Build Better with Anastasia Barnes

On season 4, episode 3 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Sarah Tarbet, senior associate at Jones Architecture, and Jennifer Burton, senior project manager for the Office of Planning at the Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance (or DCAMM) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Tarbet and Burton share more about a project currently underway at Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Mass. which includes the transformation of two structures on campus into the new homes of the Allied Health Building and the Science Building. They expand on the unique design approach for these buildings centered on inclusivity, and discuss the emphasis on campus engagement that is informing the final design.

On season 4, episode 2 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Amin Najjar, CEO of Sustainable Buildings at Veolia North America. Veolia's mission is to resource the world, helping its customers address their environmental and sustainability challenges in energy, water and waste.  Najjar talks about how Veolia is helping companies improve energy efficiency, including upgrading the buildings in the city of Boston to achieve mandatory requirements that are fast approaching, and how these changes can have a lasting impact on the planet in the long term.

On season 4, episode 1 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Dr. Aisha Francis, the president and CEO of Franklin Cummings Tech in Boston. In 2021, she became the first female president in the more than 100-year history of the college. Dr. Francis believes in the ability of effective organizations and well-supported individuals to transform underserved communities for the better. She shares her dedication to both educating and empowering students in the technical fields, and discusses the mutual benefits for both students and employers that are looking to fill essential roles and create robust teams in the architecture, engineering, and construction fields.

On season 3, episode 4 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Luciana Burdi, director of capital programs & environmental affairs at Massport, to discuss her journey, the challenges she's overcome as a woman in a male-dominated industry, and her vision for the future of commercial construction. Additionally, Burdi talks about how Massport has tackled challenges in the wake of the COVID pandemic, the evolving flexible work environment, and the impact of new technology on construction projects.  

Teach to Work: Equipping the Next Generation of Young Professionals On season 3, episode 3 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Patty Alper, president of marketing and consulting company Alper Portfolio Group. She is working to address the workforce shortage in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries by educating students through mentorships and meaningful on-the-job experience.  Alper is author of the book, Teach to Work: How a Mentor, a Mentee, and a Project Can Close the Skills Gap in America. On the podcast, she shares how Project Based Mentoring brings together corporate employees, retirees, and businesses as a corps of knowledge practitioners with the common goal of passing on skills to the next generation of business professionals.

In Season 3, episode 2 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Christopher Grallert, president of Green City Growers, a company whose mission is to provide inspiring shared experiences for employees, customers, and community members that educate and enable people to grow food sustainably. Grallert shares more about how the team at Green City Growers is furthering their goal of creating increased connection with onsite gardens, and educating the next generation on how to create and maintain local food systems in Boston and beyond.    

On season 3, episode 1 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Matt O'Malley, the first-ever chief sustainability officer for Vicinity Energy. He discusses Vicinity's Clean Energy Future, Net Zero Carbon plan, and how the company is working with its customers, communities, and local government to decarbonize its operations across the country and reduce the impact of the energy sector on the earth's atmosphere.

On season 2, episode 16 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talked with Reverend Jeffrey Brown, co-founder of My City at Peace and Associate Pastor at Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury, and Tom O'Brien, founding partner and CEO of The HYM Investment Group. They recently presented a proposal to the City of Boston for Parcel 3 in Roxbury that would set an example of a truly diverse and equitable development for the city. The bid is one of two that were presented in March. The team's proposal for the almost 8-acre parcel includes affordable homeownership units that create opportunities to establish generational wealth for the residents of Roxbury, and a life sciences component that supports that goal. Brown and O'Brien shared more about this unprecedented development, and the ways they are ensuring that it will have a positive impact on those that live and work in Roxbury for years to come.

On season 2, episode 15 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Marc Margulies, principal and senior partner at Margulies Peruzzi, and Joe Finn, president and executive director of the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance. They are working to change the ways in which homelessness is addressed in Massachusetts, something that continues to be a complex issue and one that demands immediate solutions.  Margulies and Finn talk about their mission to create an efficient, cost-effective, and replicable model of new construction designed specifically to address the needs of long-term and chronically homeless people in the state.

On season 2, episode 14 of the Build Better Podcast, Anastasia welcomes Meredith Sandland, co-author of the book, “Delivering the Digital Restaurant.” Previously, she served as the chief development officer at Taco Bell, and as the COO of Kitchen United.  Sandland has created and driven disruptive growth at both Fortune 100 and start-up companies, and has spent a decade navigating changing consumer demands and real estate environments for restaurants. She shares more about the recent shifts in consumer behavior, and how the emergence of ghost kitchens and other methods of food delivery are impacting the restaurant industry.

