Profiles of the Seismic Safety & Modernization Project Team

What attracted you to Berkeley Lab?

My upbringing and values have always driven me to pursue work that goes beyond personal ambition, aiming to make a broader, positive impact. When the opportunity to join Berkeley Lab arose, it felt like a perfect match—both for my professional goals and my values. At Berkeley Lab, I’m not only part of an exceptional team dedicated to advancing sustainable and energy-efficient building practices, but I also have the privilege of supporting groundbreaking science that benefits humanity and the planet.

What attracted you to a career in construction?

I've always found a career in construction inspiring. It’s amazing to start with a blank page, where clients outline their vision and needs, and watch as the design team bring that vision to life as a constructible plan. Then, working alongside the build team to turn that vision into reality is incredibly fulfilling. Throughout this journey, there’s a lot of teamwork, problem-solving, and shared purpose, and the best part is stepping back as a team, proud of what we’ve accomplished. Seeing the finished space being used and appreciated by happy users is a true reward.

What is your favorite part of what you do?

I really enjoy collaborating with our talented stakeholders, design teams, and build partners. Successful projects rely on true partnership and teamwork to overcome challenges and bring our clients' vision to life. There’s something incredibly rewarding about working with such skilled professionals to create spaces that exceed expectations.

What has been your biggest career challenge?

One of my biggest career challenges was managing a high-stakes project with an accelerated timeline and complex requirements. Balancing the demands of tight deadlines, coordinating across multiple teams, and addressing unexpected issues required intense focus and adaptability. I learned the importance of clear communication, proactive planning, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving. Ultimately, this experience strengthened my ability to navigate challenging projects, and it was incredibly rewarding to see our team deliver a successful outcome under pressure.

How are you supporting the SSM project? 

I joined early in the design phase to manage our design partners and stakeholders, ensuring we stayed on schedule and within budget while delivering our leadership's vision for the new facility. In construction, I oversee design teams construction administration scope and address technical issues as they arise. I work closely with the project management team to uphold our objectives, budget, and schedule, while maintaining open communication with stakeholders to keep us on track and aligned with our standards. I'm dedicated to delivering a successful project that meets our team’s vision and needs.

What are you most looking forward to when the SSM project is complete?

I’m most excited to enjoy a lunch in the new cafeteria, filled with natural light and fresh air. I look forward to seeing the larger lab community gathering, connecting, and making the space a vibrant hub for team science and collaboration. It will be rewarding to see this space come to life as a key part of our mission and culture.

What attracted you to Berkeley Lab?

My grandfather worked at Lawrence Berkeley Lab, so from a young age, the Lab was on my radar.  When I started out, I thought I would be a scientist doing amazing research to solve world problems.  But when my STEM studies took a different trajectory, it was exciting to discover that I could still contribute to world-class science at the Lab by supporting the state-of-the-art facilities that enable our researchers to work on the cutting edge to make the world a better place.

What attracted you to a career in construction?

During high school, I worked for my mom’s employer, a heavy and industrial construction company.  I enjoyed learning about the myriad skills and technologies that went into delivering various project types.  Many of the projects were engineering marvels.  My favorite was at oil refineries, which made me feel like a kid in a giant chemistry set!  Later, I worked on biotech, high-tech, and seismic retrofit projects in northern and southern California.  Each project brought new learning opportunities, unique challenges, and rewarding interactions with great clients and stakeholders.  It is hugely rewarding to deliver a successful project to eager users!

What has been your biggest career challenge?

My biggest challenge is that I’m currently supporting two line-item capital projects with a combined total project cost of over $330M.  Between the two projects, there are a lot of spinning plates in the air.  The challenge is keeping all my duties and responsibilities balanced to effectively support the needs of both projects and teams at a high level.  Decisions have to be made on a daily basis to weigh priorities and available resources while keeping the success of the project always in view.

How are you supporting the SSM project? 

As the project coordinator, I support the success of the project team by planning and managing all administrative aspects of the project, including liaising with procurement, finance, and controls partners to ensure accurate tracking and reporting of scope, schedule, and cost.  I also coordinate internal and DOE project reviews and maintain open communications with stakeholders.

What are you most looking forward to when the SSM project is complete?

I can’t wait for the new SSM “Welcome Center” to be operational because it will be a truly welcoming place for Lab employees, partners, and visitors to come together in sustainable, breathtaking spaces to conduct business, collaborate with colleagues, and meet for social interactions.