Bonnie Brocato
Bonnie Brocato is the Director of Facilities at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she has dedicated 15 years to ensuring the smooth operation and development of the campus. In her role, she oversees maintenance, renovations, new construction, and major capital projects across a diverse complex that includes research laboratories, educational classrooms, and the animal hospital where veterinary students receive hands-on training. Bonnie’s approach emphasizes practical problem-solving, sustainability, and creating functional spaces that meet both operational and educational needs. Before joining LSU, Bonnie gained extensive experience at the LIGO Livingston Observatory, working for the California Institute of Technology. There she started in construction management helping to build the observatory from the ground up, moved onto business services leader after construction was complete and gradually took on facilities management responsibilities. Her early career also included roles with engineering and industrial companies such as Exxon Plastics, where she focused on Risk Management, Document Control and regulatory compliance. These experiences provided her with a strong foundation in operations, project oversight, and interdisciplinary collaboration. A dedicated and resourceful professional, Bonnie earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from Louisiana State University while balancing full-time work and single parenthood. She is known for her leadership style that fosters teamwork and accountability, striving to “leave it better than she found it” as the motivation for every day task.
Among her notable accomplishments are the construction of the small animal clinic addition with a sustainable green terrace, the transformation of condemned buildings into functional pastures and shelters for horses, a relief well water mitigation project, modernization of the school library which transformed traditional book shelves into study spaces and collaborative spaces equipped with modern technology; total renovation of a surgical training center and an $11 million learning space renovation for interactive learning just to name a few. Bonnie’s commitment to excellence, environmental responsibility, and creating a positive impact drives both her personal mission and professional success.
• Third Degree Black Belt
• Louisiana State University - BS
• I don't know, these don't matter much to me. I care more about making people smile.
• LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
• Arbor day - planting trees
What do you attribute your success to?
Drive, perseverance and integrity - skills I attribute to a wonderful father, actually my stepfather. I am the person that he taught me to be through observations of his own actions, his expectations of me and good parenting; never ending energy inherited from my mom; and resilience learned as I travel through life's journey. Passion to leave it better than I found it.
Being a good leader - guide by doing and you will gain respect from others, surround yourself with good people who are smarter than you and learn from them, listen to their ideas and let them contribute in their area of expertise, never say "I don't know" instead seek to find the answer.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never stop learning and growing. Every day's a new day, the world is changing fast so there is always something new to learn. That's what I believe in and its what has driven me forward. I even went back to college at age 30 because I got tired of banging my head on the glass ceiling. I was a single mom and working full-time, I knew the next 10 years were going to pass anyway, and I wanted to be a better person when I got there as well as a model/mentor for my son just as my dad was for me.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
As facility managers we take care of buildings - buildings exist to serve the people in them - always remember that. Listen to your clients needs. Use your motherly instincts - always maintain respect for, consideration and appreciation for others who work for you to maintain the building because together you make the world better for everyone.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge, for me at least in my field right now are time and money. There's just always so much to do and you just never seem to have enough resources (time and money) to get it all done.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The power of positive thinking - being an optimist. There is always something good in everything its just occasionally you have to look a little harder to find it.
Respecting everybody for who they are and knowing that everybody is a spoke in the wheel, together we all work to make the wheel turn. I don't think that I'm better than anybody else, or anybody else is better than me. I think together we're a team. Integrity is very important to me. Perseverance and resilience are my two best characteristics.
Locations
Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine
Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70710
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