James Heugas, Executive Director of Washington Charter School Development, partnered with Homesight CEO Tony To to design and develop Impact Salish Sea Elementary for the New Holly Community. The new facility is an outgrowth of the Othello Square project, a community-based initiative that empowers Southeast Seattle residents by expanding access to healthcare, housing, education, and economic opportunity.
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Women of PCSD: Anna Johnson, Senior Project Manager, Washington
For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.
How long have you worked at PCSD?
4 1/2 years
How did you get into the field of facility development and education?
During high school and college and coming out of college, I worked in a lot of educationally focused organizations: outdoor education, international education, etc.. I was always interested in education.
After college, I decided to go to law school but not with the intent to practice. So once I graduated law school, I pursued charter school roles since I was interested in the various models and thought that charters were doing interesting work to serve students beyond what traditional public schools were providing. I became the founding Director of Operations at a high performing charter school in Washington, D.C. which was a great experience. Eventually I wanted to return to Oregon, where I am from originally, and I assumed I would not be able to continue to work in charter schools. But there happened to be a charter school finance organization that was based in Portland and I ended up joining their team. They had a facility arm that was growing and it was something that I was interested in doing more of after being involved in various facility acquisition and expansion projects in my previous role. I also did some consulting work with a charter school outside of Portland that was looking to acquire and develop a long-term facility. It was then that the job at WCSD became available. I was looking for this type of project management role and was also interested in staying on the west coast. It was the perfect opportunity at the right time
What advice would you give young women entering this field?
If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten a Masters in Real Estate instead of a law degree. If you are interested in this industry, I would try to shadow people and identify what you like about it and what you don’t and what role you may want to play. There are so many different roles involved in real estate development that there are a lot of opportunities.
Women of PCSD: Anna Olsen, Senior Project Manager, Northern California
For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.
How long have you worked at PCSD?
4 years
How did you get into the field of facility development and education?
I was always interested in real estate so after college, I got my real estate license and started temporarily at a commercial property management firm. There were a lot of technical issues and problem solving along with some interaction with the clients and customer service practice. I was exposed to a lot of construction projects but not a full building development project. And I realized I was really interested in that side and that is how I landed at PCSD. I had not worked at a nonprofit or mission-driven organisation before, but I have always been passionate about education. My mom was a public school teacher and it’s always been something close to my heart.
What advice would you give young women entering this field?
One thing that I learned is that you really need to stand up for yourself and set your own boundaries. Even if you have a good mentor or a good boss, you still need to set those boundaries for yourself and then stick to them. Additionally, I got a lot out of volunteering for different groups, or being on committees in the industry, going to networking events and learning about different parts of the industry and what’s going on outside the field as well. It helps you to stay connected and meet more people. There are so many different jobs in the field that it helps you to learn about the opportunities and what you may best interested in.
Women of PCSD: Deniz Ilgen, Senior Project Manager, Southern California
For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.
How long have you worked at PCSD?
6 months
How did you get into the field of facility development and education?
I studied civil engineering in undergrad and got my Masters in structural engineering. During my first internship out of college, I realized that structural engineering wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the overall process of seeing projects come to fruition, but not just from the one structural design aspect. After that I ended up in construction management and learned as much as I could about construction for the next seven years.
I was blessed to always have access to great education and realized how challenging it was for some children to access a decent education. I started tutoring with School on Wheels as a way to give back. I was excited to be able to bring my passion and experience together at PCSD.
What advice would you give young women entering this field?
In general, it’s harder for women to succeed in male-dominated fields like these. However, I believe in keeping your head up and never giving up. It’s hard work, but it’s definitely worth it if you are truly passionate about the subject.
Women of PCSD: Hope Fang, Director of Finance
For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.
How long have you worked at PCSD?
9 1/2 years
How did you get into the field of facility development and education?
I moved to LA after finishing grad school in urban planning. Several people suggested I look into LAUSD’s large capital projects bond program at the time. I started in New Construction and then moved to the Real Estate Department. LAUSD was acquiring and developing sites for a large number of new school construction projects, and I worked as a project manager managing site selection, due diligence, and design for new schools in South LA. After LAUSD, I moved to Long Beach Unified School District’s bond program and worked on major renovations and new construction projects. Then I joined PCSD. I’ve been building facilities for schools for a long time now. Although I got into this career by chance, my background as a generalist in urban planning and design and environmental studies has been helpful in my work.
What advice would you give young women entering this field?
It’s good to have and to work toward a professional goal, but stay open to unplanned career opportunities that may come up along the way.
Women of PCSD: Mary Grace Houlihan, Project Director, Northern California
For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.
How long have you worked at PCSD?
6 months
How did you get into the field of facility development and education?
I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in geology. While in college, I started working part time drafting for a Civil Engineering and Land Surveying firm. My career followed the Civil Engineering path starting in design of schools, housing, commercial development and public infrastructure for over 35 years. I am a registered Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor, former Public Works Director and manager at BART. Through my work, I held positions on the public and private sector sides working directly with the public as part of community-based planning and design and infrastructure management. Some of my most fulfilling projects have been to land grants and oversee permitting and design of community centers, schools, and public and private infrastructure serving undeserved communities.
Throughout my career, I have given my time and support to a number of nonprofit organizations. I volunteered with Odyssey of the Mind, was on the board of Rotary, Planning Commission and was a Girl Scout troop leader and Association Coordinator. When I retired from the public sector, I wanted to find an opportunity where I could combine my philanthropic interests with my technical background. When I saw the opportunity at PCSD, it seemed like a dream come true. PCSD is a place that truly understands diversity. My family and I believe it’s important to move the needle and create a more balanced world. We believe education is where it’s going to happen!
What advice would you give young women entering this field?
We have to support other women and encourage them to take chances and make mistakes. It’s important to have all voices heard. A few tips that have helped me in my career:
You should never say you are sorry.
Always do your best.
Ask questions.
Let your voice be heard.
Don’t ever apologize for bringing up questions.
Be the voice for other women.
Confirm other women’s ideas publicly.
