Her Story
About Zoey
I've been in construction and life science project management for over 10 years now. When I graduated from Chico State in 2016 with my construction management degree, I went straight to working with Swinerton as a general contractor. I started as an on-site estimator on this massive $300 million high-rise hospitality and gaming project out in Viejas, and that role grew into a project engineer position because that's what they needed at the time. After a few years of boots-on-the-ground experience, I transitioned to the owner side and worked for OAC doing biomed realty projects - all life science work including spec suites, campuses, coffee shops, fitness centers, and speakeasies within life science campuses. That included TI work, retrofits, and some ground-ups as well. For the last 2 years, I've been with JLL managing projects on the Johnson & Johnson campus in La Jolla. I'm partially managing a portfolio of $30 million where we do big campus upgrades on an active site with over 300 scientists currently working here. I coordinate 4 or 5 different projects with various teams of contractors and engineers, and I'm basically the liaison between the construction or design side and the owner's needs. The challenges of working with stakeholders and maintaining very clear communication while following all the processes in place keeps me busy, but I'm proud to be part of developing projects that really matter - Johnson & Johnson is developing amazing drugs that can cure so many different diseases, and I've helped so many tenants get into their spaces where they're doing groundbreaking research.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Zoey
01What do you attribute your success to?
Honestly, I attribute my success to my dad. He's always been someone I can go to for advice and support, and I can really rely on that. He was never the person to just tell me what to do, but he would always flip the question back around to me, which made me the decision maker that I am today. He helped guide me through my career and become a strong person in the corporate world. He's a good one, a keeper.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My old boss, who was my mentor, told me: don't take it personally. I think that when things start to go wrong, or not go your way, or if things get tough, a lot of times we just want to take it really personally, and it might affect the rest of our day, or might put us in a bad mood, or make us not like this person or that person. But I think if you can remember that it's just business, it's not personal, then we can all kind of move forward in a positive, more productive way.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say don't let the construction aspect or the fact that this is a man's world deter you, because women are extremely successful in this world. If you can figure out how to navigate it, you will be successful. I know that being a woman boots on the ground in the GC world was tough for me, especially in those first 3 years. It made me become tough and develop thicker skin - you kind of have to grow that skin and have a voice in this industry. There were a lot of difficult moments, but it also helped shape who I am today.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think one of the biggest challenges is getting the right teams for the right jobs, the right people for the right job. There needs to be a better vetting system for matching the right people to the right positions.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think it's important to have a work-life balance, which is part of the reason why I went into the owner side, even though I haven't had too much balance lately. Having a hybrid situation is beneficial because you get that work-life balance, but I also think there is a benefit to being in the office and being surrounded by people that are motivating you and that you can collaborate with.
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