Diversity in Facilities Management

10/30/23 • 18 min

Beyond Buildings: Exploring Facilities Management

In this episode, our host, Brian Gregory, sits down with La Shawn Harrison, Space Planning Program Manager at Tesla. Together, they discuss the importance of diversity in facilities management and the value of gaining certifications in facilities management. They cover:

[00:00:35] La Shawn's background and her journey from interior design and property management to facilities management
[00:02:40] La Shawn's experience working as a female in a predominantly male industry
[00:03:33] How unique backgrounds can be applied to a facilities management role
[00:06:21] Common challenges La Shawn faces in her day-to-day
[00:09:00] Diversity and inclusivity in facilities management
[00:11:11] La Shawn's role in Women in Facilities Management (WIFM)
[00:14:05] The importance of gaining facilities management certifications
[00:17:06] Advice for those entering the facilities management industry

Previous Episode

Implementing New Technologies

In this episode, our host, Brian Gregory, sits down with Matthew D'Oyly, Director of Events and Conferences at Otterbein University. Together, they discuss what it looks like to effectively implement new software and processes to an established organization. They cover:

[00:00:35] Matthew's background and how he came to work at Otterbein as Director of Events and Conferences
[00:01:28] What it's like to adopt a new system or software at Otterbein
[00:03:24] Overcoming "resistance to change"
[00:05:16] Choosing the appropriate software for your needs and culture
[00:06:55] How post-implementation is going for Matthew and his team
[00:8:50] How to effectively train your team
[00:10:10] The KPIs Matthew and his team track to measure success
[00:12:50] The roles that are critical to success when implementing new software
[00:16:00] The largest challenges Matthew faces in his role
[00:18:25] The new challenges on the horizon
[00:20:00] The largest and most impactful event Matthew has led
[00:22:22] How Matthew leverages students in his event operations
[00:23:40] Advice Matthew would give to someone looking to enter the facilities management and event management space

Next Episode

Breaking Barriers and Advocating for Women in Leadership

In this episode, our host, Brian Gregory, sits down with Dr. Gabriella Blakey, Chief Operations Officer at Albuquerque Public Schools. Together, they discuss the importance of advocating for yourself and others. They cover:

[00:00:42] Gabriella's background and why she chose education as her career path
[00:04:45] Gabriella's transition from teacher to principal to COO
[00:09:00] The pressures and dynamics of being a female COO
[00:13:00] The largest problems Albuquerque Public Schools is facing post-pandemic
[00:16:48] Balancing compensation at Albuquerque Public Schools to attract and retain talent
[00:22:27] How Gabriella became a Bengals fan
[00:25:45] Advice from Gabriella for the next generation of facility leaders