Celebrating Women in Construction Week at Northstar
March 2025
As we celebrate Women in Construction Week, we proudly shine a spotlight on the incredible women of Northstar who continue to shape our industry’s culture and future. This annual observance honors the vital role women play in building and advancing the industry’s culture and future.
This year’s theme, ‘Together We Rise’, celebrates the strength and knowledge of women and the vital role they play in shaping the future of the construction industry. At Northstar, women represent nearly 40% of our team and contribute their talents across all levels of project management. Their diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives enable them to drive innovation and growth, both within our company and the broader real estate industry. They bring a range of skills and problem-solving abilities that are critical to overcoming challenges and delivering effective solutions.
In celebration of this year’s theme, we invited our team members to share insights about a time they have participated in a collaborative moment where a diverse group (women and beyond) created a breakthrough to solve a project challenge. At Northstar, as owner’s project managers, we are dedicated to assembling strong teams of real estate professionals whose diversity enables us to drive the best possible solutions and results for our clients.
Join us as we explore the insights, and accomplishments of our talented team members as they reflect on a time where a diverse team rose together to successfully solve a problem.
Lisa Bagshaw: The challenges we faced within our recent R&D/life science project, out-of-compliance zoning, land limitations and flood plan issue, required a team effort in solving the need for new office/lab space and overcapacity parking. We assembled key design consultants along with a strong CM firm to brainstorm and propose unique solutions. We were then able to zero in on cost and efficacy to identify our move-forward strategy.
Ipsitha Bayapu: I remember when we were starting a construction project on an occupied lab floor directly below a vivarium, which presented a significant logistical puzzle. Construction in occupied lab spaces is inherently challenging and sensitive. The diverse makeup of our project team, in terms of experience, roles, and areas of expertise, proved invaluable. The varied perspectives each member brought and the positive attitude towards teamwork allowed us to find innovative solutions to execute the work successfully, satisfying all stakeholders.
Kirstin Brown: A foundation redesign during construction?! Yes, due to large obstructions and the cost and schedule impact to remove them, the project team, specifically the structural engineer was charged with developing a solution that left the obstructions in place while minimizing the building foundation redesign, maintaining schedule, and controlling cost. The solution was ultimately the product of a diverse team all contributing their expertise but was led by our female, lead structural engineer who drove a responsive effort factoring in all these constraints which ultimately led to a foundation redesign that did not impact schedule and controlled cost.
Emily Clayton: A member of the elevator inspection team and I were inspecting elevators when we came across a wheelchair lift that was not working. This posed a problem because it was the only way for the tenant to access their unit. We reached out to multiple people in a timely fashion to find a contact who would be able to solve the problem. A member of an elevator maintenance team was able to come by. Between the three of us, who all had extremely different backgrounds, both personal and educational, we were able to troubleshoot and figure out where the problem was. We completed some rewiring, installed a new battery, and fixed the lift within a day. This solved the problem for the tenants and further educated me on future issues I may encounter during this project.
Katie Eichel: I recently completed a retail café for one of our life science clients. A week before the café was scheduled to open, we learned that the specified coffee machine did not align with the client’s operations. This required the café operator, CM, architect, food service designer, and food service equipment subcontractor to quickly jump on a meeting with the coffee equipment manufacturer. Within 24 hours, the upgrade kit was overnighted to the site, and the installation was scheduled for the following day. Working collaboratively on-site with the café manager, we shifted the other equipment, including blenders and refrigerators, to make room for the upgraded coffee machine. With the active involvement of all team members, we responded quickly to the challenge, and the café was ready to open on schedule.
Cameron Feeley: During the late design and early procurement phases of a build-to-suit project for a major university, our team faced challenges with Phius model compliance, particularly with thermal bridging busts. Our diverse team, comprising men and women from various backgrounds and specialties, collaborated quickly, leveraging their expertise to develop innovative solutions. Their combined knowledge allowed us to efficiently resolve the issue by implementing two solutions tailored to different parts of the building, balancing thermal performance, cost, and schedule impact. This breakthrough was only possible due to the collective problem-solving approach of our well-rounded team.
