based material research and fabrication has received global attention. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, the office was ranked no.

1 in design for Architect Magazine’s Top 50 Firms in the United States. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Faulkner received her M. Arch. from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. She has been working for twenty-five years on spaces for education, working, living, and health-care. In 2010 she received an MBA from Boston University. Faulkner frequently lectures and serves on design juries. She has been recognized with notable awards, including the 2014 Holcim Award, three Green Good Design Awards, four Progressive Architecture Awards, as well as numerous AIA and Boston Society of Architects accolades including the 2017 Women in Design Award.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

JANE HENRY FOUNDER AND CEO SEEHERWORK

Jane Henry’s background begins as a Division 1 Collegiate Athlete where she learned clothing and equipment matter when it comes to performing at a high level. Yet, as she says, “I spent 20 years in the oil and gas industry dealing with ill-fitting personal protective work clothing and equipment (also known as PPE).” It was not until Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, when she was forced to use the gear on a day-to-day basis, that she was inspired to start her company. Henry’s career began as a consultant with Accenture.

She founded her first company in 2020, Xcution, a consultancy specializing in cultural transformations within the workforce.

Post Hurricane Harvey recovery, Henry researched the breadth and depth of the ill-fitting work clothing and equipment issue.

Henry unearthed information going back 50 years where women talked about how the PPE did not fit; thus, leaving women feeling as if they were not a part of the team, isolated and eventually leaving their roles. Today, Henry works with employers to set up PPE programs that support safe and inclusive work environments.

She speaks to groups about the challenges many entrepreneurs have in implementing their ideas, and how to overcome what she calls “The Natural Human Instinct to Resist Change.”

MEET T HE S PEAKE R

BARBARA KRONCKE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BUILDING AUTHORITY

Barbara J. Kroncke is the Executive Director of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority. She oversees an ambitious $2.1 billion growth plan that includes the acquisition and construction of and renovation to academic and research buildings, student residence halls and dining and athletic facilities on all five of the University of Massachusetts campuses. The Building Authority is currently managing more than 36 construction projects, each designed to improve teaching, learning and student life at the Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and Worcester campuses of the University. Kroncke works together with the University president, Board of Trustees, and the campuses to deliver costeffective, sustainable and high quality construction of world class buildings to support the mission of the University. Prior to joining the Building Authority, Kroncke was the Managing Partner of the Boston office of McCarter & English and Chair of the Public Finance Practice Group. Her practice was primarily in the area of public finance, advising clients on all aspects of capital financing including issuance and sale of tax-exempt and taxable securities. She served as bond counsel and as counsel to underwriters, and also represented borrowers, purchasers of municipal securities, and credit enhancers.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

COLLEEN MOORE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT CITY POINT PARTNERS, LLC

Colleen Moore founded City Point Partners LLC in 2009. City Point Partners is a woman-owned construction services firm serving the engineering and construction industries with a skilled team with experience in a broad range of projects – public and private; horizontal and vertical. With a nearly 30-year career in the AEC industry, Moore understands the value of client service.

Her career has been shaped by her experiences with some of the most respected engineering and construction firms in the New England region and the lessons learned from these experiences are being applied to the management and operation of City Point Partners today. She has been guiding the firm through a period of steady growth helping to build the firm’s reputation as a trusted consultant who delivers quality work to clients while also serving as a great place for staff to grow professionally. Moore has a Masters in Construction Management from the Wentworth Institute of Technology, is an active member of WTS/Boston, the American Council of Engineering Companies, Massachusetts, the Construction Management Association of America New England and the Construction Industries of Massachusetts, Inc.

MEET T HE S PEAKE R

JESSICA MURPHY OF COUNSEL MIRICK O’CONNELL DEMALLIE & LOUGEE, LLP

Jessica E. Murphy, Esq. is Of Counsel with Mirick O’Connell DeMallie & Lougee, LLP in Massachusetts. She is part of the firm’s Litigation Department, Construction Group and Creditors’ Rights, Bankruptcy and Reorganization Group. For the past fourteen years, she has litigated cases concentrating on commercial disputes and construction issues. She counsels and represents a variety of local and national companies, including manufacturing companies, construction companies, banking and financial institutions, and professional service firms. She provides legal services and advice on credit and collection matters, and often lectures and writes on these topics as well. Murphy is a member and past President of the Greater Worcester Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and involved in Professional Development and Education Committees for NAWIC at all levels. She is also currently President of the Board of Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester, Inc.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

