Our employees are the best ambassadors for bringing the story of Campus Services to life and there’s no better way to illustrate our organizational priorities than by highlighting the great work that’s being done. Those priorities include supporting growth in Allston, meeting our sustainability imperative, and caring for the place and its people. Since Women in Construction week falls in the month of March, we spoke to several people across Campus Services who support renewal and construction across the University. Their backgrounds are impressive, their stories are inspiring, and they’re playing a critical role in making Campus Services and Harvard a better place for everyone.
Shawna Correll, Harvard Capital Projects (HCP) – As a Senior Project Manager, I oversee university capital projects from concept to closeout, managing a host of responsibilities including scope, schedule, and budget. Another key function is facilitating communication between all the various stakeholders which often includes contractors, engineers, architects and of course the school or department which owns the project. My background is in architecture which helps considerably, since good architects are the ones who can understand all the different elements of construction, whether it’s the HVAC system, building materials, or site considerations and bring it all together into one unified design. I really enjoy my job since I get to be embedded so closely within all facets of a project and when they’re complete, I get a great sense of satisfaction. Within HCP we have a team-oriented approach which means we tackle challenges collectively, and I really like that.
Cate Crompton, Engineering & Utilities (E&U) – As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, I manage the stewardship and upgrade of campus infrastructure, including our chilled water, electrical, and steam distribution systems. When there’s a construction project on campus, it’s E&U’s job to figure out how all of the utilities will be delivered to the building, and as you can imagine on a dense campus such as Harvard’s, that’s not always simple. But I actually enjoy the complicated projects because they’re challenging. I’ve always loved math, and being a highly visual person, design in engineering was always something that seemed exciting to me. But when I was younger I never envisioned that I would one day be managing projects at Harvard University. I really enjoy that I get to form close relationships with so many people on the project teams including my colleagues across Campus Services.
Tracy Perron, Harvard University Housing & Real Estate (HUHRE) – As Director of Operations for Harvard Real Estate, I manage a team responsible for day-to-day operations of a diverse portfolio totaling over three million square feet including office, retail, warehouse, and lab spaces. We’re focused on delivering exceptional experiences to our university and commercial tenants, as well as strategic planning for the renewal of building systems and structures. Before arriving at Harvard about two years ago, I spent a long career in commercial construction and property management which equipped me with the skills needed to assist our team with the planning and execution of capital improvements. In previous roles, the budget was often the priority, but at Harvard, the priority is to think about the longevity of the asset and how to provide the best services, while also managing costs. That’s a refreshing change from the private sector. What I really enjoy is mentoring and guiding my team, witnessing their development, and forging collaborative relationships with my colleagues in Campus Services.
Kelly McQueeney, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) – As the Director of Project Support Services, I lead a team that helps ensure compliance, identifies risks, and offers mitigation strategies for construction projects. For almost 20 years, I’ve been fortunate to be involved in a number of significant projects including the Enterprise Research Campus. In fact, it was Harvard’s expansion into Allston that attracted me to the University. After receiving my master’s in environmental engineering and working as a consultant for many years I read an article in the Boston Globe about Harvard’s plans for Allston. I knew I wanted to be a part of that. A lot of my work has been managing soil and groundwater in Allston, some of which had been contaminated by years of prior industrial use. We removed 900,000 tons of soil from the Science and Engineering Complex alone! I’d say I’m most proud of the Project Support Services team. Everyone brings their expertise and problem solving skills to the table and it’s just an honor to work with them.
Rebecca Hatchadorian, Office for Sustainability (OFS) – I joined the OFS Sustainable Built Environment team just over two years ago to support sustainability across Harvard’s campus. I transitioned from a global engineering and consulting firm, having worked in offices in Singapore and Boston. Our team supports capital and operational projects to advance Harvard’s Sustainable Building Standards, Harvard Healthier Building Academy, and decarbonization goals. I have a master’s degree in architecture and was drawn to sustainable design early in my architectural career. Since then I have spent the past 17 years focused on sustainability in the built environment. As a consultant, you move from one project to the next, and being on the “owner-side” at Harvard makes me feel much more invested in the work I do. I enjoy the collaborative and forward-thinking environment here, where stakeholders are already committed to sustainability. The university setting provides a tremendous platform to continue to pilot, implement, and advance sustainable practices in our built environment.