A Profile of Christa Dodoo
Global Facilities Leader, Visionary Connector
Christa Dodoo, Chief of Facilities and Infrastructure for the World Food Program has embraced the cultural nuances of the international facilities management landscape. ...
Read More
A Profile of Veronica Sanchez
Trailblazer in Fire Safety Inspection
Veronica Sanchez is a dynamic figure in the field of fire safety, breaking barriers as a woman in facilities management. ...
Read More
A Profile of Guenevere Dean
An Innovative Mind for a Dynamic Future
Guenevere (Gwen) Dean, Manager of Critical Systems for Sirius XM, is a remarkable figure whose focus is less on self-promotion and more on sparking thought. ...
Read More
A Profile of Karen Mattingly
Adaptable, inquisitive, determined, and unconventional
Karen Mattingly has carved an unconventional path into facilities management, starting her career in the field of accounting. With a background in handling accounts payable, receivable, payroll, and purchasing for a major corporation, Karen's transition into her current role as a Construction Project Manager for IEHP, a healthcare organization, illustrates her diverse skill set and determination. ...
Read More
A Profile of Aykean Forde
Global Ambassador for Education & Facility Management
Aykean Forde, the Facilities Director of the International School of Port of Spain is an ambassador of FM. What exactly does that mean? ...
Read More
A Profile of Angel Bolton
Embracing Adventure, Teamwork, and Growth
Meet Angel Bolton, a seasoned professional whose career is a tapestry of adventure, excitement, and dedication to enhancing team efficiency. Over the past two decades, Angel has traversed more than 36 countries, bringing her expertise in law enforcement, operations, safety, security, and facility management to diverse environments. Her roles have spanned from director of operations and facilities manager to training facilitator and detective, showcasing her versatility and commitment to making a difference. ...
Read More
A Profile of Veronica Hill
Manufacturing, to Distribution, to K-12 Facility Management
Veronica Hill is an agent of change, moving from industrial engineering to food supply chain management to K-12 facilities management. She attended Mississippi State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology. She also has a Master of Science in Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She’s now the Executive Director of Facilities for Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland, the fastest growing county in the state of Maryland, with many elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. ...
Read More
A Profile of Jennifer Green
Empowering Tomorrow's Trades
Jennifer Green, the Director of Competitions and Business Development for Skills Ontario, gets great joy and fulfillment promoting and advocating the skilled trades. ...
Read More
A Profile of Kimberly Case-Nichols
Orchestrating Facility Strategy
How Kimberly Case-Nichols went from being a baker to a flight attendant to a film school student to a facilities manager is a slalom course, filled with turns and twists. But she makes it all sound simple. ...
Read More
A Profile of Marilyn Thomas
Aspiring Architect Turned Facilities Maestro
From the age of seven, Jamaican born Marilyn Thomas wanted to be an architect. She envisioned herself as the world's most renowned architect, like Frank Lloyd Wright. She enrolled in the Caribbean School of Architecture, located in Kingston Jamaica, doing four years to earn her degree in Architectural Studies. ...
Read More
Profile of Leni Rivera
Reforming Workplace Experience and Redefining Facility Management
Most of us are happy to get 3-5 things crossed off the list each day. Leni Rivera, from Workplace Xperience Consulting, is focusing 100% of her time on disrupting the expected norms of the facility management industry by writing books, doing podcasts and media interviews, and conducting online training and consulting. ...
Read More
A Profile of Mimoza Novaj
Driven Adaptable Construction Leader
There are many routes that lead to careers in facility management and they’re all valuable because the industry is constantly evolving. Those who succeed may have been exposed to the skilled trades at an early age, gotten their start through volunteering at their local school, or were fascinated with building operations. ...
Read More
A Profile of Lisa Trayter
Passionate, Skilled, Community-Oriented Professional
Lisa Trayter, Director of Facilities and Transportation for the Yough School District has a diverse background that uniquely qualifies her for her role. ...
Read More
A Profile of Maria Ruiz
Weaving Diverse Expertise into a Tapestry of Success
Maria Ruiz gained valuable facility customer service and operational experience from an unlikely source – pitching in at Bloomingdale’s hosiery and high-end infant clothing departments in New York City. ...
Read More
A Profile of Melanie Ford
Passionate Construction Leader and Advocate
Melanie Ford planned to pursue architecture when she entered college but after two years in the architecture program found that she enjoyed her Building Science classes more than her design classes. ...