On season 2, episode 13 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Marc Perras, associate principal at Jones Architecture, and Jon Rossini, project manager at Bond Building Construction, about the new $23 million, 33,000sf building for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA), located on Main Street in Brockton, Mass. The building is the Commonwealth's first project of this scale, using only public funds, to use cross-laminated timber in its construction. Perras and Rossini talk about the sustainable design elements of the DUA building, and how cross-laminated timber can be used to achieve sustainability goals in a variety of construction projects.

On season 2, episode 12 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Barry Reaves, the Boston Planning & Development Agency's (BPDA) first ever director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is responsible for the development and oversight of the BPDA's racial equity and diversity priorities, and works to establish collaborative partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to foster a more inclusive, equitable, welcoming, supportive, and diverse agency. Reaves shares what the BPDA is doing to encourage minority- and women-owned businesses to participate in contracting opportunities, and the ways industry stakeholders can contribute to achieving equitable outcomes in the long term.

On season 2, episode 11 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Edward Palleschi, the undersecretary for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Palleschi instituted OCABR's Licensee Recognition Program, which highlights businesses licensed or registered in Massachusetts. He shares more about the program, and the companies that have been recognized for continuing to reach high standards through their work and commitment to their consumers.

On season 2, episode 10 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Jason Jewhurst, partner and principal at Bruner/Cott Architects, and Patrick McKenna, senior project manager at Community Solutions, to talk about the adaptive reuse conversion of the former Swift Gold Leaf Factory in Hartford, Conn. Jewhurst and McKenna share how they reimagined the factory into a venue generating opportunities for job creation and training, educating youth, improving resident health, and spurring economic growth, and how the conversion of these historical buildings can serve as an example for future preservation projects.

On season 2, episode 9 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Scott Burnham. He is an author, entrepreneur, consultant, and founder of Reprogramming the City, a global initiative encouraging cities to repurpose and reuse existing urban assets to improve quality of life and ecological health.   With the recognition that adaptive reuse is an important approach to sustainability and addressing climate change, Burnham is engaging urban planners and city leaders to create unique ways to respond to limited resources with an abundance of creativity.

On season 2, episode 8 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Pascale Sablan, associate at Adjaye Associates in New York City, and the founder and executive director of Beyond the Built Environment, an organization that addresses the inequitable disparities in architecture and within communities most underserved by the profession. Sablan talks about the importance of representation, and the ways Beyond the Built Environment is providing opportunities to advocate for equitable and reflectively diverse environments.

On season 2, episode 7 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Dan Diehl, CEO of Aircuity, a company providing accurate ventilation for healthy and sustainable buildings. He talks about the ways both new and existing building projects can have a focus on energy efficiency while prioritizing indoor air quality, and how the pandemic has fast-tracked this important issue, with owners and CEOs urgently seeking solutions as they strive to keep building occupants safe as they return to work.

On season 2, episode 6 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Rohan Freeman, founder and president of The Freeman Companies, a multi-disciplinary engineering design and construction services firm in Connecticut.   In 2014, he established the UCONN School of Engineering “Freeman Companies BRIDGE Endowed Engineering Scholarship,” to support minority and female students with an interest in civil engineering who have overcome obstacles such as socioeconomic or educational disadvantage.   Rohan talks about the challenges low-income students face when attending college, and the ways others can provide opportunities for these students to pursue careers in the AEC industry.

On season 2, episode 5 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Lisa Ulbrich, vice president for Commodore Builders, a construction management firm based in Boston. In addition to her career in construction, Lisa is passionate about addressing alcohol and substance use disorder. She is a certified interventionist and executive recovery coach, and has personal experience with overcoming addiction. She talks about Commodore's partnership with the Herren Project, and shares how they are helping provide those struggling with substance use disorder a long-term path to recovery. 

On season 2, episode 4 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Emily Soloby, founder of Juno Jones and co-owner of the AAA School of Trucking. In addition to designing work boots and gear specifically for women, Emily is passionate about advancing women in nontraditional fields.   She started the community, Hazard Girls, a positive and inclusive group of women who connect to support and empower each other online and through educational events and outreach. Emily shares more about the group, including ways to get involved and her encouragement for women in traditionally male-dominated fields.

On season 2, episode 3 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Bolanle (Bola) Williams-Olley. Bola is a partner and the chief financial officer at architectural firm Mancini Duffy, the founder of the SheBuilds Movement, and a mom of two. As a CFO, Bola is setting an example for women in the AEC industry. She talks about her passion for giving back and her advice for those wanting to make an impact, through their work or their philanthropic efforts.

