Today, she is the lead design manager at Hensel Phelps on the $1.5 billion LAX Terminal 5 Redevelopment, a transformational aviation project targeted for completion ahead of the 2028 Olympics.

What is one challenge that you’ve overcome in your career?

Probably the biggest challenge in terms of your career is not knowing when and how to advocate either for yourself or for others. I have really focused on being direct and respectful in any room I’m in and making sure that people are clear on what the ask is. I see team members hesitating a little bit, it’s not always because they don't understand, but they don't feel comfortable speaking up. I try to advocate for them and clarify things for them or encouraging them behind the scenes to really take that step forward. I do understand that that is how you get projects done, and how you build relationships, and that if people can't communicate together, that really is how projects fail.

What has been your favorite or most interesting project you’ve worked on and why?

I think my favorite was my first fully built project, the Ala Moana shopping was in Hawaii. I did full design and construction on it. It was a fast-track project that eliminated a design phase and had really complex phasing. It was the first one I ever got to do and see fully realized.

What’s the best career advice you’ve been given?

I'd say the best career advice I've ever been given is to speak up. If I am in a room and I've got really great ideas, people should hear them, and I shouldn't be scared of saying them. Sounds obvious, but you know, when you're a young female minority in a room of predominantly white men, you don't want to do that.

What’s your career advice for other young professionals in the industry?

Leadership and management are two different things, and you can be a leader without being a manager. It really just takes being authentic and courageous and present enough to dive in. The big thing for me is being empathetic of other perspectives and trying to understand where other people are coming from. I think helps make you a better leader, and elicits trust and builds relationships, which I think are critical for this career.

What’s the best part of your job?

When you bring teams together, especially teams in a high-pressure environment, and you know that they feel good about what they've done because you've cleared the path for them. That's pretty special. Yes, we're going to create cool buildings, the building or the built environment matters far less if the people working on it just didn't have a great time.