Read More
A Profile of Nicki Harwood
Emergency Manager, Trailblazer, Networker
Nicola (Nicki) Harwood, the Manager of Emergency Management and PBX, City of Hope, is a graduate of the facility management school of hard knocks, a collector of experiences, a world traveler born in England, and a thoughtful conversationalist. ...
Read More
A Profile of Melissa Natalizia
Leading with Light in Healthcare Facility Operations
Melissa Natalizia, Senior Manager, Facility Operations, at a healthcare facility in Arizona, brings a cool head and an air of calm to the healthcare facilities environment. ...
Read More
A Profile of Lisa James
Balancing Action & Communication On Campus
Lisa James has always benefitted from sports in her life to balance free time, academic studies, and professional development in the field of facility management. Lisa is the Associate Vice President, Facilities and Campus Services at Cornell University. ...
Read More
A Profile of Melissa Petracca
A Unique Peacock in the Field
Melissa Petracca graduated from college, then realized she didn’t want to go to grad school, so she switched to finance. She worked in wealth management for seven years, but she was let go. Sounds like an OMG moment, but instead she found an amazing opportunity to care for people and their environments at Matheny Medical and Educational Center. ...
Read More
A Profile of Alana Dunoff
The Psychology of People and Buildings
Temple University facilities management professor Alana Dunoff wants students to know that careers in facility management offer great depth in a variety of disciplines, from real estate to operations to finance. ...
Read More
A Profile of Maria O’Callaghan-Cassidy
Learner, Leader, Mentor
Maria O’Callaghan-Cassidy has worn many hats throughout her career, whether as a learner, leader, mentor, doer, or even boxer. ...
Read More
A Profile of Beth Fasching
FM Advocate. Industry Connector.
Beth Fasching’s dad was a hotel manager in the Twin Cities, and he brought his daughter to work when she was growing up. He managed his properties best by walking around so Beth went along too, to the boiler room, the kitchen, the laundry room, up on the roof, and other places most people don’t see. ...
Read More
A Profile of Sarah Fopma
Elevating Patient Care Through Technology and Service
There aren’t thousands and thousands of women in hospital facilities management and there are probably fewer women in management positions in healthcare IT departments, but Sarah Fopma is a prime example of someone who loves technology, is great with people, and has a strong desire to grow and learn. ...
Read More
Profile of Kayla Gottschalk
Experience Gatherer, Entrepreneur, Visionary
Kayla Gottschalk has built a solid foundation for a fantastic career in facilities management, starting with four years of drafting classes in high school, getting a BA in facility management from Ferris State University, and exploring inspiring spaces during stints with Haworth and Steelcase, manufacturers of furniture for offices, hospitals, and classrooms. Kayla is optimistic about the facility management industry. ...
Read More
A Profile of Shalita Myrick
Creative Solutions for Revolutionizing Facilities
Shalita Myrick, a principal facilities project manager at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, stumbled into facilities management. After graduating from Spelman College as a political science major, she intended to pursue a career in law. ...
Read More
A Profile of Tia Freiburger
Taking Sports Facility Management to A New Tier
Tia Freiburger, the senior manager for facilities and operations for apparel manufacturer Under Armour, transitioned to corporate America following a 20-year career in collegiate sports and recreation facility management which included renovation of existing buildings and expansions. ...
Read More
A Profile of Reese Spindle
Excellence and innovation in Facilities, Financials, and Operations
Reese Spindle has had a lot of different roles throughout her career. One powerful thread ties her story together – the ability to drive process improvement, change management and expertly deal with anything finance related – no matter the industry. ...
Read More
A Profile of Amanda Stephens
Building a better platform for career development and furthering facility management knowledge
Amanda Stephens, the Administrative Director of Operations at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital in San Antonio, grew up in a small town in Oregon. At her high school, students were required to take shop classes, including auto shop, metal shop, woodworking, so that was Amanda’s initial experience with the trades. ...
Read More
A Profile of Nicole Sanderson
Developing an Image for Higher Education Facility Management
Some people fall in love with their college campuses and never leave. Nicole Sanderson has found her happy place at the University of Washington Bothell where she earned a BA in Multi-Disciplinary Studies and has held several positions following graduation including program director, fiscal specialist, maintenance & construction coordinator. ...