In the second episode of season two, Anastasia talks with Yiselle Santos Rivera, a senior medical planner and the director of equity, diversity, and inclusion at HKS Architects’ Washington D.C. office. Yiselle is the co-founder of Latin American Interior Designers, Engineers and Architects (LA.IDEA), and the founder of Women Inspiring Emerging Leaders in Design (WIELD). She shares her thoughts on the importance of creating spaces for those in minority communities to have their voices heard, and providing development opportunities that can create truly equitable workplaces.

In the first episode of the second season of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Julia Gamolina, founder and editorial director of Madame Architect, a platform highlighting women that advance the practice of architecture from all backgrounds, levels, and corners of the field. She is also the director of strategy for Trahan Architects in New York City.   To date, Julia has published over 100 interviews with women in the industry, aimed at encouraging young women to enter the field of architecture by showing the many choices they have in crafting a dynamic, meaningful, and interesting career.

On episode 26 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Tyler Shannon, architect and data scientist, and Kate Bubriski, director of sustainability and building performance at Arrowstreet. Shannon and Bubriski joined Anastasia to talk about the Living with Heat report that was published in November of 2019. The project was led by the ULI Boston/New England Climate Resilience Committee, whose mission is to provide the Metro Boston region with design and policy solutions to tackle the risks and vulnerabilities of rising extreme heat predicted by 2070.  Along with over 70 other firms and organizations, Arrowstreet contributed to the report, and, as a company, is exploring ways to address rising temperatures, and the challenges it poses to our cities.

In episode 25 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Dan Titus, CEO of HRP Associates, an environmental consulting firm headquartered in Farmington, Conn. As more AEC professionals begin returning to their places of work during the pandemic, Titus helps break down the requirements and recommendations for safe workplaces and offers guidance on effective protocols for staying in compliance and operating safely in the long term.  

In episode 24 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Daniel Stonecipher, senior director of innovation at PROCON, Inc., a design/build firm based in New Hampshire. Stonecipher talks about how companies can use technology to collect and transform data into usable insights, further streamlining operations and effectively developing an “end in mind” strategy. As the Senior Director of Innovation, Daniel is responsible for setting and overseeing the company’s overall innovation initiatives through effective change management and inspirational engagement across all company business lines. Daniel's primary role defines PROCON’s internal operational strategy, effectiveness and design-build capabilities using leading-edge technology and processes for a more efficient and interactive client experience as well as leading the Integrated Construction Services Team.   Daniel is a technology and process development entrepreneur and professional with over 25 years’ experience in the AEC+O and Software Development industries, providing technology and strategy solutions to leading AEC firms and Owners globally. Daniel provides industry thought leadership presenting nationally several times a year and is an active Board Member of the IFMA Technology Community currently serving as the BIM/GIS Chair and is the Immediate Past President of the IFMA Information Technology Council, and also currently serves on the AEC ST (Science + Technology) Advisory Board.  

In episode 23 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Jane Henry, founder of SeeHerWork, a safety consultancy and product manufacturing company that designs workwear, safety equipment, and other job-specific products sized to the unique body needs of both women and men. By introducing properly fitting clothing and equipment, Henry says employers can promote safety in the industry, create more inclusive work environments for women, and address the workforce shortages that exist today. Special thanks to Elaine Construction for sponsoring Episode 23!

In episode 22 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Alicia Washington, director of marketing at HRP Associates, and president-elect of the Society for Marketing Professionals Connecticut chapter (SMPS CT). Alicia talks about SMPS CT’s new Diversity and Inclusion Initiative and shares her own journey as a person of color in the AEC industry. She also shares how leaders can have those often difficult conversations about diversity and inclusion that promote real change within our industry.

In episode 21 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Matt Reiniger and Ben Callaghan, associate partners at Fathom, a future design firm helping manufacturers, architects, builders, and engineers go beneath the surface to reconnect people with what gives their work meaning and drives unprecedented performance. Reiniger and Callaghan share how their recent deep dive into their own company has influenced the work they do with firms in the AEC industry. They talk about how they’re helping people understand the meaningful difference they are making in the world, and share ways to transform the future of an organization by challenging the status quo. With over fourteen years of experience in brand development, innovation, storytelling, strategy, and business culture, Ben and Matt work with leaders and their teams to design and live into versions of themselves and their organizations that fuel a meaningful and exciting future. As Associate Partners at Fathom, Ben and Matt are creators and facilitators of Fathom's unique engagements— which are designed to provoke new thinking, launch critical initiatives, and realize transformational growth and development. For more information visit Fathom.net Special thanks to Makepeace for sponsoring Episode 21!