Pratiksha Gade: Sometimes, the most impactful breakthroughs come not from technical solutions but from changing how we listen, communicate, and lead. Team Northstar is home to many such trailblazers who redefine leadership by fostering true collaboration and not just coordination. In the past, I worked with a construction team that struggled with AV/IT coordination, where misalignment led to frustration and costly rework. The architects blamed the site supervisors, and the supervisors blamed the architects, a cycle that deepened the disconnect. Instead of forcing a rigid approach, the diverse project team I worked with introduced an open forum where the field teams could voice concerns. A simple shift in communication led to a new weekly check-in system, ensuring everyone felt heard and the project tasks were completed in a more structured, collaborative way. All we want at the end of the day is to feel heard, and bringing that holistic, people-centric approach to problem-solving makes a meaningful and powerful impact.
Lisa Hamilton: On a large-scale development project, the team began struggling with hitting its curtain wall installation dates. Upon a deeper review with the fabricator, the challenge was identified as insufficient labor or access to production lines to achieve the desired production schedule. In response, the owner and construction manager opted to identify a curtain wall project manager dedicated to overseeing the fabricator’s production plans. This individual was a woman with a strong curtain wall design and fabrication background. With her expertise, strong managerial skill set, and on-site presence in the fabrication shops, she developed a strong working relationship with the production managers. As a team, they developed trust to openly communicate day-to-day challenges, work to identify solutions, and gain support from leadership when needed. The result was very clear communication with ownership regarding the completion status and delivery of a very high-quality product. Without her leadership, I am confident the team would not have successfully delivered the building under budget and on time.
Katherine Kenney: I have been fortunate in my career to work alongside many talented women, including project team members, colleagues, and mentors. Every project presents its own set of challenges, but facing those obstacles with a dedicated group of strong women makes the process much more manageable. One of my most memorable experiences took place during a particularly tight move schedule. Our project team had just one weekend to execute the post-Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) cleanup activities and manage a multi-building move. The team, a remarkable group of women, worked tirelessly from morning until night to prepare the buildings for occupancy on Monday. We ensured a flawless opening through teamwork and an unwavering commitment to our goal. The users were thrilled with their new space, which made all our efforts worthwhile.
Kerry Logue: While working on a ground-up residential tower, the team was challenged by working within a small footprint of an urban site. With neighboring businesses and existing residential properties only feet away, the team had a strong focus on mitigating the impacts from construction to the abutters while maintaining the critical path of the construction schedule. The project team worked with the owner and developer to implement a liaison program that allowed for open communication channels with abutters regarding ongoing and upcoming construction activities, providing an outlet to ask questions and communicate concerns. The team members managing this process included women from all sides of the project, including the university, developer, and the design and construction management teams. This group worked proactively and collaboratively implementing this program, resulting in successfully maintaining positive relationships with the surrounding community throughout construction and contributing to the project’s overall success.
Natasha Marcuard: Project Management and team leadership isn’t a one-person show, and effective decisions aren’t made in silos. We are collectively better when we actively listen and invite diverse individuals to contribute to strategic problem-solving. At Northstar, this is fundamental to how we operate. Therefore, examples of diverse, collaborative team problem-solving show up every day. In a recent feasibility study, we were challenged with how to vet, consolidate, and communicate to executive leadership a complicated program with options to receive direction. By inviting all team members to work on one PowerPoint presentation together, we were able to avoid lengthy delays iterating by utilizing a SharePoint site where we could work in the same file. With a diverse range of backgrounds, levels of experience, and perspectives, each team member was able to actively contribute to the work product in a meaningful way that ultimately resulted in a concise presentation. Upon presenting to leadership, the executives had all the information they needed, elevated to the critical points, to make an informed decision and keep the project moving on schedule. Had we not had the range of individuals contributing to the presentation’s content, I’m confident that the leadership group would have had multiple questions that would’ve resulted in a delayed decision. We are better together when we are open to shifting how we collaborate to achieve the best possible outcome.
Olivia Pedro: Keeping a project within budget is a top priority for owner’s project managers, and my team’s diverse expertise is critical in preventing overages. Drawing on the extensive experience of my team members, who are well-established in their commercial real estate careers, we worked collaboratively to ensure our budget accounted for all necessary equipment and potential future costs. When we received an updated estimate from our general contractor that was significantly higher than expected, we were well-prepared to handle it. Thanks to the holds and allowances we strategically allocated during our internal budgeting exercises, we successfully navigated this unexpected challenge without compromising the project’s financial stability.
