How many years have you been in the industry?

I’ve been in this industry for nine years. In college I studied Environmental Science and Law. As graduation approached, I decided to stop applying to jobs I wasn’t actually interested in, got a job working on a farm (I still needed to make my student loan payments) and took a number of informational interviews to try to determine what exactly it was that I wanted to do. I am grateful to everyone who took the time to meet with me during that period, and those conversations led me to a role as an Environmental Planner at VHB in Boston. I spent five years at VHB before starting as a Senior Project Manager for the then Boston Planning & Development Agency (now the City of Boston’s Planning Department). I have been with the City for four years and am now a Development Portfolio Manager.

What motivates you?

I believe that the solutions to many of the challenges we face today as a society – affordability, resiliency, mobility, etc. – can be found in the built environment. The industry leaders I work with both inside and outside of City Hall motivate me to continue to push for the best possible outcomes for developments around the City of Boston.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone entering CRE?

There are so many different paths available within the CRE industry. Try to find the aspects of your job that keep you excited and engaged and follow those things; they will likely lead you to a career you truly enjoy.

What’s your favorite thing about real estate?

My favorite thing about working in real estate is being able to see the product of your work in the built environment. There is something special about traveling around the City and seeing buildings I have worked on fully constructed and knowing at least a part of the story that went into their development.

What’s your biggest career accomplishment?

I have managed a number of projects in the past few years that have been approved by the BPDA Board, but the one I feel the most proud of is the Constitution Inn Project in the Charlestown Navy Yard. The project is an adaptive reuse of an existing hotel and will provide all deeply affordable housing with a portion dedicated to housing for the formerly homeless.

What do you find most valuable about being an active ULI and YLG member?

The network I have found through participating in ULI has absolutely been the most valuable part of my membership. The people I met when I first joined in 2017 remain friends, and I’m always happy to see a familiar face whether it is at an evening social or in a project meeting. The Boston CRE community is a small one, and I feel lucky to have such a strong network, thanks in large part to ULI.

What are you reading, watching, or listening to now?

I am currently reading Sally Rooney’s latest book, Intermezzo, and just finished watching the latest season of Shrinking.

What are you looking forward to?

The projects I typically work on require multiple years of review due to their size and complexity. Every time I bring one of those projects to the BPDA Board for approval, it is a significant milestone for the entire team that has worked on it. I am looking forward to the next few projects I have in my portfolio making it to that stage.

What’s your favorite part about being involved with ULI Boston’s YLG?

I have loved seeing my peers from when I first joined the YLGs grow in their careers, and I especially enjoy when I get the opportunity to cross paths with them professionally.