MGAC Inner Voices
MGAC Inner Voices is an interview format podcast where a diverse mix of employees are interviewed to share their perspective on challenges they have faced in the AEC industry as a result of their identity—including race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexuality, ability, etc. By discussing the experiences of our staff, our hope is that their stories will have newfound and powerful resonance with the audience—both to comfort others in similar situations and to encourage those in positions of power to bring about positive, actionable changes to workplace environments for all AEC professionals, regardless of their identity.
Episodes
33 episodes
Bryan Gamez and Priscilla Chavez
This month, we hear from Priscilla Chavez, Business Development Manager at PCL Construction, in conversation with Bryan Gamez, Project Manager in our MGAC Los Angeles office. They discuss imposter syndrome, the importance of social responsibili...
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Episode 33
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34:41
Bryan Gamez and Lexie Mayewski
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) chats with Lexie Mayewski (MGAC Project Manager, Washington, DC). They cover Lexie's experiences of being a woman on a construction site, how she overcame the obstacles, and what makes a good lead...
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26:50
Bryan Gamez and Monica (Eastwood) Taylor
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) speaks with Monica (Eastwood) Taylor (MGAC Director, San Francisco) about the value of connecting with a mentor, showing compassion to colleagues, and making work a safe space.
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39:12
Bryan Gamez and Jessie Cortez
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) speaks with Jessie Cortez (MGAC Recruiting Coordinator, Los Angeles) about her journey to her current role at MGAC and the importance of advocating for yourself.
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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25:03
Bryan Gamez and Carmen Martinez
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) speaks with Carmen Martinez (MGAC Project Manager, London) about cultural differences between Spain and the United Kingdom, her involvement in programs to advance mental health awareness, and cult...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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31:39
Bryan Gamez and Casey Gordon
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) speaks with Casey Gordon, AIA, LEED AP (MGAC Senior Director, Los Angeles) about changes in the industry over the last 30 years from New York to Los Angeles, building an inclusive team, and the im...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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32:48
Bryan Gamez and Jai Beyer
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with Jai Beyer MRICS (MGAC Project Manager, Brighton) about the state of the industry for women in the UK, the importance of reflecting and responding to challenging situations, and the less...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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37:25
Bryan Gamez and Nicole Dehlin-Grant
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with Nicole Dehlin-Grant IIDA, LEED GA (HLW, Senior Associate, Job Captain, Los Angeles) about her experience handling double standards on-site, leaning on allies in uncomfortable situations...
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Episode 25
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26:14
Bryan Gamez and Louise Sharp
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with Louise Sharp (HLW, Principal, Los Angeles) about her international career journey, the benefits of reaching out and networking, and the importance of hearing voices from all levels of a...
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Episode 24
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33:37
Bryan Gamez, Lauren Dandridge, and Nick Albert
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with co-founders and Principals at Chromatic Lighting Design in Los Angeles—Lauren Dandridge, LC, IES and Nick Albert, MIES—about incorporating DEI principles from the ground up when buildin...
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Episode 25
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39:12
Beth Scully and Poornima Krishnan
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) interviews MGAC team member Poornima Krishnan (Assistant Project Manager, Cleveland) to talk about the AEC job market in India versus the U.S., learning to be assertive to benefit her clients, ...
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Episode 23
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29:32
Bryan Gamez and Lena Bigelow
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with Lena Bigelow (Del Amo Construction, Project Manager, Los Angeles) about her experiences as a female Project Manager, navigating others' assumptions of her, and dealing with unprofession...
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26:52
Beth Scully and Dara Jafari
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) interviews new MGAC team member Dara Jafari (Director, Brighton) to break down the pivotal moments in his childhood, young adulthood, and subsequent career that led to his passionate involvemen...
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38:13
Beth Scully and Kelly Guiney
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) talks with Kelly Guiney (MillerKnoll, Strategic Account Executive, Seattle) about his open identity in the construction industry and how his sexual orientation has impacted his experience in th...
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20:40
Beth Scully and Andrea Carusi
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) talks with Andrea Carusi (MGAC Marketing Manager, Los Angeles) about choosing to pursue political activism in her home country of Venezuela and her journey to the United States.
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27:03
Beth Scully and Dianne Lee
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) talks with Dianne Lee (Executive Director, Business Development and Strategy at Kitchell) about her background—both in culture and career—and learning to use stereotypes to her advantage, embra...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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42:43
Beth Scully and Samuel Hakemi
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) talks with Samuel Hakemi (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Canada) about living through the Iranian regime change, polarization, and how he’s teaching his son to navigate discrimination.
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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19:55
Beth Scully and Malathy Amirthalingam
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) talks with Malathy Amirthalingam (Senior Analyst, Business Intelligence at T-Mobile) about India’s caste system, the invaluable impact of her strong family ties, and ignoring the noise to focus...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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31:23
Beth Scully and Stanislava Dobreva
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) talks with Stanislava Dobreva (MGAC Project Engineer, Los Angeles) about the importance of names and discrimination in the states compared to abroad.
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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14:40
Beth Scully and Nilesh Jain
Beth Scully (MGAC Senior Project Manager, Seattle) talks with Nilesh Jain (MGAC Scheduler, Washington, DC) about the challenges of the U.S. immigration process as an Indian and the importance of building a local family after moving away from ho...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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21:18
Bryan Gamez and Yolanda Baber
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Assistant Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with Yolanda Baber (Kitchell Business Process Manager, Los Angeles) about owning your seat at the table, accountability, the need for frank and honest conversations, and the import...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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40:11
Bryan Gamez and Meredith Sonnen
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Assistant Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with Meredith Sonnen (a freelancer at Jack Morton) about their experience as a non-binary person in the workplace, the power of pronouns, and the importance of creating a safe, wel...
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46:50
Bryan Gamez and Isabella Villegas
Bryan Gamez (MGAC Assistant Project Manager, Los Angeles) talks with Isabella Villegas (MGAC Senior Vice President, Toronto) about her experience as a fair-skinned Mexican woman, how socio-economic status growing up impacted her work ethic, and...
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34:34