In our 20th episode of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Jay Calnan, CEO of J. Calnan and Associates, about Team IMPACT, a nonprofit whose mission is to connect and cultivate meaningful relationships between college athletic teams and children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. Calnan shares how the nonprofit he started in 2011 has grown, now working with over 650 campuses in all 50 states. He also talks about how philanthropic work positively impacts an organization and its employees, and the importance of passion and networking when companies are looking for ways to give back.

In episode 19 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Rob DiNinni, founding member of StageCoach Improv. Rob talks about some of the major challenges facing leaders and sales professionals today, and how they can overcome those, fostering growth and productivity. By building connections through humor and focusing on soft skills, teams can cultivate relationships, empower collaboration, and exceed desired outcomes in the workplace.  

In episode 18 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Elizabeth Skidmore, business representative with the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC), and co-founder of the Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues (PGTI).  Skidmore talks about the achievements that have been made in recruiting and hiring women in the trades. She also shares how she and many others are working to reach upcoming goals with events and programs such as Mass Girls in Trades and Build A Life, and by creating concrete guidelines for industry professionals to follow. This episode is sponsored by Commodore Builders. 

In Episode 17 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia welcomes Mark Reed and Stephanie Goldberg, founding principals of the Boston-based architecture and design firm, LAB/LSA. They talk about the threat climate change poses to the city of Boston, and their proposal for a permanent solution to rising sea levels, titled The Blue Necklace. Listen to hear more about their project, which includes increasing Boston’s coastline and providing opportunities for affordable housing, cultural amenities, and additional open space; and what industry professionals can be doing to approach this complex challenge.

In episode 16 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia talks with Antonia Ciaverella, architectural designer with Tecton Architects, about WELL, the first rating system to focus exclusively on the impacts of buildings on human health and wellness.  Ciaverella talks about the specific ways a company or organization can achieve the WELL certification or make positive changes in their own spaces to promote the health and well-being of their employees and visitors to their buildings.

In episode 15 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia sits down with Brian Anderson, founding partner of Anderson Porter Design, to talk about the unique challenges associated with designing and building cannabis cultivation facilities and retail dispensaries. Listen to hear more about how Anderson and his team are leading the charge in this exciting new industry with innovative technologies and deliberate regulatory procedures, and designing facilities with a focus on sustainability and long-term success.

A Passive House building "comprises a set of design principles used to attain a quantifiable and rigorous level of energy efficiency within a specific quantifiable comfort level". As we progress through the 21st century, it is clear that employee health and well-being has emerged at the forefront of workplace culture and as a primary component of a successful, happy lifestyle; Kathy MacNeil's work in developing the Winthrop Center in alignment with Passive House Standards continues to prioritize workplace diversity, environmental sustainability, and resiliency in the city of Boston.  In episode 14 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia sits down with Kathy MacNeil, principal at Millennium Partners Boston, to talk about the Winthrop Center, a $1.3 billion development in downtown Boston. To be completed in the summer of 2022, Winthrop Center will be a market leader in sustainability and resiliency and the largest passive house office building in the world. Listen to hear more about how Kathy and her team are achieving these high standards, and how they are prioritizing diversity and inclusivity throughout the process. This episode is sponsored by EM Duggan. 

In Episode 13 of Build Better, Anastasia sits down with Kyle Reagan, Managing Partner, and Paul Rocha, General Manager of Fabrication of DECCO, Inc. to discuss the industry's shortage of trained workers and how DECCO's unique recruiting program is working to address the issue. 

In Episode 12 of Build Better, Anastasia sits down with Bridget Akinc, CEO of Building Impact, to discuss how the organization is transforming corporate volunteering by partnering with civic, business and nonprofit leaders in addressing complex social issues through volunteering.

A living building is built to mimic natural processes with the intent of improving the surrounding environment. A building that achieves Living Certification must meet the performance requirements of seven “Petals” or categories: Place, Water, Energy, Health & Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. In Episode #11 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia chats with Sam Batchelor of designLAB Architects and Jessica Schultz of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment to discuss the Hitchcock Center's recent global recognition as the 23rd building in the world and the 4th in Massachusetts.  They detail how the Hitchcock center achieved the certification and how they are both educating people on the importance of building sustainably.

