Celebrating the Women of CPD

The construction, engineering, and architecture industries are known for being primarily male-dominated, though more women are taking on roles at every level each year. NYCHA’s Capital Projects Division (CPD), responsible for managing over $1 billion in construction projects, recently held a virtual event to celebrate and acknowledge the women of the division. 

The event was organized by Claudette Morris, Director of Analysis & Reporting; Anella Tummings, Assistant to the VP of Support Services; Nikki Mitchell, Secretary to the Director, CP Administration Department; Shakema Knight, Special Administrator, CP Administration Department; and Angelena Edwards, Senior Project Manager. 

The celebration included many acknowledgements of women and their contributions at all levels in CPD from administrative to managerial, providing services in the fields of construction, architecture, engineering, administration, etc. CPD staff submitted words of commendation and appreciation to their colleagues which were displayed in a presentation. Ms. Tummings presented a history of women in leadership, which included well-known women, such as Vice President Kamala Harris and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and former NYCHA executives Laura Blackbourne, (NYCHA’s first female Chair) and Deborah Goddard, (former EVP for CPD).  

The celebration also included two guest speakers. Guest speaker Sabine Bouquet-Charles from the City’s Employee Assistance Program gave a health and wellness presentation about addressing anxiety during the pandemic.  
 
Industry guest speaker Christine Flattery, Senior Vice President at NYC Health + Hospitals, discussed the growth of women in the design and construction industry and the importance of seeking out mentors. Ms. Flattery is responsible for all real estate, planning, design, construction, and facilities management for Health + Hospital’s system, comprising more than 20 million square feet across the five boroughs. “I was lucky enough to have great mentors, and they were always willing to let me ask a ton of questions and to never be afraid to ask those questions – it helped me grow as a person and it helped me learn,” Ms. Flattery said. “Even today, I’m still learning. That’s an important piece of our growth…to be willing to admit that you don’t know and to be able to lean on the team to learn from.”  

The event also featured a panel discussion with CPD vice presidents Corrine Campbell, VP for Support Services; Joy Sinderbrand, VP for Recovery & Resilience; and Vlada Kenniff, VP of Energy & Sustainability, moderated by Angelena Edwards. The panelists discussed their careers, leadership styles, and mentoring, and shared a quote that represented themselves and their career journeys. 

Ms. Campbell shared the quote by Misty Copeland, “Know that you can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed.”.  Ms. Campbell shared that began her career with the City right out of high school, attending school and raising a family while working in various agencies and roles. She discussed how she changed industries and positions a number of times throughout her career and emphasized that it’s never too late to pursue dreams.  

Ms. Sinderbrand shared the quote, “I wonder if there’s a pattern here and can finding one help us create an efficiency?” She talked about being the daughter and granddaughter of two lifelong Local 3 electricians, and that she didn’t think she’d be involved in construction. When she started working for the City, she worked in budget and operations; but as her career evolved, she realized that she enjoyed connecting the dots and wanted to make New York City a better place – which led her to her current role. 

Ms. Kenniff shared a quote by Margaret Meade, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world, indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” She told the story of emigrating to the U.S. as a teenager with her family; as they travelled by train from Uzbekistan to Moscow, she learned about how the Aral Sea, formerly the fourth largest lake in the world, disappeared due to human actions, and since then she’s been committed to sustainability in various roles. 

Mentoring was the most-discussed topic of the event. CPD’s Executive Vice President Steven Lovci said: “In an industry that is based on mentorship and leading by example, I have been fortunate to have many women mentors, including the past EVP Deborah Goddard, and I’m encouraged that these industries are becoming more diverse every year. I’m proud that three of the five vice presidents at Capital are women and 44 percent of Capital’s leadership roles are held by women. We’re making progress, and with networking and events like this we can increase those numbers.” 

Ms. Morris thanked the over 200 staff members in attendance in her final remarks, and highlighted again the significant impact women have been making for years, but noted that the recognition has not kept pace with their contribution. She also thanked CPD leadership for elevating women to guide the team in executing CPD’s mandates. The call was made to continue to celebrate the accomplishments of women.