SIGGY PFENDLER DIRECTOR OF IMPROVEMENT & INNOVATION COLUMBIA

Siggy P fendler, LEED AP, is the Director of Improvement & Innovation for Columbia, a leading construction management firm in New England. With more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry, she has held a variety of roles from a laborer, to a field engineer, to project manager, to Director of Virtual Construction in which she developed and implemented BIM workflows throughout Columbia, improving the delivery of high-quality projects to clients. In her role as Director of Improvement & Innovation, P fendler interacts with all departments to define, identify, and develop best practice workflows and deploy the technologies that support and improve operational efficiencies across the company. She has her M.S. in Construction Engineering & Management and her B.S. in Civil Engineering, both from Stanford University. She has served as Treasurer, Vice President, and Board Member of the National Association of Women in Construction, a past Committee Member of the AGC Building Women In Construction, and is currently Co-Leader of the Society for Construction Solutions’ Boston Chapter. P fendler was recently honored with Constructech magazine’s Women in Construction award, as well as recognized by BuiltWorlds in their Adoption Leaders 50 List.

MEET T HE S PEAKE R

ANAMARIA POPESCU MANAGING DIRECTOR BERKELEY RESEARCH GROUP - CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE

Dr. Anamaria I. Popescu, PE, PSP, PMP, is a Managing Director of BRG’s Construction Practice based in Denver, CO. She is a construction arbitrator with the AAA and a licensed Professional Engineer with more than 26 years of experience in project management, construction claims, schedule delay analysis, project controls, and contract management. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas in Civil Engineering. Her doctoral thesis was on Forensic Schedule Analysis. She is also the Chairman of the Society of Construction Law North American Section. Popescu’s project experience includes power generation, natural gas drilling, pipelines, petrochemical and process plants, oil and gas production platforms, mining, water treatment plants, airports, telecommunications, and commercial construction in Australia, Canada, United States, Mexico, South America, South Africa, and China. She provided program/project management and project control services for projects ranging from $500,000 to $50 billion. As an expert witness, she has written numerous expert reports that led to successful settlements as well as testified in international and national arbitration hearings and dispute review board proceedings regarding delay and disruption claims.

Popescu has also taught seminars and courses on scheduling, effective project controls, and dispute avoidance in the United States and internationally.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

PAIGE SARAZIN VICE PRESIDENT SARAZIN GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Paige Sarazin is the Vice President of Sarazin General Contractors located in North Windham, Connecticut. Sarazin General Contractors is a certified Women-Owned Business specializing in commercial construction in both the public and private sectors.

As Vice President of a small business, Sarazin oversees customer engagement, project management, contract compliance, and serves as Affirmative Action Compliance Officer. She is passionate about minority opportunity and inclusivity within the construction industry. Sarazin is focused on helping educate students about opportunities and helping grow the construction industry. She obtained a bachelor ’s degree in Natural Sciences from Hofstra University. She is active in the Associated Builders and Contractors and served on the board of directors for the Emerging Leaders Group. Sarazin believes that the experience and knowledge gained from growing up in the family business helped ensure her success as a woman in the construction industry.

MEET T HE S PEAKE R

CATHERINE SCHOENENBERGER PRESIDENT STAY SAFE TRAFFIC PRODUCTS, INC

Catherine Schoenenberger is President of Stay Safe Traffic Products, Inc. (established 2002). She has taught work Zone Safety throughout New England since 1998. She is among only a handful of approved certified instructors for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ flagger certification program and the sole female instructor. Schoenenberger served as the 20172018 National President of National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC); she is an active member of the Granite State Chapter #218. She is the founder and President of the NH Construction Career Days, which held its 11th Annual event in 2019. Schoenenberger is a 1985 Summa Cum Laude Graduate of University of Massachusetts-Lowell with a Bachelor ’s Degree in Political Science. She attended the “school of hard knocks” to gain education via experience in business management, advertising, finance and team building. Schoenenberger is a native of Westford, Massachusetts, where she and husband Keith, reside and work still.

