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James Heugas, Executive Director of Washington Charter School Development, partnered with Homesight CEO Tony To to design and develop Impact Salish Sea Elementary for the New Holly Community. The new facility is an outgrowth of the Othello Square project, a community-based initiative that empowers Southeast Seattle residents by expanding access to healthcare, housing, education, and economic opportunity.

For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.

How long have you worked at PCSD?

4 years

How did you get into the field of facility development and education?

After undergrad, I worked with Teach for America in Memphis and got a chance to teach and saw first-hand the devastation of education in underserved communities. After law school, I had always been interested in real estate so I joined a firm focused on real estate finance. While there, I attended a women in real estate event and one of the fellow attendees told me about the opportunity at PCSD. I knew it was the perfect blend of real estate and serving these communities that were trying to improve education. It was by chance and through networking that I was able to find this position.

What advice would you give young women entering this field?

Be willing to put yourself out there and be assured that you are equally capable and equally deserving. Don’t sit back and think others know more. You know just as much or more and deserve to have your voice heard. Ask the questions.

For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.

How long have you worked at PCSD?

6 months

How did you get into the field of facility development and education?

I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in geology. While in college, I started working part time drafting for a Civil Engineering and Land Surveying firm. My career followed the Civil Engineering path starting in design of schools, housing, commercial development and public infrastructure for over 35 years. I am a registered Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor, former Public Works Director and manager at BART. Through my work, I held positions on the public and private sector sides working directly with the public as part of community-based planning and design and infrastructure management. Some of my most fulfilling projects have been to land grants and oversee permitting and design of community centers, schools, and public and private infrastructure serving undeserved communities.

Throughout my career, I have given my time and support to a number of nonprofit organizations. I volunteered with Odyssey of the Mind, was on the board of Rotary, Planning Commission and was a Girl Scout troop leader and Association Coordinator. When I retired from the public sector, I wanted to find an opportunity where I could combine my philanthropic interests with my technical background. When I saw the opportunity at PCSD, it seemed like a dream come true. PCSD is a place that truly understands diversity. My family and I believe it’s important to move the needle and create a more balanced world. We believe education is where it’s going to happen!

What advice would you give young women entering this field?

We have to support other women and encourage them to take chances and make mistakes. It’s important to have all voices heard. A few tips that have helped me in my career:

You should never say you are sorry.
Always do your best.
Ask questions.
Let your voice be heard.
Don’t ever apologize for bringing up questions.
Be the voice for other women.
Confirm other women’s ideas publicly.

For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.

How long have you worked at PCSD?

9 1/2 years

How did you get into the field of facility development and education?

I moved to LA after finishing grad school in urban planning. Several people suggested I look into LAUSD’s large capital projects bond program at the time. I started in New Construction and then moved to the Real Estate Department. LAUSD was acquiring and developing sites for a large number of new school construction projects, and I worked as a project manager managing site selection, due diligence, and design for new schools in South LA. After LAUSD, I moved to Long Beach Unified School District’s bond program and worked on major renovations and new construction projects. Then I joined PCSD. I’ve been building facilities for schools for a long time now. Although I got into this career by chance, my background as a generalist in urban planning and design and environmental studies has been helpful in my work.

What advice would you give young women entering this field?

It’s good to have and to work toward a professional goal, but stay open to unplanned career opportunities that may come up along the way.

For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.

How long have you worked at PCSD?

6 months

How did you get into the field of facility development and education?

I studied civil engineering in undergrad and got my Masters in structural engineering. During my first internship out of college, I realized that structural engineering wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the overall process of seeing projects come to fruition, but not just from the one structural design aspect. After that I ended up in construction management and learned as much as I could about construction for the next seven years.

I was blessed to always have access to great education and realized how challenging it was for some children to access a decent education. I started tutoring with School on Wheels as a way to give back. I was excited to be able to bring my passion and experience together at PCSD.

What advice would you give young women entering this field?

In general, it’s harder for women to succeed in male-dominated fields like these. However, I believe in keeping your head up and never giving up. It’s hard work, but it’s definitely worth it if you are truly passionate about the subject.

For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.

How long have you worked at PCSD?

4 years

How did you get into the field of facility development and education?

I was always interested in real estate so after college, I got my real estate license and started temporarily at a commercial property management firm. There were a lot of technical issues and problem solving along with some interaction with the clients and customer service practice. I was exposed to a lot of construction projects but not a full building development project. And I realized I was really interested in that side and that is how I landed at PCSD. I had not worked at a nonprofit or mission-driven organisation before, but I have always been passionate about education. My mom was a public school teacher and it’s always been something close to my heart.

What advice would you give young women entering this field?

One thing that I learned is that you really need to stand up for yourself and set your own boundaries. Even if you have a good mentor or a good boss, you still need to set those boundaries for yourself and then stick to them. Additionally, I got a lot out of volunteering for different groups, or being on committees in the industry, going to networking events and learning about different parts of the industry and what’s going on outside the field as well. It helps you to stay connected and meet more people. There are so many different jobs in the field that it helps you to learn about the opportunities and what you may best interested in.