Dana brings a unique blend of architectural vision, engineering expertise and strategic leadership to her role. With a career rooted in both design and delivery, she has built a reputation for guiding complex projects that make a lasting impact on communities. Her commitment to collaboration, sustainability and client success shines through in every phase of her work, from concept to completion.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your career journey and current role as Market Sector Lead.

My interest in the built environment took root early on. I was drawn to the idea that every structure begins as a vision and, then through a blend of creativity, coordination and technical skill, becomes something tangible and lasting. That curiosity led me to study architecture, but as my understanding of the industry deepened, I found myself increasingly drawn to the engineering side of construction. I transitioned into construction engineering at Arizona State University, and later earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix to strengthen my leadership capabilities and broaden my strategic business perspective.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that my greatest strength lies in helping clients bring their capital improvement and facility expansion goals to life. As a market sector lead, I take pride in building strong teams and delivering strategic growth through thoughtful leadership and collaboration. I am deeply committed to fostering meaningful partnerships with small, local and diverse suppliers, recognizing the vital role we play together in shaping a more inclusive and resilient industry. By working side by side, we deliver projects that reflect our clients’ values and create lasting benefits for the San Diego community.

Talk to us about a project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career.

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on has been during my time as a project manager with the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). My relationship with SDUSD spans decades — from 2001 to 2007, and again since 2013. What keeps drawing me back is the impact. It’s a place where strategic planning meets real, lasting community transformation. As a project manager for SDUSD, I’ve had the opportunity to lead efforts across more than a dozen campuses, overseeing modernization, new construction, and infrastructure upgrades under multi-billion-dollar bond programs. Our work has helped SDUSD expand access to safe, inclusive and future-ready learning environments for charter schools and traditional campuses. These projects like whole site modernizations, new student union buildings, and improved security features, incorporated solutions that helped schools better accommodate growing student populations, refresh aging facilities, and foster more inclusive learning environments. Revitalizing these school facilities has increased community safety and engagement as well as created shared spaces that serve families beyond the classroom.

Helping ensure that schools are equipped to meet both current and future demands has been incredibly rewarding. Walking through a completed site and seeing it come to life with activity and purpose, knowing it directly benefits students, educators and families, is deeply fulfilling. Every time I step onto a campus or attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony, I’m reminded that our work matters. We’re helping shape the places where the next generation will learn, dream and grow.

How do you incorporate community engagement into your design process to support sustainable practices and enhance health and well-being outcomes?

For me, community engagement isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Every project starts with listening. We prioritize understanding the unique needs and values of the people we serve, which allows us to design spaces that are not only environmentally responsible but also supportive of health and well-being of the community.

The San Diego community’s top concerns in education include equitable access, safe and inclusive learning environments, and long-term sustainability. These priorities shape every project we undertake. To address them, as a project manager, I have the opportunity to lead a process grounded in early and ongoing engagement with stakeholders, including district staff, school leaders, families, and community advocates.

Community input informs planning and design from the start, ensuring each project reflects local values. Through transparency and collaboration during construction, we deliver outcomes that are functional, resilient, and deeply connected to the communities they serve. This approach is especially important in a place like San Diego, where the vibrant, collaborative spirit of the city shapes everything we do. The city’s diversity, creativity and innovation create a dynamic environment where partnerships can truly flourish. It’s a privilege to work alongside people who care deeply about their city and its future. Our shared commitment drives more thoughtful, inclusive and sustainable outcomes.

Share a piece of career advice:

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is the importance of being intentional with your time and energy. It’s easy to get caught up in the pace of a demanding career, especially when you’re passionate about the work, but staying grounded requires more than just good time management. It takes self-awareness, clear priorities, and the ability to pause and reset when needed.

I often say my life runs on 15-minute calendar blocks, and while that’s partly a joke, it reflects how structured my days can be. What keeps me balanced is making space for the things that matter outside of work. Whether that’s volunteering with ACE Mentor program or Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), leading a Girl Scout troop, or spending time outdoors hiking, skiing or golfing. A fulfilling career isn’t just about what you accomplish professionally, it’s about how you stay connected to your values and your community along the way.

