{"id":1004790126,"date":"2026-03-06T01:06:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T09:06:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/?p=1004790126"},"modified":"2026-03-06T05:28:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T13:28:09","slug":"women-in-construction-week-when-drawings-meet-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/women-in-construction-week-when-drawings-meet-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"Women in Construction Week: When Drawings Meet Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Women in Construction Week is an opportunity to move beyond the typical talking points and look closely at what it truly takes to deliver complex work\u2014day after day, in the field, under real constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samantha Trumbetti built her career at Skanska from early internships into field and project engineering roles on some of New York\u2019s most visible infrastructure efforts, including LaGuardia\u2019s Central Terminal Building replacement and roadways network, before stepping into project management. Today, she serves as a project manager at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection\u2019s Hunts Point Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility, a wastewater treatment plant anaerobic digester project where success depends not just on construction and engineering expertise, but also on integrating new systems into a fully operating facility without disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this conversation with Commercial Property Executive<\/em>, Trumbetti reflects on the habits she\u2019s had to unlearn as her responsibilities expanded, the practical skills that keep teams aligned on complex jobs, and what she believes will meaningfully change for women in construction in the next decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ ALSO:<\/strong> Construction Costs Trends<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Was there a moment on LaGuardia when you realized you were exactly where you were meant to be? And were there any moments that tested that conviction?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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“To retain talent, the industry must support full lives outside of work and embrace open, honest conversations when adjustments are needed at different stages of life,” said Trumbetti.
Image courtesy of Skanska<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> By the time I began full-time at Skanska on the LaGuardia Airport project, I had already spent four years immersed in the Skanska world through internships and various jobs. In many ways, I was fortunate to gain that hands-on experience while still in school, which gave me the chance to determine whether the construction industry was truly the right fit for me. I discovered that I genuinely loved the combination of technical problem-solving and hands-on, real-world execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment that really brought the scale and impact of the project home for me came when construction started rising out of the ground. Up until then, it had been mostly planning, excavation and foundation work, but once the bridges, piers and steel were in place, the roadways and terminal began to take shape. That\u2019s when I realized just how massive the undertaking was. This was no longer just a job site. It was a project that would fundamentally transform the region and the city. Watching all the different teams working in parallel and seeing everything come together was unforgettable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t say I ever seriously questioned whether I belonged. There are frustrating moments, of course, but this work has always felt like what I\u2019m meant to do. Even on the hardest days, I can\u2019t imagine doing anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who taught you the most in your early years at Skanska, and what did they do that made you better at the job?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> Working at LaGuardia, I was fortunate to be surrounded by strong mentors. My direct manager, Steve, not only taught me how to manage people but also challenged me to think critically, connect overlapping details and step back to see the ’50-foot view’ rather than reacting to each issue in isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our overall project leader showed me how not to sweat the small stuff. Construction is demanding<\/a>. We have long hours and constant challenges, but finding the fun in it, giving yourself grace and remembering why you enjoy the work makes a huge difference over the long haul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a skill you had to build that isn\u2019t taught in engineering school but determines whether you\u2019re reliable in complex jobs?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> Conflict management. Engineering school doesn\u2019t prepare you for the amount of internal and external conflict that comes with large projects. I don\u2019t love confrontation, but learning how to be comfortable being uncomfortable and how to address issues directly without backing down is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you grow, you become the person others look to for resolution. You can\u2019t always pass it off to someone else. Finding constructive ways to navigate conflict is what keeps projects and teams moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of moving forward, you transitioned from field engineer to project manager. What was the hardest habit to let go of as your role shifted from \u201cmake today work\u201d to \u201cmake the whole job work\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> The hardest habit to let go of was trying to control everything. As a field engineer or when you\u2019re managing a smaller scope, you can stay in the weeds and you\u2019re directly responsible for making today\u2019s work successful. As you move into broader project management, that approach just doesn\u2019t scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have to trust your people and trust the process. Micromanaging doesn\u2019t work, and it actually slows the job down. Relinquishing that control was uncomfortable at first, but it\u2019s essential. You build strong teams so they can own their pieces, bring issues forward and solve problems collaboratively. One person simply can\u2019t, and shouldn\u2019t, do it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you see a decision onsite trending in the wrong direction, how do you steer the team toward a better option without breaking momentum or making it a public correction?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> My approach is to aim for buy-in from all stakeholders at the outset rather than issuing corrections later. Whether it\u2019s a superintendent, foreman or craft lead, I ask questions that help the team arrive at the best solution themselves. This creates a shared understanding of why a different approach is better and sets everyone up for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experience plays a big role here, both mine and theirs. Respecting that others bring valuable experience builds trust. Sometimes you do have to make a call and move on quickly, but even then, it\u2019s important that everyone understands the reasoning, so momentum is preserved and relationships stay intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s one assumption you now insist gets tested early because you\u2019ve seen it turn into costly ambiguity once construction starts?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> Trade stacking and resource assumptions<\/a>. On paper, it\u2019s easy to say four activities can happen at once. But physically and safely, that may not be realistic. Labor availability, equipment constraints and space limitations all matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If those assumptions aren\u2019t vetted early, you end up with scope growth or schedule pressure later. Having experienced estimators and field leaders involved during pursuits helps surface those risks before they become costly problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On LaGuardia, you worked at the seam between design and field execution. What was the most instructive \u201cdrawings meet reality\u201d moment you ran into, and how did it change the way you read drawings today?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> Reinforced concrete was one of the biggest lessons. A model might show that rebar technically fits, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s physically constructible. Bar size, lap splices, congestion\u2014it all adds up, and suddenly what worked on paper doesn\u2019t work in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early in my career, catching those issues at the onset and bringing engineers into the conversation was critical. It taught me that just because something looks clean in a model doesn\u2019t mean it works once gravity, tolerances, sequencing and safety come into play. Today, I read drawings with a much more constructability-focused lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For readers unfamiliar with wastewater infrastructure, what’s an anaerobic digester in plain terms? On a project like Hunts Point, what coordination point tends to carry the most risk?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumbetti:<\/strong> An anaerobic digester is essentially a sealed vessel that breaks down biodegradable waste, things like food waste and human waste, in an oxygen-free environment. That process produces biogas, which can be captured and reused as a renewable energy source<\/a>, and a byproduct that\u2019s easier to treat downstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest risk is integrating new systems into an operating facility. You\u2019re coordinating construction with ongoing plant operations, controls, commissioning and multiple agencies. Making sure everything works together the day it comes online, without disrupting existing operations, is where most of the complexity lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n