Read More
A Profile of Eileen McMorrow
Chronicling the Evolution of the Facility Management Industry
The facility management evolution began in the 1980s when the office environment gained recognition for its impact on productivity, campuses evolved to meet student needs and computers, and patient-focused care changed hospitals. ...
Read More
A Profile of Grace Grindstaff
Recreation, Student Development, and Building Evolution
Grace Grindstaff, the Senior Associate Director of Facility & Business Operations at the University of North Carolina Wilmington lives in two worlds – facility management and student development while overseeing a recreational facility on campus. ...
Read More
A Profile of Rebecca Lanter
Balancing Technical Work, Soft Skills, Collaboration & Communication
Rebecca Lanter, Director of Plant Operations, Xavier University, believes that women come into the facilities management industry with an eye towards communication and collaboration, so she’s taking a leadership and management style that’s responsive to employees. ...
Read More
A Profile of Erin Hitchman-Tague
LEGO, Life and Learning
It’s interesting and exciting to catch up with someone in transition. Erin Hitchman-Tague is leaving Antelope Valley Community College in Lancaster, California. Antelope Valley College is part of the California Community College system, with more than 14,000 students. ...
Read More
A Profile of Christine Burkett
Continuous Learning, Growth and Vision
When you shop at Sam’s Club, you have Christine Burkett, Senior Regional Facilities Maintenance Manager, to thank for making the experience positive because lots can go wrong when you’re responsible for maintaining more than 100 Sam’s Clubs along the Gulf Coast, from floods to hurricanes to rotisserie chicken failures. ...
Read More
A Profile of Lisa Belokur
Loving Life in the Land of Opportunity at Georgetown
Lisa Belokur, Associate Vice President of Facilities & Residential Services, Georgetown University has “graduated. ...
Read More
A Profile of Deborah Czubkowski
Balancing Project Management, Industry Leadership and Family
Originally from Puerto Rico, Deborah Czubkowski, the Assistant Vice President, Design and Construction for Broward College, speaks of what keeps her motivated to multitask and get things done. ...
Read More
A Profile of Abby Lipperman
Mastering Mechanical, Electrical, Alternative Power and Project Management
In high school, Abby Lipperman always enjoyed math and science, but she really liked architecture. ...
Read More
A Profile of Yolanda Keys
Mastering the Art of Productivity, Mentoring, and Facility Management
Yolanda Keys has been in Atlanta public safety for almost 23 years. She’s now the Emergency Management Manager at Emory Decatur, Emory Hillandale and Emory Long Term Acute Care Hospitals. ...
Read More
A Profile of Tara McMachen
Gathering Skills, Upgrading Schools, and Fostering A Homegrown Facility Team
Originally from Michigan, with 10 years of facility management experience, Tara McMachen is excited about what’s happening in the Mapleton (Colorado) Public School District. ...
Read More
Diana Ortiz Burns
Mastering the Art of Productivity, Mentoring, and Facility Management
Diana Ortiz Burns, the Director of Facilities at the Meridian International Center in Washington, DC believes the term “facility manager” undersells the breadth and scope of work she and her colleagues in the industry tackle every day. ...
Read More
A Profile of Amanda Swanson
Warmth and Caring from Red Wing
Shoveling snow at the crack of dawn in Minnesota takes a certain kind of dedication, sense of responsibility and work ethic, which Amanda Swanson, the Facilities Operations Supervisor at Mayo Clinic Health System has been delivering since high school. ...
Read More
A Profile of Sarah Speron
Passionate About Beautiful Buildings & Creative Campus Facility Management
Sarah Speron, the Vice President of Facilities at Saint Mary’s College of California, likes the creative side of engineering and the creativity of problem-solving. ...
Read More
A Profile of Brooke Bohme
Delivering In-Depth, Inside Building Knowledge to Healthcare Facilities
Brooke Bohme, the Director of Engineering at Children’s Health in Dallas, Texas, has always been curious about what’s behind the walls. ...
Read More
A Profile of Mona Curry
Living Life for the Kupuna
Mona Curry works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a Division Supervisor (RSV) in Operations responding to disasters across the nation. ...
