The Northstar Journey: A Story of Growth and Progression for Six Newly Promoted Team Members
March 2025
At Northstar, success isn’t just about completing a project or meeting deadlines; it’s about growing, learning, and leadership within teams. Our culture focuses on continuous learning, responsiveness, building meaningful relationships, and guiding clients and project teams to a predictable outcome.
Leadership strives to maintain a culture that is focused on a guiding mindset about making thoughtful decisions, working together as a team, and always pursuing excellence. It’s about assimilating into our client’s culture, providing exceptional service, approaching each challenge as an opportunity for growth, and treating every project as a chance to excel.
Our six newly promoted team members share how they embraced the skills and values that helped them reach their new roles. These team members didn’t just meet their job expectations; they actively participated in the growth and progression that makes the Northstar experience unique.
Lisa Bagshaw, Associate Vice President
I have been working on a 3.5-year project for Werfen. The project exemplified strategic leadership and the ability to drive impactful business outcomes. From the outset, our due diligence study assessed existing conditions, projected growth, and identified site limitations, providing a clear strategic framework to address the challenges of the Bedford campus. This analysis not only guided decision-making but also positioned us as trusted advisors capable of navigating complex scenarios.
When the decision was made to move forward with a new building, we took decisive steps to establish our leadership role. By fostering a collaborative partnership with Werfen’s legacy architectural and MEP firm, we ensured alignment while setting clear expectations for the project’s strategic direction. Our ability to balance collaboration with assertive leadership was key to maintaining momentum and delivering results.
The project’s success, completed ahead of schedule and under budget, demonstrated our ability to deliver value while exceeding expectations. This achievement strengthened our relationship with Werfen, positioning us as a long-term partner for strategic initiatives. As a result, we have been retained for ongoing studies and opportunities, solidifying our role in driving the organization’s growth within a constrained legacy footprint.
Justin Caron, Associate Vice President
Working on the skillset to manage with a strategic lens is something that I have always tried to improve upon and strengthen. Being a problem solver and deep in the details is part of our everyday roles as project managers. However, having the ability to step back and look at the big picture, to think critically and strategically about where the project needs to go and how to get there, is equally as important and can sometimes get lost with project teams as challenges arise during a project’s life cycle.
Northstar puts a significant emphasis on the progressive growth that is present at all levels of the firm. Crawl, walk, run, jump, and fly occur at every level, from a Project Coordinator all the way up to the partnership level. This thought process and mindset is something that has truly helped me develop from an Assistant Project Manager to my current role as an Associate Vice President. Understanding that as you progress throughout your career, you will continue to crawl (often) at times is something that should not be feared but embraced. Countless times, I have paused a meeting to ask a question in a room full of professionals who may think what I asked was common knowledge. Having the confidence to ask the obvious question in a room full of peers is a skill set that every project manager should continue working on, regardless of the level or title.
Matt Cichon, Associate Vice President
I have focused on improving my delegation of day-to-day work and activities. I’ve started to transition into a mentorship role within my position. I’ve made significant efforts to continue to maintain current client relationships while also expanding and fostering relationships with new prospective clients to support Northstar’s business development initiative. Additionally, participating in more industry events and organizations has allowed me to connect with new industry peers and begin fostering valuable relationships.
Katherine Kenney, Senior Project Manager
I am fortunate to have worked at Northstar for six years and progressed to three separate roles; starting as an Assistant Project Manager, moving to a Project Manager and now a Senior Project Manager.
I believe my recent promotion was largely due to my ability to keep projects moving forward. I have successfully managed both internal and external resources, through tracking all project activities, and diligently developed and managed schedules, budgets, and cash flows. My ability to perform these tasks is a testament to the Northstar teams I have worked with. We take a linear and collaborative approach on our project teams and what I have learned from my managers and coworkers is invaluable.
Our Northstar team comprises a gamete of professionals with different skill sets from construction to engineering to architecture to business backgrounds. Through the team I am surrounded by and Northstar’s focus on professional growth, I have become a well-rounded Project Manager. I look forward to further growing my skillsets as a Senior Project Manager and in time moving to my next role.
Robert Pitaro, Senior Project Manager
In my professional growth at Northstar, I have focused on several strategic areas that supported my promotion to Senior Project Manager. I have held a proactive role in driving company-wide initiatives and cross-functional collaborations. I seek opportunities to contribute to strategic and long-term business development and align my efforts with the firm’s goals.
I have worked to take on a more strategic role in client relationship management, being the primary point of contact on a key account and providing high-level consultation. I have consistently focused on anticipating client needs, positioning Northstar as a trusted partner, and leveraging our capabilities to deliver impactful solutions.
As I have progressed at Northstar, I have demonstrated the ability to oversee large, high-stakes projects independently. Whether as a project team member or providing independent oversight, the ability to effectively triage and deliver on your responsibilities is key. My autonomy allowed me to drive initiatives forward, solve high-level challenges, and create value for our clients.
Janet Tse, Associate Vice President
I believe in a collaborative approach and strive to support everyone on the project team, both internally and externally, to ensure their success and achieve project goals. Internally, I focus on developing future talent through training and mentorship. Externally, I facilitate the project team’s work by understanding their needs, removing roadblocks, and ensuring they have access to the necessary resources.
In closing, Lisa, Justin, Matt, Katherine, Robert, and Janet promote the growth and collaboration that happens every day at Northstar. Their promotions to the next level demonstrate their commitment to progressive growth that defines our organization.
