Construction

estimating team, Karin Scattolon, estimator, works directly with our contractor preconstruction and estimating partners to determine project requirements. She manages our pre-qualification program and consistently provides accurate and comprehensive estimates, including material quantities, equipment and loading requirements, labor needs, and project value engineering options. She has over 10 years of experience in construction management and the glazing industry.

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LW: I am inspired by the people that we represent and the importance of the work that they do in their communities. Architects are uniquely positioned to transform the built environment and positively impact our well-being. I am also excited for the opportunity to lead the talented team at AIA. The staff has provided wonderful feedback that has shaped much of the direction I have taken as we adjust the organization to better serve the architecture community.

What are you proudest of so far in your leadership at AIA?

LW: I was very proud to secure the feature for AIA and myself as a judge on “America ByDesign,” an architecture show featured on CBS. Throughout this past year, members have said how important it is for AIA to build excitement about architecture in the public. This feature showcased all AIA members and AIA member projects in a six-episode series. It is streaming on CBS platforms now and in February will be in six major markets.

What does AIA leadership mean to you?

ER: The experience is like no other! AIA leadership is a trust to have critical conversations, ask the right questions, and celebrate the amazing work of our members. I still have 20 or more years in the profession, and I am so honored to serve at this time and look forward to use what I learn to grow future leadership.

KD: It means having an opportunity to not only have a voice in rooms where important decisions are being made about the profession, but also to give voice to mem- bers who have historically felt unheard. How do you want to be a catalyst for equity within AIA and the industry?

LW: It’s all about storytelling. It’s about showcasing and celebrating the amazing design work of architects, particularly of women and people of color, in this country. We have to do more to shine the spotlight out there, and we’re going to do just that.

ER: As architects, we need to acknowledge we don’t have all the answers, but we know how to ask the right questions. There is a subtlety to that humility. For every project, for every effort we need to ask if we are not just improving our communities, but what we are missing? When we are guided by the people we serve, we both learn from and create the most appropriate solutions.

KD: By serving as an example of what is possible. My campaign slogan was, “Envision New Possibilities,” which still applies as I step into this position as the first Black woman and the first millennial to serve as national president. My hope is that not only my presence, but also my strong performance in the role, will inspire the next generation to get engaged with making a difference in our profession. Representation matters and is a key building block of equity within AIA and beyond.

After earning a B.A. in architecture from Boston Architectural College, Frances Hughes began her career as an architect. After 20 years, she made a life-changing decision to take on a new challenge in the industry: managing projects designed by others on behalf of the owner. As an owner’s project manager (OPM), Frances now draws on her extensive experience to ensure projects maintain the highest level of design and construction quality while remaining within the owner’s project budget, a difficult task in the past two years.

PROJECT MANAGER, PMCM GROUP CHA

CONSULTING, INC.

Frances encourages other women to hone their industry skills in project and construction management, budget development, and business development, and then look around. “Leverage personal skills like good verbal and written communication and networking to explore new opportunities within the industry,” she says. “You’ll find many people who are willing to help you grow your career.”

Frances has managed large, complex projects in Massachusetts, including healthcare facilities such as the nine-floor Shattuck Hospital relocation to Newton Pavilion and MSBA-funded school projects such as the new Westport Middle and High School. This school construction project involved complex phased construction to limit the disruption to the nearby elementary school and library and is constructed for sustainability to achieve LEED Silver certification as determined by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Ratings System.

Long before the pandemic-induced demand for life-work balance and contrary to growth-as-thegoal objectives, Laura has led the talented team at Pirie Associates to create sensitive, impactful, and integrated built environments one project at a time. From placemaking and community engagement to landscape, architecture, and interiors, the firm’s multidisciplinary approach brings the right tool to each job. Laura often cites the old saying, “If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail” to describe the opposite of Pirie Associates’ approach. Why work this way? A client’s built environment is a partner to help them achieve their unique goals, and using the right tools makes all the difference. And here’s a secret: This approach does not

PRINCIPAL AND FOUNDER cost more money – it just takes a bit more thought. While practicing this way, a few things became clear: First, every project deserves a good story. A story that describes why the built environment is designed the way it is connects people to their place, and connection is vital to belonging and health. Second, value management is a decisionmaking tool based on the arc of impact. If it’s cheaper out of the gate but falls apart or is too expensive to operate, how is that a good value? And last, why and how we make matters. What we make and how we make it impacts the entire living system, and we can use our creativity to regenerate and sustain life instead of draining life.

Over two decades, Pirie Associates has come full circle: The design of our practice for life balance has led to the design of built environments for life balance. Who would have guessed?

Laura advises, “Trust your path, including the unexpected twists and turns – it will lead you where you need to be to make a difference in the world.”

Susan Shelby, FSMPS, CPSM, ABCP began her career in public relations 28 years ago in the competitive marketplace of high-tech. When the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, her career path diverged into the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. A 2004 layoff inspired Susan to launch Rhino PR, which prioritizes the integration of public relations, marketing, and business strategies to help AEC clients increase their visibility in the marketplace.

Like her company’s namesake, Susan considers herself a rhino, charging forward to meet client goals, armed with thick skin, and undeterred by obstacles. For the past 18 years, she has enabled clients to take ownership of their public image through targeted news releases, byline articles demonstrating thought leadership, successful media relations, and effective crisis communications.

