Influential Woman · Architecture and Project Management

Kelly (Papa) Sanborn

Associate Project Manager, SMMA

Boston, MA

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Master's in Architecture from Roger Williams University Degree Master's in Art and Architectural History from Roger Williams University Cert Registered Architect Member CoreNet

Her Story

About Kelly

I've been working full-time in my field since 2017, and I currently serve as an associate project manager specializing in architectural project management. Before transitioning to project management in 2018, I worked as an architectural designer after completing four internships as an architectural intern. In my role, I really see myself as bridging the gap between the client and the internal team, making sure that all projects stay on schedule and budget. I have an architectural background, so I am able to support on the architecture side as well, but I also manage engineering teams as part of that process. I manage architectural and engineering projects across a wide range of project types, mostly in corporate settings, including a lot of office amenity spaces and labs. One of my most significant recent achievements is that I just became a registered architect after passing all six architecture registration exams, so now I can be a licensed architect. My career took an interesting turn when my firm looked externally for a project management position, didn't have success finding someone who fit the role, and then brought that role internally to hire from within. I was actually hired from within to get into project management, and when I got the job, it gave me a whole different perspective on the company itself. That opportunity changed the trajectory of my career.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Kelly

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would definitely attribute my success to my ambition, especially coming out of college. I was extremely ambitious, and I think my ambition has taken me to where I am today. But just being able to connect with people that believe in me as a person and feel strongly that they can help mentor me to places I want to go has been crucial. I think both the ambition and the mentorship has been extremely key to where I'm at today and more of a leadership role in my firm.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice that I've received so far is really to always step back and try to get a more global view of some of even the minute things that you're working on. Although we're doing minute tasks day in and day out to support a certain project or destination, it really helps to take your mind out on a bigger scale and understand what these minute details are doing as a whole and how they're actually affecting my community. One piece of advice I got was that, especially as it relates to a job and loving a job, you really have to like the things that you're doing day in and day out, and you have to like the people that you're doing it with, but you also have to like what that work is then doing on a global scale.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Supporting and advocating for each other is so important. Especially when a female works so hard to get into a specific role or get a seat at the table, they need to then appreciate their journey in getting there and pay it forward to those that are maybe on the same track, just a couple years behind them. Really advocating for those women in the industry to be able to maybe one day sit at the same table is crucial.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I think the challenges that we run into are a lot about making sure that we are on the same page with our clients and being so in tune with our clients. If we're not, then we do run into challenges daily, so it's just making sure that we have really good partnerships with our clients and open communication as well. As for opportunities, I think the opportunity that I had to actually be promoted from within was significant, because I do feel like a lot of firms look externally for roles and don't know that maybe some folks internally are really hoping for some more career advancement and just don't know the right path. So that was an extreme opportunity for me to apply and then get the job. When I got the job, it gave me a whole different perspective on the company itself, and that opportunity changed the trajectory of my career.

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