Denise Pied: I think back to a large interiors project where we encountered oil seeping up through the foundation. The project site was designated a brownfield, so we knew it was a hazard that had to be investigated thoroughly. Thankfully, our project team was quite diverse, with a mix of women and men led by very experienced principals. After a long round of due diligence to inform us exactly what we were dealing with and develop a safe removal protocol, we arrived at the out-of-the-box solution to block the oil in the long term by installing a barrier membrane material over the foundation. What was truly unique about this material is that it had previously been exclusively used in constructing roofs. However, the A/E/C team worked tirelessly to vet the product spec, consulting with the manufacturer directly to prove its efficacy as a barrier. It was also the most cost-effective solution under consideration. The fix did perform well and allowed the project to continue and the client to meet their move-in deadline. This is a great example of why I celebrate being a part of this industry for almost 30 years!
Geetha Rajeswar: One of the most inspiring collaborations I’ve experienced was during the fit-out of a luxury skincare and beauty brand in Place Vendome Mall, Qatar. This project was truly special. It was run by a strong Qatari woman with an all-women workforce, designed by a Swedish female architect, and managed on-site by me, an Indian woman! As the Construction Manager, I worked with a diverse team of architects, engineers, and tradespeople from various backgrounds. Midway through the project, we faced a major challenge. The client requested a last-minute change to the storefront design, initially featuring a custom glass façade with integrated lighting. However, due to COVID-related factory closures, procurement delays threatened our timeline. The designer, client, and I put our heads together to find a solution. The designer reworked the concept using locally available materials to maintain the luxury aesthetic. The client, deeply involved in her brand’s identity, ensured the new approach reflected her vision. I coordinated with vendors to fast-track approvals and sourced the fixtures with a shorter lead time. By working together, we turned a crisis into an opportunity, delivering a stunning space on time. This experience reinforced the power of diverse, women-led problem-solving in construction!
Dhruvi Rana: On my pharmaceutical project, my team consists of three other women who are all relatively close in age. Due to our diverse backgrounds, both personally and professionally, we each bring a different perspective to problem-solving and decision-making. Our team is committed to fostering a safe space for all individuals on our projects and ensuring all opinions are heard. For example, during our weekly OAC meetings, we bring our shared experiences to address issues ranging from technical construction changes to managing project budgets. By collaborating with the client, various trades, and each other, we successfully mitigate challenges for each of our projects.
Janet Tse: A project team composed of individuals with varied skills and experiences benefits from a broader range of perspectives and problem-solving approaches. At Northstar, our 50+ project managers come from diverse backgrounds, allowing us to leverage each other’s expertise. For example, my finance background enables me to address complicated client budgeting and invoicing issues. Conversely, I can consult a colleague with an MEP engineering background for valuable insights or recommendations for selecting the proper building system. Leveraging each other’s knowledge makes us one team with 50+ brains.
Danica Woo: In a recent complex masonry restoration project, I worked with a diverse team of women and men with varying professional backgrounds, project roles, and motivations. We faced the challenging situation of determining the best sequence of work to ensure high-quality craftsmanship while managing the coordination of man lifts, resources, and, most importantly, protecting the quality of life for the residents living in the building during the restoration. To address this, we organized brainstorming sessions to actively listen to each team member’s concerns, including those from on-site workers, project managers, and residents’ representatives. We devised a solution that balanced safety, quality, and operational efficiency by respecting and integrating these diverse perspectives. For example, we adjusted the work schedule to minimize disruption to residents and implemented a more strategic coordination of resources to streamline the project flow. This collaborative effort led to the successful completion of the project with minimal disruption, maintaining both high workmanship standards and resident satisfaction. The experience reinforced the value of bringing together a diverse group with varied skills and perspectives to tackle complex challenges, ensuring that all concerns were addressed to find the optimal solution.
As we work towards a stronger future, we are inspired by the dedication and contributions of the women who make a lasting impact at Northstar and throughout the construction industry. ‘Together We Rise’ by every team member’s perspective and talent.
