Influential Woman · Higher Education

Priti Bhatia

Director of Facilities and Capital Planning - IAC, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design Degree Georgia State University Degree Master of Fine Arts Degree Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Cert Certified Facilities Manager Cert Certified Educational Facilities Professional Cert Inspire Atlanta Graduate Cert Urban Land Institute Certification Cert Leadership Cobb (graduating in 2 months) Cert Inclusive Leadership Certification Cert Leading Women at Tech Certification Cert Changemaker Academy Certification Member Atlanta Women's Foundation Member APPA (Association of Physical Plant Administrators) - Board Member at National Member Regional Member And Local Levels Member IFMA (International Facilities Management Association)

Her Story

About Priti

I started my career as an intern at Georgia Power Company while completing my undergraduate degree in Interior Design at Georgia State University. After graduation, they offered me a full-time position, and I stayed with them for about six years while completing my graduate studies at SCAD. Once I finished my Master's degree, I was looking to do something different and was considering either higher education or healthcare to continue my career. I ended up working with Clayton State University, and that's how I landed in higher education. I just love working in higher education - the energy is different, the experience is very different, and the faculty and staff are very inspiring in how they support academia and how I can support their work. At Georgia Tech, where I've been for five years, I serve as Director of Facilities and Capital Planning for the College of Liberal Arts. I'm responsible for supporting 13 buildings, 6 schools, 3 ROTC units, and 1 research center, managing any facilities or capital planning-related requests. This includes planning, design, renovation-related requests, furniture needs, movement of faculty or staff, classroom setup and layouts, space utilization, and asset management. Every day is different - one day it might be identifying offices for new faculty, the next day it's setting up a lab and research scientist office for a new archaeology program, or converting a lab into a classroom. I recently completed a very rewarding project renovating a historical building built in 1923 for the Jimmy and Rosalind Carter School of Public Policy. We completed the building's 100-year anniversary renovation and did the ribbon cutting in January. We're not just preserving history, we're honoring that history and planning for the next hundred years. The building now meets all ADA requirements, has sustainability goals, and turned out to be a beautiful space for the program and the entire campus community.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Priti

01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I've ever received came from one of my informal mentors who told me to invest where you want to go. I know there are a lot of things happening, a lot of areas of expertise or fields of work that you could go into, but stay focused and pick out what you really want to focus on, what you want to build your career and expertise on. Find those organizations that can help you create the pathway to lead where you want to go.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say that networking is very important. That was something I learned the hard way, but that is something they should absolutely consider. Building relationships - genuine relationships - and seeking out mentors is crucial, even if it's informal, just a 'get to know' type of thing if you're not able to find formal mentorship programs. In any way, just reach out to people and ask them questions. People are generally very happy to share what they're working on and how they can help you. I love working at Georgia Tech. When I joined here five years back, I still remember many people coming out and saying, 'Let me know how I can help you,' and genuinely meaning it - 'Let me know how I can help you to be successful at this place.'

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Intent is very important to me, and leadership is very important to me. I am an absolute believer of lead with purpose and lead with people. In my work, I would say communication is very important, transparency is very important, and accountability is very important. I think those three things help me because of my role, because I engage with so many stakeholders. In my personal life, continuous learning is something that I absolutely cherish and hold very close to me, so that I can continue learning about new things and refresh myself and understand what's happening in the field. Continuous learning, even if it is not directly related to the field of my work, but even if it is tangential - for example, learning about public administration or capital fundraising. Even if it is something tangential to the field of work, it's always helpful to learn something new.

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