MEET TH E SPEAKER

JESSICA SMITH DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES BERGMEYER ASSOCIATES

Jessica Smith is well versed in the workings of the Boston architecture scene. She has recruited, interviewed, hired, coached, and advised hundreds of architects and designers at firms large and small including Shepley Bulfinch, Cannon Design, and Bergmeyer Associates. In addition to being Chair of the BSA Human Resoruces Committee and a former Trustee of the BSA Foundation Board, Smith has worked as a volunteer in India and was Director of Personnel for Earthwatch. Born in Berlin, educated in France, England and the United States, she is still somewhat nomadic but calls Ipswich, Massachusetts home.

MEET T HE S PEAKE R

SEAN SWEENEY VICE PRESIDENT ARCADIS US, INC

Sean Sweeney is the Boston Operations Leader for Arcadis’ Building practice and serves as a Higher Education Sector Lead for Arcadis US. In this role Sweeney partners with many colleges and universities to create strategies for their capital programs to better align with their mission. This includes “campusbased” owners such as healthcare and biopharmaceutical firms that wish to improve their service delivery through intelligent capital investments. He helps teams create the framework, project controls, and governance to help his clients achieve more consistent outcomes. Sweeney is a recognized leader in deferred maintenance issues and in the development of capital investment strategies for buildings and operational effectiveness. Sweeney developed and led MIT’s Accelerated Capital Renewal Program which strategically invested in the physical renewal of existing building MEP, building envelope, and life safety systems.

M EET T HE S PEAKER

CATHERINE WALSH ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Catherine Walsh, Associate Vice President, Facilities Management for Northeastern University, is responsible for overall fiscal and administrative matters in her division, including the development, analysis and control of operating and plant fund budgets.

She oversees all procurement and contract administration including designer selection, contract negotiation, award and all professional services phases of agreements to ensure project goals are fulfilled. Walsh manages the award and execution of construction contracts and other related support. In addition, Walsh is responsible for project control functions and the Program/Project Controls Group that tracks all project financials, schedules and documents within a computerized management information system and the Facilities Customer Service Center, a 24/7 operation coordinating response to over 70,000 work orders annually.

MEET TH E SPEAKE R

JOE WARGO SENIOR MANAGING CONSULTANT HELBLING & ASSOCIATES

Joe Wargo has been a search consultant with Helbling since 2006.

His recruitment experience is broad, having completed searches for AEC firms, general and specialty contractors, healthcare and higher education institutions, independent schools, and non-profit entities. Within the construction realm, he attracts professionals for roles within senior executive management, regional management, operations, finance, and business development. Wargo holds a B.S. in Business Administration, Finance from Robert Morris University. In representing diverse clientele, he has gained a valuable knowledge of recruitment and an appreciation for both the client and candidate perspectives.

M EET T HE S PEAKER

WENDY ZANG MANAGING CONSULTANT HELBLING & ASSOCIATES

Wendy Zang has been a search consultant with Helbling since 2015. Her experience at the firm includes representing healthcare and higher education institutions, independent schools, corporations, and general contractors in securing mid- to seniorlevel planning, design, construction, and facilities professionals.

With nearly 20 years of prior experience in journalism and management, she brings strong research, communication, and problem-solving skills to the executive search process. Zang holds a Bachelor ’s degree in Journalism from Ohio University and an Advanced Certificate in Executive Search and Leadership Consulting from Cornell University. She is passionate about diversity in the workplace and has been a speaker, sponsor, and planning committee member for events empowering women in construction.

PLANNING COMMITT E E The Construction Institute appreciates the time and dedication of this year ’s Planning Committee.

Carolina Cudemus-Jones, Program Chair University of Massachusetts Amherst Kathy Cowles

Petina Killainy

KC Architects

Arcadis

Milena Erwin

Joanna Kripp

Univeristy of Hartford

Gilbane Construction Company

Zoraida Ferguson

Marie Maia

Pratt & Whitney

Montagno Construction

Caroline Fitzgerald

Nancy Greenwald

RMF Engineering

Construction Institute

THOUGHTS FROM THE DAY

COLLABORATING SPONSORS

COLLABORATING SPONSORS

The Leadership Series is back! Develop strengths in conflict resolution, building change resiliency, business communication, sexual harassment prevention and more.

For more information on CI’s Spring Leadership series, visit construction.org.

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SOCIAL

WEDNESDAY MAY 6

SBC RESTAURANT MILFORD, CT

2020

ANNUAL DINNER THURSDAY JUNE 18

2020

FAIRFIELD COUNTY SPRING

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