Celebrating The Women of Northstar during Women in Construction Week
March 2024
As we celebrate Women in Construction Week, we are shining a spotlight on the women of Northstar. Celebrated annually, Women in Construction Week champions the vital role women play in shaping the industry’s culture and future.
This year’s theme is ‘Keys to the Future’, which celebrates the strength and knowledge that women bring to our firm, and the construction industry. At Northstar, our dedicated women comprise nearly 40% of our team with expertise across all levels of project management overseeing more than $3.0B in construction. Their diverse backgrounds enable them to drive growth in the industry and within our company by bringing unique strengths and skills to solve problems and develop solutions.
In honor of Women in Construction week’s theme, we asked our team to share insights into their professional goals over the next one to three years and how they are working to achieve them. Our Northstar leadership will make sure our team has the tools and skills necessary to harness their potential as they work to shape the future of the construction industry.
Join us as we explore into the insights and aspirations of our team members as they strive for excellence and progress within Northstar and beyond.
Lisa Bagshaw: To complete the construction and delivery of the ground-up Building 4 on the Werfen campus in Bedford and then continue to support Werfen with Day 2 projects within the legacy campus capturing vacated space for conferencing, labs, offices, and additional workstations.
Ipsitha Bayapu: I believe in learning by doing – so I am trying to take on more responsibilities, delegating tasks to the project team as a PM, and interacting with all stakeholders to learn things in detail so our clients have a proper understanding to make informed decisions regarding challenges and issues.
Mack Blalock: To enter the A/E/C field as an architect. I am actively pursuing this goal by studying for my master’s in architecture degree from Boston Architectural College at night while working full-time as an office administrator. I am a member of the IPAL program at BAC, which allows me to earn my licensure while I attend college and I am a student member of several professional organizations within the industry, including CREW, which has been an amazing way to connect with women in real estate.
Kirstin Brown: I have been challenged to unabashedly celebrate the elevation to President and provide those who follow the acceptance to celebrate their accomplishments outwardly. With this opportunity, I will be working to positively impact the strategic trajectory of the firm’s management by focusing on succession and progression, which provides lanes of growth for everyone. And to continue working with my partners to challenge the norm, change, adapt, and innovate in this changing market, positioning ourselves at the forefront of market requirements and maintaining our position as a market leader.
Katie Eichel: Expanding my technical knowledge as a project manager and taking increased ownership of processes within my project. I will likely remain full-time on my current project throughout this period, so I look forward to growing within this role and seeing through a complex construction project.
Cameron Feeley: To get more involved in the construction and real estate industry in general. I am working to achieve this by attending industry events and meeting people. It is important for someone my age to keep learning and connecting with different people across the real estate industry. I am also learning a lot about my projects, and I will continue to grow by staying involved and asking questions.
Pratiksha Gade: To broaden my skillset as an aspiring project manager. To achieve this, I aim to leverage real-world experiences through both academic coursework and experiential learning, including internships. My current co-op at Northstar has already emphasized the significance of effective communication in project success; observing women lead the room especially is empowering and highly inspiring for a young professional like me. I am practicing active listening and shadowing experienced project managers to further hone my communication skills. Additionally, I plan to seek out opportunities to own and lead smaller tasks, solidifying my foundation for future leadership roles in the industry.
Lisa Hamilton: To prioritize training our project managers at Northstar. The company’s future success relies heavily on our project manager’s ability to consistently deliver exceptional service to our clients while fostering continuous progressive growth. To achieve this, we must ensure our project managers excel at the core pillars of project management: budget, schedule, and quality and are adept at effectively communicating their status.
Katherine Kenney: I believe all project managers should always be looking to hone in on their technical skills therefore, every year, I strive to get a deeper and fuller understanding of the various aspects of construction and design. I am fortunate to have worked on complex projects that encompass both ground-up and tenant interiors. My professional goal is to be able to lead my own project.
Wanda Lee: I am eager to further my professional development by focusing on the technical aspects of project and construction management. With my CREW Leadership Academy wrapping up, I aim to apply my newfound knowledge daily. I strongly value hands-on experience as the most effective form of education. Ultimately, I aim to transition into a leadership and client management role. Amidst my busy schedule, I aspire to dedicate time to mentoring, educating, and supporting young women entering the real estate industry.
Kerry Logue: To continue expanding my professional network and involvement within the industry. In addition to attending regular industry networking events and increasing organization involvement, I want to prioritize building positive professional relationships in the field and among the project teams and client partners we work with. Additionally, I want to continue building technical construction skills that contribute to the ability to identify and manage challenges as they are presented throughout the life of a project more effectively.
Natasha Marcuard: To continue growing as a manager, leader, and mentor, which requires me to seek input and improvement through various sources. Brene Brown has several great books on leadership, and the Harvard Business Review has a Women at Work podcast I enjoy listening to during my commutes. I am also fortunate enough to be surrounded by many talented and inspirational people with whom I keep a dialog going with to navigate professional challenges. Lastly, I stay engaged in the Professional Women in Construction, where I work alongside many leaders in different sectors of our industry.
Linda McDonough: To be a fierce brand champion for Northstar, develop marketing solutions that convey the firm’s unique selling proposition, and increase opportunities by showcasing the firm’s successes. Through ongoing professional development, I will continue adapting to changes in marketing, whether it is adopting new technologies, devising business strategies, or using social media to stay ahead of trends, ensuring Northstar stays top of mind for key decision-makers.
Olivia Pedro: To continue to build on the relationships that I have within the industry. People are the most important part of any project, so continuing to have strong relationships while growing my network will be something I will continue to work towards. In growing relationships both in and outside of my current network – another goal is to explore opportunities to excel within Northstar, not just on my project but on the company committees.
Denise Pied: To continue leading high-performing project teams, being a trusted advisor for my clients, and mentoring the next generation of project managers! In the short term, I am focused on expanding my experience in Development Management through direct project experience working for developer clients. I also look forward to staying engaged and continuing my personal/professional growth in the industry as a CoreNet New England board member and co-chair of the chapter’s Leadership 2.0 program.
Dhruvi Rana: I was initially onboarded in a more finance-oriented role and am gradually transitioning to a more project-based management role. I hope to further develop my project management skill set through hands-on exposure at client sites and working closely with more experienced team members.
Janet Tse: To continue to develop new skills, taking on more challenges, and enhancing my ability to support my colleagues in navigating their careers. I am actively engaged in Northstar’s Internship committee and Professional Women in Construction’s Outreach and Scholarship committee. These involvements have provided valuable opportunities for self-reflection and growth in leadership skills.
Danica Woo: To continue building my construction vocabulary and strategic knowledge of building systems and engineering to advise projects from a more technical lens. I will also continue perfecting my communication skills with high-profile clients and industry leaders, and continue developing and solidifying my network of colleagues, friends, and collaborators within the industry.