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“My summer internship with ArchTam was an experience I will never forget! ArchTam administered phenomenal assistance and mentorship during these unprecedented times as I worked remotely. The positive work environment and support ArchTam delivered made my work this summer pleasant, informational, and diverse. I am eager to apply all that I have learned as I continue to gain real world experience and industry knowledge. Thank you, ArchTam, for a remarkable experience!” – Jasmine Walker

“Interning with ArchTam has directly involved me in the development of some of the world’s most complex and cutting-edge infrastructure projects. Even virtually, I’ve formed valuable relationships with full-time engineers and fellow interns while learning an incredible amount each day.” – Jake Lewis

“I have really enjoyed interning at ArchTam this summer. The company has been extremely accommodating and flexible given the pandemic, and that has made my experience a lot less stressful. Additionally, my supervisor has been a great mentor for me as both a student and prospective employee. Interning at ArchTam has convinced me that I could one day work full-time here.” – Michael Grossman

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my internship experience at ArchTam. Despite completing the internship virtually, I am honored to have been supported and guided by a team who care deeply about my personal development and growth. Over the course of my summer at ArchTam, I contributed to a broad swath of projects and got a good sense of what it is like to work at the world's premier infrastructure company. Moreover, through weekly intern webinars and socials, I was able to learn more about ArchTam's global initiatives and business lines. By the end of the summer, I had the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects, home in on technical and soft skills, and network with professionals throughout ArchTam professions. I highly recommend this internship program!” – Sean Adibi

“Interning at ArchTam has allowed me to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom related to water resources engineering to more complex systems. I have become much more proficient in hydraulic modeling which will make me more marketable when searching for a full-time position.” – Julia Manzano

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to intern with ArchTam this summer. Through leadership, mentorship, and active involvement, I’ve gained industry experience despite the challenges due to the global pandemic. My team was very helpful in providing guidance and making sure I was able to obtain a well-rounded experience on various projects. I was also impressed with ArchTam’s overall flexibility to adapt and accommodate all interns to the best of their ability to ensure we had a purposeful experience. I look forward to working with ArchTam in the future and using the knowledge I’ve learned so far to become a better engineer!” – Myles Greer

“My internship at ArchTam allowed me to get valuable hands-on field experience, as well as a first-hand look at the structure of well-run engineering projects. ArchTam's team of staff has done a great job at extending a helping hand to help me towards my future as an engineer and I am very grateful!” – Alex Funston

“I thoroughly enjoyed my summer internship in the Cleveland, Ohio office with the Environmental Remediation group. My internship was completely virtual, similar to most interns; however, I was still able to gain a lot experience within this program. I greatly appreciate ArchTam’s commitment in providing interns with the experience of working at the company, despite the global pandemic. It proved to me how dedicated they are with their internship program. I also had a wonderful experience with the University Intern Program and team that did an amazing job involving all of the interns in many informational sessions and also fun activities. I am excited to apply what I learned during my summer internship to my future career.” – Alicia DeRoia

“I was very blessed to have a position at ArchTam in Waterloo, Iowa, this summer. I was a part of the huge University Ave project as an on-site inspector. Seeing the plans on the sheet become a part of the working infrastructure of the city has really inspired me to continue to work towards becoming a civil engineer and being able to contribute more to the development and improvement of the world around us.” – Brett “Trip” Bernhardt

“My ArchTam summer internship was a wonderful experience! With the current global atmosphere, due to the coronavirus pandemic, I received a valuable and educational experience that I didn’t believe would be possible with remote work. ArchTam’s dedication and positive atmosphere made my work enjoyable, versatile and informative. I can’t wait to apply what I have learned to my future endeavours. Thank you, ArchTam!” – Sam Langeleh

The post Real-World Industry Experience Through a Virtual Internship Program – Part 2 appeared first on Blog.

Tell me about the University Relations team and how the ArchTam Internship program has been adapted around the coronavirus pandemic.

The University Relations team is comprised of a diverse team spread across the U.S. that focuses on recruiting marketing and branding, leveraging technology and new applications to enhance the efficiency and success of our programs, and creating internship and entry level programming and career development resources. We also have a team of recruiters who are experts in their various segments/industries and cover the geographic regions across North America.

When offices began to shift to a remote working environment at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the University Relations team quickly pivoted to figure out how we can run a successful internship with the new government advise, mandates and regulations in place. We worked with executives and leadership across the business to confirm that they would still be able to sustain their commitments to their interns, and an overwhelmingly large number enthusiastically confirmed their support. We hosted virtual trainings and lunch and learns from sectors across the company, and also had several “social” activities, including a performance by a comedian, a virtual scavenger hunt, and a geographic trivia game.

What are the goals of the program?

Our virtual internship program offers participants the opportunity to:

• Learn about ArchTam, our various lines of business, operating model, mission, values and our unique history​
• Contribute to meaningful work assignments aligned to interns’ course of study​
• Create goals and be provided a final performance review at the completion of the internship​

Over the course of the program, the interns gain real-world industry experience ​through opportunities to network with peers and leadership​ and by gaining a greater understanding of ArchTam’s business objectives, the services and solutions we offer our clients, and the impacts our work has on local communities.

