Her Story
About Maria
I serve as Associate Director of Business Development at WB Engineers Consultants, where I've been for 5 years. We're a mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design consultancy specializing in science and technology and data center projects. I manage our Boston and Raleigh teams for business development and collaborate with our national head of science and technology across the country to support that market. My path to this industry was unexpected - I came from tech sales and discovered this field through a recruiter who suggested I attend a BizNow real estate event. Walking into that room at 8 in the morning and seeing 500 people energized and excited about the space and buildings around us, I felt an immediate passion. What makes this work meaningful to me is that we're part of something bigger - we're building facilities for mission-driven organizations in science and technology that are changing the world with their medicine, drugs, and technology. It's cool to be just a piece of the puzzle that makes that world go around. I'm motivated by the challenge of creating new paths in what has been a male-dominated industry, and I'm committed to making it easier for the women who come behind me, just as great mentors have guided me throughout my career.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Maria
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think I'm motivated by a challenge. I like that our industry is creating a new path, especially for women. When I started out in the industry, it was so male-dominated, and while it's still male-dominated, now when I look around there are more women than ever before, which I love. I'm driven by continuing to create positions for women that can have a seat at the table so that others can see themselves in that role. I think it's so important to have an aspirational woman to look up to, to say, 'Oh wow, that's a path I could see myself in.' I've had that for myself always - I've had great mentors and leaders that I've worked with. My manager right now is someone who's extremely aspirational, and she continues to motivate and keep us really productive and passionate about what we do. What drives me is being able to create new processes, make it easier for the next hire, and just being there as a resource. That's something that I've really appreciated as I've grown in the industry - having a knowledge base that I can help and share with others.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say the best advice would be to go to networking events where you can connect with your peers. Those are going to be the people who, as you grow in the industry, will be able to help support your education of what they're working on that might be different from yours. Also, when you reach a challenge or you're up against a wall and can't figure out what that next step is, it's really nice to be able to call someone that's been in a similar situation that can bounce ideas off of you. Ultimately, as you grow in your career, they'll be growing alongside you and switching roles, and it's just a really great way to make some connections early on and to continue to grow and develop your knowledge. In this industry, there's just so much to learn, which is one of the aspects that I truly love about it - the unlimited amount of information that continues to make an impact and grow each year.
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