Read More
A Profile of Danielle Gathje
Counting on Facilities Teams to Take Care
Of What Matters Most to Patients
An admitted life-long learner, Danielle is now the Vice President of Hospital Operations at Fairview Health Services which encompasses 10 hospitals and 60 primary care clinics in Minnesota. ...
Read More
A Profile of Shannon McDougall
Perseverance, a sense of wonder, relating to the people
A homeless teen mom with an infant obtaining public assistance, Shannon McDougall was looking for a way up and out into the world which she found courageously in the healthcare industry as a phlebotomist. ...
Read More
A Profile of Cabrini University's Patty Smith
Problem-solver, communicator, educator, industry advocate
Patty Smith's career in operations and maintenance started with a list of problems that needed to be solved and took off from there. The assignment came to her when she was a student who worked in operations planning at a small college in Georgia. ...
Read More
A Profile of Johnson Control's Julie Brown
Helping Kids Learn, Patients Heal, and Doing What’s Right for the Planet
Judging by her Copenhagen Zoom background, one would take an educated guess that Julie Brown from Johnson Controls takes a worldly view of the facility management industry, but in reality, her steel-toe boots are clearly on the ground, and she's rooted in what's happening in the day to day lives of her customers. ...
Read More
A Profile of Samantha Howell
HVAC Problem-Solver & Educator
Samantha Howell is a Business Development Director for EMCOR Services Fagan, a contracting company that focuses on HVAC, energy, maintenance, and plumbing services for facilities, based in Kansas City, Missouri. ...
Read More
Profile of Linda Foggie
Building a Foundation to Drive Positive Influence with The Largest Number of People
As the managing director and global head of real estate operations of Citibank’s occupied real estate arm, Citi Realty Service, Linda Foggie oversees design and construction, facilities management, critical facilities, data centers, workplace and sustainability and is responsible for managing a global property portfolio consisting of some 45 million square feet. ...
Read More
Technology, Innovation, and Adventure:
A Profile of Nancy Novak
Nancy Novak is the Chief Innovation Officer for Compass Datacenters. She recently shared her observations, opinions, and predictions about facility management, technology, education, and retirement, based on 20+ years of construction industry experience. ...
Read More
Profile of Salisbury University’s Nancy Birch: Continuous Improvement Through Communications
Nancy Birch’s ascent into facility management began at NASA, Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, where she worked in logistics, accounting, and procurement to provide institutional services to support base operations. In her roles as Contract Administrator and Help Desk Manager, she gained experience in the building trades, construction, and engineering. ...
Read More
Chonte' Martin Radiates Positivity and Promise for the Facility Management Industry
Chonte' Martin, Facility Management Director of Operations for the City of Atlanta, is responsible for about 3.6 million square feet of occupied facilities in the city. ...
Read More
Shannon Prince-Thomas
At the intersection of people, projects, and facilities
Shannon Prince-Thomas, Account Director at Cushman & Wakefield, is responsible for overseeing project management to support tenants through facility management, about 1.7 million square feet in Pleasanton, California. ...
Read More
Accomplished, Opinionated, Out There
A Profile of Carolyn McGary
Carolyn McGary, known throughout the industry as a Wonder Woman of Facility Management is a woman of many hats: facility/project manager, consultant, author, educator, mentor, student, and overall zealot for the profession of facility management. ...
Read More
University of Georgia Facility Innovation, Diversity, Collaboration
A profile of Kimberly J. Thomas
Kimberly J. Thomas, Facilities Management Division, Senior Director of Services, leads a team of 700 facility professionals at The University of Georgia. UGA is the flagship institution for the state and was chartered in 1785. Thomas and her team have a lot of ground to cover and are kept extremely busy, but we managed to squeeze in a great conversation that also covered a lot of ground – everything from how to encourage more women to pursue facility management as a career, how retirement is impacting facility operations, best ways to handle emergencies, and more. ...
Read More
Robyn Pacini Hits It Out of the Ballpark
How many know what equipment is hidden in the crawl spaces of Fenway Park? As a new facilities coordinator, Robyn Pacini was assigned the challenging task of documenting, servicing, and maintaining ...
Read More
Sustaining Growth, Fostering Safety, Doing Good for the People
With $650M in bond construction programs, Kelle' Lynch McMahon and her team of 15 facility staff and consultants are helping manage the growth of the Fremont Unified School District in Fremont, California. Fremont Unified School District serves 32,000 students in grades K-12. ...
Read More