What is the duration of the program?

The formal program ran from June 8 to August 14. There are some interns who will stay on and hopefully many interns will convert to full-time employees over the course of the next year.

What does the virtual summer internship curriculum consist of?

The program is divided into four parts:

• On the Job Experience
  • We offer work assignments that align with the interns’ course of study​
  • We ask that the interns contribute to various projects and client requests​
• Knowledge Acquisition
  • Throughout the course of the internship, we’re continuously teaching the participants about ArchTam, including the firm’s history, operations and clients.
  • In addition, we highlight the impact of the work that we do. For example, we explain how our company’s mission, vision, and values not only impact the communities in which we work, but also influence the firm’s bottom line.

• Networking
  • We placed a heavy focus on ensuring we supported the unique emotional and social needs of the interns during this unprecedented pandemic. We offered a variety of helpful resources by way of the “work from home” kit, virtual social events and dedicated internal platforms to connect and build relationships with other ArchTam interns.
• Performance and Evaluation​
  • To help our interns get the most out of the program, we worked with them to develop and submit goals to their managers at the beginning of the program. ​
  • At the completion of the program, managers completed an evaluation for each intern to assess their performance.

How are the interns and their assigned teams staying connected?

Beyond the typical ways of working remotely – email, conference calls, message platforms, etc. – teams regularly hosted virtual social hours and lunch and learns through Microsoft Teams, we also had a dedicated internal digital employee group to drive collaboration, and each intern had a mentor to guide them throughout the internship. Interns were also encouraged to familiarize themselves with our internal resource tools found on our intranet. This allowed them to be fully embedded on their teams and at the company.

How many interns and employees/teams participated?

The University Relations team, which is a part of our Design and Consulting Services Americas and Construction Management talent acquisition teams, along with several hiring managers and over 350 interns participated in our virtual internship program in the U.S. and Canada.

Aside from conducting the program digitally, what were the main differences between the virtual and in-person internship programs?

Due to the impact of COVID-19, we designed the virtual internship program to place a heavy emphasis on the emotional and social networking part of the program. It was very important to us to prioritize supporting the unique needs of participants in this time of uncertainty. Several components of the program included a remote-working kit, virtual social hours and lunch and learns, dedicated internal digital groups, and a virtual mentor throughout the duration of the program.

To learn more about the future of the ArchTam Virtual internship Program and hear directly from our interns about what they gained from the program, read the second part of this blog series.

The post Real-World Industry Experience Through a Virtual Internship Program – Part 1 appeared first on Blog.

I began with some high-level findings from the insightful BCO piece Nicola Gillen and June Koh produced (Technology, Media and Telecommunications, BCO), followed by a couple of case studies where we delivered both the strategic vision and design, pointing out the link  between the influence of new ways of learning and what the next generation are expecting in the workplace.

I also highlighted a point very dear to me – good design (can be playful and) needn’t be expensive.  The age-old cliché holds true: ‘it’s all in the detail’ – I often discover great examples of doing a lot with little, for example the ‘DO NOT FEED THE RECEPTIONISTS’ sign pinned up in a leading advertising agency’s reception.  It’s a simple A4 printed piece of paper mounted with blu-tak, super-cheap yet very effective, instantly describing the culture and tone of voice of the organisation, the minute you walk through the door.  In our own office here at ArchTam, we have a completely un-high-tech solution for seeing who is in and who is out-and-about: little printed portraits of everyone in the team, magnetically pinned to a writable surface (see image below). I’m not suggesting either of the above are right for every organisation, but I am certain that low-cost, meaningful design touches can be tailored for every organisation.

My final point to make was the notion that ‘playful’ design needs to have more substance than the clichés. When we were children, we spent the vast majority of our time playing, in particular role-playing – we created and imagined scenarios, environments, characters and even whole worlds. When you think about life as a designer, we continue to do this: we spend our days pretending to be the client, customer or user, in order to propose the best design solutions. The most successful of these, in my opinion, are the collaborative spaces where you get the ‘right’ people coming together to do the “5 Ds” – discuss, discover, design, develop and deliver.

To do all of this, we need to create environments that encourage creation and discovery, without fear of failure or rejection, because it is precisely this fear that leads to conservative solutions and a lack of innovation.

Tim Brown (CEO of IDEO) discusses this notion of ‘play’ and its importance in a talk from a few years back – I’m not sure I particularly agree with everything he’s saying but he raises some interesting points (watch it here).

I’d be interested to hear more thoughts on this – please comment below and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the talk or the subject.

Gavin Hughes (gavin.hughes@archtam.com) is an associate director of design with ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in London.

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