Milena Caterino
Milena Caterino is a seasoned construction and disaster recovery professional based in Navasota, Texas, with extensive experience in CDBG-DR program management and FEMA community assistance. Over her career, she has specialized in rebuilding homes for hurricane survivors, focusing on program compliance, safety, and efficiency. Milena combines her expertise in residential construction with strategic project management skills, having worked on programs such as RREM (Sandy Recovery, NJ), HAP (Harvey Assistance, TX), and the Michael and Ian Recovery Programs in Florida. She is also a South Carolina Notary and brings a deep understanding of policy and compliance in government-funded recovery initiatives.
Starting her career in the mid-1980s in a builder’s sales office, Milena quickly transitioned to fieldwork, assisting project managers and gaining hands-on experience in residential construction. Over the years, she has managed ground-up construction projects for major builders like Centex and Lennar and later led operations for a German-based lighting manufacturer, traveling extensively for international operations. For the past twelve years, her focus has been on disaster recovery work, leading teams to rebuild homes for families displaced by natural disasters, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and in compliance with HUD regulations.
Currently serving as Director of Construction at BDO USA, Milena oversees a team of 12 and approximately 30 state-contracted general contractors in North Carolina. She acts as the primary client-facing lead with the state, balancing executive decision-making with hands-on project support. Passionate about mentorship, she actively supports and develops women in a traditionally male-dominated field, sharing knowledge and fostering leadership opportunities. Known for her integrity, strategic thinking, and collaborative approach, Milena continues to drive meaningful impact in disaster recovery and residential construction, rebuilding not just homes but communities.
• Fundamentals of Predictive Project Management
• South Carolina Notary
• Field Manager Training
• OSHA 30
• OSHA 10
• Berkeley Business School
• Dog shelters
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to persistence, perseverance, and understanding my worth. It's not been an easy road. A lot of times, I've reported to men that just couldn't hold a candle to me. You have guys doing my reviews and making sure there's never 100% positive, they always have to find something. They just feel intimidated, that's what I've experienced. And that's typical, we're never going to get away from that. But I just keep pushing through and understanding what I bring to the table.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Always be prepared and always be looking for your next steps. Pick and choose if there's a champion out there, a mentor. You have to be always on the lookout for opportunities and always put forth your best foot. Start to identify who is in your corner and who isn't. Eyes and ears open at all times. Pay attention. Don't walk around or don't walk through life with your head in the clouds. Look down, watch where you're going. You pick and choose the hill you die on, so to speak. You've got to pick and choose your battles, and always understand who your audience is, understand who your opponents are, and just always be strategically ready. Always be looking over your shoulder, because you just always need to be prepared. If you lack confidence, that's going to be a major detriment. You have to have a thick skin. You have to understand and know who you are as an individual. You have to have incredible confidence and understand your worth and what you bring to the table, and know that it's going to be an uphill battle.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are a lot of challenges for young women entering this field. If they lack confidence, that's going to be a major detriment. Unfortunately, you have to have a thick skin. You have to understand and know who you are as an individual. You have to have incredible confidence and understand your worth and what you bring to the table, and know that it's going to be an uphill battle. It's a male-dominated industry, and you're never going to get away from men feeling intimidated by competent women. The key is being strategically ready and always being prepared.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, values are integrity. I think that is the top as far as what I look for. I think, really, integrity, trustworthy, those are kind of what I look for in people. Honesty. Sincereness, and just not looking to kind of sell me a bill of goods. Just being authentic.