Submitted by Callahan Construction Managers
At Callahan Construction Managers, we strive to create equal opportunities for women and men in our industry, building a supportive network where every employee can succeed and grow. In honor of Women in Construction Week, we recognize seven of Callahan’s women leaders; each one is paving new roads within the construction industry.
Jessica Anthony, Project Executive
Jessica Anthony grew up around construction and attended Wentworth Institute of Technology, where she’d hoped to be able to build one day. Majoring in civil engineering technology, she gained significant hands on experience in the field and started her career as an assistant project manager at a Boston area construction management firm. After being promoted to project manager at her former firm, she sought a position at Callahan given the company’s culture. Now a Callahan project executive, she leads the company’s success and expansion into new opportunities.
“I love that I can drive through the Boston area and see 50 projects that I’ve worked on in my career. I am proud of the impact I have been able to have on the Greater Boston community, and this pride drives me in managing our future projects.”
Michelle Latino, Assistant Project Manager
Michelle was presented an opportunity to work for a developer as an assistant project manager, and what she thought was just a job to help her get through grad school has turned into a career. She has learned from women in upper management positions at Callahan, who have given her the reassurance of the long-term growth available to women in construction. Though she never considered working in construction growing up, she is grateful to have stumbled upon such a challenging yet rewarding career.
“The construction industry has a lot of the aspects I was looking for in a career, from exercising my interpersonal skills by getting to interact with different people from a variety of backgrounds to satisfying my curiosity by constantly being presented with opportunities to learn something new.”
Annemarie DeBrito, Assistant Project Manager
Annemarie holds a degree in architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology and has over 15 years of diverse experience in the industry. Annemarie relishes in learning about the many different aspects of each project that she is involved with and seeing it through from start to finish.
“I love that everyone works together as a team and we tackle any obstacles thrown our way. At the end of every day I can see the progress we have made. Watching that progress turn into a completed project is one of the most rewarding parts of working in the construction industry.”
Kelly Doherty, Assistant Project Manager
Kelly Doherty holds a degree in construction management with a minor in business management from Roger Williams University. She started working full time in construction right after graduation for a local, Boston-based GC in 2012 before coming to Callahan. She loves that construction requires every single person to “do your job” from the design phase through construction and beyond.
“You know how there are some commercials out there that can capture more emotion in 30 seconds than some Hollywood films? The 2020 Surface Pro 7 Superbowl commercial was one of them for me – where Katie Sowers talked about striving to become the best female coach in a male dominated NFL. That was a “Hoorah” moment for me and any time someone asks me what I do, I feel a bit of the same “Hoorah” fire. I am so proud to work in a dynamic, demanding, male dominated industry where the reward is seeing something being physically built in front of my eyes.”
Rachel Aprea, Assistant Project Manager
Rachel Aprea began her career with a local architectural firm before coming to Callahan 15 years ago. She understands the everyday challenges construction can bring and is constantly learning something new every day.
“Every day is a new day with a different set of hurdles. No two projects are the same and it is exciting to work as a team to find solutions for every challenge that is thrown our way. Watching our teams progress from the initial design stages into a completed project is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Construction gives me the ability to find new ways to use both my creativity and my hands to get the job done.”
Shalyn Callahan, Assistant Project Manager
Although Shalyn Callahan grew up in a family who made a living working in construction, she didn’t always know that she would work for the family business. It wasn’t until after four years of college and a degree in elementary education that she realized she wasn’t pursuing the career she wanted. After spending some time working as a project administrator for Callahan, she realized she enjoyed construction management, began taking courses at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and then transitioned into her current role as assistant project manager. She is excited to continue her professional growth at Callahan and continue the family tradition.
“For me, Callahan made construction very personal. It is something that my grandparents started, and my father and his brothers continued to grow and that alone gives me a lot of pride in what I do. Now that I have been immersed in the industry for several years, I have grown to really appreciate all the ebbs and flows that come with this business. It’s an ever-changing, ever-growing industry that can really challenge you and put you to the test at times, but the result is always gratifying. I am excited to continue to grow with Callahan and be a part of the company’s continuous success, the same way my grandparents, father, and uncles have been able to do.”
Hannah Pirez, Assistant Project Manager
After graduating from Roger William’s University with a degree in management, Hannah Pirez joined Callahan as an assistant project manager. Hannah grew up around construction, gaining firsthand experience in the industry while watching her father manage his own construction company. Today, she is excited to continue to use her innate construction knowledge and leadership skills to move up in the industry.
“Construction is a place where you get as much as you give. I am grateful for the opportunities and resources I have been provided and I love working through the day to day challenges and learning from them.”