She recently completed a 30-minute podcast, “Thick Skin, Public Relations & Crisis Communications,” for The Resilience Journey and will be co-presenting “Not All Publicity is Good Publicity” at the Society for Marketing Professional Service’s (SMPS) Northeast Regional Conference (NERC) in May with Chuck Raymond, CPSM from Weston & Sampson.

“I love being an electrician,” says Sharon Bonneau, Interstate Electrical Services electrician. “It is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life. Every day I get to do something that makes me proud.”

Sharon began her career with Interstate as an apprentice in 2016 and continued on to earn her journeyman license in 2021. “Being part of the Interstate team is fantastic,” she says. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

A member of SMPS since 2001, Susan is a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) and an SMPS fellow. She is a former SMPS Boston chapter president and was recognized as Marketing Professional of the Year by the chapter in 2016. When she’s not working or volunteering with Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue (YGRR), Susan makes time for Finley, her own golden retriever, reading mysteries, and watching British crime shows. At the top of her bucket list is an African photo safari with a working vacation at a rhino orphanage.

When Sharon started working in the field, she faced challenges as a woman in the trade. One of her biggest fears was not being able to bend conduit. As she progressed through her apprenticeship, Sharon’s confidence continued to grow. Today, she can bend a ten-foot piece of conduit in four different directions. “My job is so rewarding,” she says. “I can walk into a finished room after the power’s been turned on and see the lights on and things plugged into the walls, and know that I did each individual thing in that room. It’s one of the best feelings!”

“As for being a woman in the trade, I think I’ve been very lucky,” she continues. “I’m treated with respect.” When Sharon first started at Interstate, she admits it was hard to ask for help. “I was raised to be strong and independent, and the word ‘help’ never came out of my mouth. Now, if I need help, I’ll ask for it knowing my team is there and has my back.”

As a WBE that values diversity, we are proud to celebrate the women of Bald Hill Builders during Women in Construction week, and all year long. We strive to “Build A Better Experience” with great people, knowledge, experience, and services. Bald Hill Builders is proud to be a recipient of the Boston Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” award. Bald Hill Builders also supports the development of affordable and sustainable housing to attract and retain a diverse population; stabilize and strengthen neighborhoods; and support workforce housing through the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing construction projects. BHB believes construction funds should remain in the communities in which we work, providing economic opportunities to a diverse local workforce.

MENTORING: Work closely alongside experienced electricians, assemblers, engineers, and many other talented industry innovators. Learn from the best to become the best.

INNOVATION: Advance through innovation. Our unique project delivery model employs both cutting edge technology and extensive prefabrication providing a safer and less stressful work environment for you.

CAREER GROWTH: You decide how far you want to go and we will help you get there.

EARN WHILE YOU LEARN: We pay for apprentice schooling to complete classroom hours. As an apprentice, you work and earn great pay while you learn the trade. Start earning day one!

Sophie Haddock is a landscape designer and assistant land planner at TFMoran. She holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture with a minor in community planning from the University of Rhode Island. She also serves as treasurer of Granite State Landscape Architects (GSLA).

Sophie’s role at TFMoran is to plan and design landscaping projects, working to bring balance to the site and harmonize with its setting. This year, she helped the Town of Derry redesign and revitalize a historic public park.

Born in Boston and raised in Somerville, Juli Lemire has been a New England native her entire life. Juli attended Katherine Gibbs School and worked in the local mortgage industry for over 15 years before co-founding Temporary Wall Systems in 2017.

Sophie’s role included design of a new playground, water fountain, “sprayground” splash pad, and nature trails for all ages to enjoy. Her favorite part of the job is designing spaces that benefit people, as well as their environment and ecosystems.

TFMoran

Sophie utilizes Lumion, Sketchup, and AutoCAD to create lifelike context in her landscape designs by turning any space into a 3D model. By showing the plants’ sizes, colors, and textures, the designer can find the perfect result before reflecting that onto a landscape plan to help clients and contractors better understand how their project will turn out.

In her free time, Sophie feeds her passion for environmentalism. She and her husband recently purchased their first home which was overrun with invasive plants. They have enjoyed restoring its natural charm by planting native species, starting new gardens, and encouraging biodiversity. Sophie also enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with family and friends.

Sophie’s role at TFMoran is to plan and design landscaping projects, working to bring balance to the site and harmonize with its setting.

Juli’s husband Ryan, a union carpenter with over 20 years of experience, had expressed frustration over the thousands of square feet of traditional stud and drywall being used for temporary containment, only to be discarded after project completion. Shortly after, Ryan saw a state-of-theart reusable modular wall containment system on his jobsite and told Juli about it. Juli immediately recognized this reusable containment system as an environmentally responsible alternative to containing dust and debris.

Combining their passion for creating solutions, Juli and Ryan created a plan for this amazing opportunity. Juli realized they could satisfy the industry need for a durable containment system that withstands the rigors of an active construction environment and marry it with a full-service rental solution that they would offer to general contractors and facilities within New England. They outlined a service-oriented business model, developed a strategy for creating vendor partnerships and implemented the tried-and-true philosophy of “going the extra mile” for their clients because Juli believes that “success is all about the service.”

Juli believes in ongoing personal development and specifically recommends the principles outlined within the book, ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill, which has contributed greatly to her persistence and the success of Temporary Wall Systems.