Built to Lead 2026 Women’s Summit – Power, Progress & Presence in the Built Environment: Opening Plenary Session
Stronger Together: Advancing Women Across the Built Environment
This plenary session brings together a dynamic group of leaders representing some of the most influential organizations supporting women across the built environment. Featuring voices from BWiC, CREW, WISE, PWC, NAWIC, BSA/WID and WIB, the panel will explore how each organization is advancing opportunities, fostering leadership, and strengthening networks for women in construction and related industries.
Featured panelists:
BWIC-Brenna Hoar, PE, Gilbane Building Company
Brenna is a Project Engineer with Gilbane Building Company in Massachusetts, currently supporting the design-build Salem State Decarbonization project. Brenna recently graduated from Gilbane’s management program, completing rotations across New England support operations including Scheduling, Business Development, and Virtual Design Construction.
CREW – Kate Moran Carter, Director & Shareholder, Dain | Torpy
Kate Moran Carter is a shareholder and director at Dain, Torpy, Le Ray, Wiest & Garner, P.C. Her practice focuses on real estate land use, and title litigation, and helping her clients manage risk and resolve disputes to avoid litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Carter spent six years as an associate at Robinson + Cole, LLP in the firm’s Title Insurance-Real Estate Litigation practice group.
Ms. Carter provides litigation services to owners, developers, and operators of real estate concerning a wide range of matters including zoning and land use litigation, title disputes, including easement interpretation, boundary line disputes, adverse possession and beach rights, owner/contractor construction disputes, conservation issues, landlord/tenant leasing disputes, buyer/seller real estate transaction disputes, and broker/client commission disputes.
Additionally, a portion of Ms. Carter’s practice is devoted to serving as outside general counsel to condominium associations in connection with a full range of issues including interpretation of condominium documents, the initial transition from developer control, governance questions, construction litigation, and disputes with unit owners.
Ms. Carter has tried cases in Massachusetts District and Superior Courts and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She has argued before the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
Ms. Carter has co-authored a number of amicus briefs related to land uses protected under the Dover Amendment including cases involving large scale solar projects and religious uses. See Hume Lake Christian Camps, Inc. v. Planning Bd. of Monterey, 492 Mass. 188 (2023) and Tracer Lane II Realty, LLC v. City of Waltham, 489 Mass. 775 (2022).
Ms. Carter is also committed to providing pro bono representation to immigrants applying for political asylum through her participation in the Political Asylum Immigration Representation Project (PAIR). She has won asylum or otherwise secured protection for clients from Togo, Uganda, and Syria.
WISE – Susan Bird, Safety Specialist, Capital Programs & Environmental Affairs
Susan Bird is a safety professional based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently serving as a Safety Specialist with the Massachusetts Port Authority. In this role, she supports the development and implementation of safety programs, helping ensure compliance and promote safe operations across complex environments.
Susan brings a strong background in environmental health and safety, with prior experience at JLL, where she served as an Environmental Health & Safety Specialist and Environmental Health & Safety Specialist II. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Dockmaster with Freedom Boat Club, where she developed hands-on operational and safety management experience in a maritime setting.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Marine Science, Safety and Environmental Protection, with a minor in Environmental Health and Safety, from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Susan is also pursuing a Master of Engineering in Safety Engineering Management at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, further strengthening her expertise in safety systems and risk management.
With a foundation that blends maritime operations and environmental health and safety, Susan is focused on advancing workplace safety, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation in dynamic and high-impact industries.
PWC – Natasha Marcuard, Vice President, Shareholder, Northstar, Project & Real Estate Services
Natasha Marcuard is a Vice President and Shareholder at Northstar Project & Real Estate Services, an owner’s project management firm in Cambridge, MA. She has 20 years of experience working in the life science, higher education and corporate TI sectors as an architect and an owner’s project manager. Her areas of expertise include R&D laboratories, feasibility studies, complex programs, budgeting and scheduling, construction administration and projects scaling up to $500M. Natasha earned her Bachelor of Architecture from NC State University and is a registered architect in Massachusetts. She currently serves on the Board of Boston’s Professional Women in Construction as the chapter President.
BSA/WID – Jhoanny Marte
Jhoanny is a Designer and emerging leader known for her thoughtful approach to collaboration, community-centered design, and commitment to advancing equity within the profession.
She has experience across a diverse range of project types including residential, commercial, office, and science and technology spaces working at multiple scales from interior environments to large master plans. She is recognized by her colleagues as a steady and empathetic presence on project teams, valued for her ability to navigate complex challenges, build consensus, and bring forward inclusive, well-informed design solutions. Her leadership extends beyond project work through her role as co-chair of Women in Design Boston, where she fosters mentorship, collaboration, and equitable growth within the profession.
In her current role, she focuses on retail environments, delivering thoughtful and strategic design solutions that align brand identity with user experience. She collaborates closely with multidisciplinary teams to navigate complex project requirements while supporting strong client relationships. A lifelong learner, she continuously seeks opportunities to grow both technically and as a leader, with a strong interest in advancing equity and inclusion within the profession. Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she now resides in the New Hampshire area and holds both a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College.
NAWIC – Leah Hoffman
WIB-Anna Liza Montenegro
Moderated by Phillip Pavlovich, Director of Business Developement, Siena Construction Corporation
Philip Pavlovich is Director of Business Development at Siena Construction, bringing over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and product development within the architectural and construction industry. He specializes in building strong client relationships, driving strategic growth, and delivering results across competitive markets.
Throughout his career, Philip has worked closely with building owners, architects, and contractors, helping organizations grow market share while strengthening client retention. His background includes leadership roles supporting and mentoring regional sales teams and delivering results in highly competitive Northeast markets.