When we hear the word crisis, we most commonly think of an emergency situation; but a crisis can be any incident that is disruptive to business operations or that negatively impacts staff, customers or an individual's reputation. Crisis can refer to a computer network going down to an active shooter situation.   In Ep. #10 of the Build Better podcast, Anastasia sits down with Lisa Nickerson, the CEO and founder of Nickerson Peopler Relations and Nickerson Real Estate Partners. Lisa discusses the importance of having a good crisis management in place and gives tips on what companies and individuals can do to better manage a crisis.

In episode 9 of Build Better, Anastasia welcomes Mike McDonagh, CEO of the Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts (ASM), for an update on the state of the construction industry in Massachusetts in 2019. McDonagh talks about the big issues facing Mass subcontractors this year and what the ASM is doing to address those - from current legislation affecting the industry to what employers can be doing to address the opioid crisis.

This episode of Build Better podcast, Anastasia Barnes talks with Mary Vogel, executive director of Building Pathways (BP), an eastern Massachusetts organization that creates opportunities for low-income area residents to access and prepare for building trades apprenticeships and family-sustaining careers in the construction industry and Andrea Dunn, a sprinkler fitter apprentice at E.M. Duggan (and a graduate of the BP program).  They discuss the benefits of the Building Pathways program and how it is changing lives and contributing to much-needed diversity in the construction industry.

In the third and final installment of the focus on the Opioid Crisis in Construction, Anastasia Barnes chats with Tom S. Gunning, the director of labor relations at the Building Trades Employers's Association (BTEA). Tom was the organizer behind "Building Trades for Recovery Week", which happened between April 29 and May 3rd of 2019.  The week-long event was designed to increase awareness and understanding of substance use disorder and help construction industry professionals learn best practices for prevention and recovery. Tom discusses the reason behind his organizing the event, the take-aways and success of the conference.  

On Episode 6 of Build Better, Anastasia welcomes Jeremy Gregory, executive director of MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub and Jean Carroon, FAIA, principal of Goody Clancy, to learn more about embodied carbon and to discuss the challenges those in the A/E/C industry face in reducing their carbon footprint. Embodied carbon refers to the environmental impact associated with the construction of buildings and creating the materials for those buildings. Carroon and Gregory talk about how there is no “one size fits all” solution for this complex issue, and how companies can do their part in protecting the environment now and in the long term. Both guests are on the advisory board for the "Embodied Carbon in Buildings" Conference on May 31, 2019 at the Samberg Conference Center at the MIT Sloan School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  

Episode 5 of Build Better is Part 2 of a 3 Part Series on the opioid epidemic in the construction industry in New England. In this episode, Anastasia has a frank conversation with Jared Hesek and Pat Donovan, contractors at Karas & Karas Glass.  Both men have struggled with addiction in their lives and are now in recovery, living healthy sober lives.  They each share their journey to recovery and how they ended up working for Karas & Karas Glass.  

Episode 4 of Build Better is Part 1 of a 3 Part Series on the opioid epidemic in the construction industry in New England. In this episode, Anastasia has an intimate conversation with David Argus, director of operations at Argus & Argus, about his family member's struggle (and recovery) with drugs. Through his son's journey to recovery, Argus became more aware of the rehabilitation and counseling services available to addicts.  He was so moved by these couselors selfless passion for providing addicts a second chance , that he and a friend created a program at Karas & Karas to help recovering addicts pursue careers in the construction industry.

On Episode 3 of Build Better, Julia McFadden of Svigals + Partners discusses what productive playgrounds are, how biophilia design is connecting us back to nature and the unique role it played in the redesign of the Sandy Hook School Elementary School.  Julia also shares the current discourse surrounding school safety, including the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) federal clearing house of resources on school design best practices for school officials and the design professionals to keep them informed. Our listeners also learn what the term "echinus" means.

In this episode, Anastasia Barnes chats with Karrie Kratz, vice president of Gilbane Building Company, and operations manager of Gilbane’s Connecticut office. Kratz talks about how, at Gilbane, those in leadership positions understand very well that employees don't just want to be identified by the job they do, but they are looking for someone to understand and communicate with them as a person, to mentor them, and to assist them on their career path. Karrie also tells our listeners what she would say to anyone entering the construction industry. We'll also find out what the term "chicane" means!

In High-Profile's inaugural podcast, Anastasia Barnes sits down with Luiza Mills, director of human resources and public relations at Interstate Electrical Services Corporation (IESC). Luiza discusses lean construction, the importance of solution-based thinking, challenges of recruiting new talent, and IESC's new apprentice program. Plus, Luiza and Anastasia call Michael Barnes, the founder of High-Profile, to play a game called "Ask Anastasia's Dad".