Today, Nancy is joined by Amanda Brown and Meghan Thomas, senior construction managers at Compass Datacenters.  Amanda and Meghan share their inspiring journeys into the construction industry, drawing from their non-traditional backgrounds and highlighting the value of transferable skills and adaptability in their roles.  The conversation highlights the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women in the construction industry, emphasizing the value of soft skills, networking, and continuous personal and professional development.  They address the significance of mentorship ..read more

In this episode, Nancy Novak, Chief Innovation Officer at Compass Datacenters, engages in a conversation with Amy Slagle Swanson, Former Managing Executive - North America Alliance Leader - EY at IBM. Amy, drawing from her 35 years of global experience, shares insights on empowering women in leadership roles. The discussion covers the progression of leadership, emphasizing the challenges and importance of self-clarity. Amy addresses stumbling blocks for women, urging them to overcome perfectionism and embrace imperfections in pursuing leadership roles. The power of vulnerability in leadership ..read more

Today, Nancy is joined by Kabri Lehrman-Schmid, Project Superintendent at HENSEL PHELPS. Kabri's journey from her early career to her current leadership role provides a captivating backdrop for our discussion. Her insights into leadership principles and strategies offer invaluable lessons for both aspiring and seasoned leaders. Throughout their conversation, they explore the multifaceted nature of leadership. Delving into topics such as effective communication, team dynamics, and the importance of fostering a positive work environment, Kabri's leadership philosophy emphasizes the significance ..read more

In this episode of Extending the Ladder, Nancy sits down with three incredible STEM students from San Diego State University. Lily Astete, Dani Hunt, and Juliet Luevanos are all navigating the world of STEM and come together today to discuss the barriers, challenges, and opportunities for women in STEM since graduation. In a round table-type episode, Nancy has the opportunity to ask this new generation of women in STEM their thoughts on the industry, as well as opportunities they see for the industry to change to become more inclusive and accepting of all groups ..read more

In today's episode of Extending The Ladder by Compass Datacenters, Nancy Novak, podcast host and Chief Innovation Officer at Compass Datacenters, is joined by Brittany Marley, Vice President, Client Executive at STACK INFRASTRUCTURE. They dive deep into the role of women in sustainability, the need for collaboration, and the importance of measuring impacts. Marley and Novak discuss: The importance of women leaders in sustainability, and why their underrepresentation could mean missing out on critical solutions. How corporate sustainability hinges on collaboration, specific metrics, and redu ..read more

When you picture a stereotypical worker in the construction industry, for most individuals, the first image that probably comes to mind is likely a male. But females are becoming increasingly engaged in construction roles. Female-based apprenticeship programs such as the ANEW in Seattle, Building Pathways in Boston, and Tradeswomen Inc. are facilitating this, according to EHS Today.  Why is this growth occurring and what are organizations and businesses doing to catalyze this growth?  On today’s episode of Extending the Ladder by Compass Datacenters, podcast Host and Chief Innov ..read more

Digital accessibility is a privilege, one that allows those who have unbridled access to the digital space. Host Nancy Novak, CIO of Compass Datacenters, met with Dr. Julie Albright, a highly decorated technology sociologist who currently serves as a board member for Infrastructure Masons, to talk about the need to mend the digital divide for digital equity and inclusion. As a woman who has spent her career looking at the digital transformation of society, Dr. Albright is well versed in understanding the digital divide. But what exactly is it? Dr. Albright described the divide as consisting of ..read more

Over the course of a year that’s seen arguable the largest change in workforce habits the world has ever seen, one thing has evolved alongside the shift to working from home, hybrid spaces, and more – the chase for the elusive work-life balance. On the first episode of Breaking Glass, hosted by Compass Data Centers’ Nancy Novak and brought to you by Compass and Infrastructure Masons, Novak sourced insights from Sandra Benson, Amazon Web Services Worldwide Head of Engineering, Construction and Real Estate to dive into the topic. “If you had asked me [about my idea of work-life balance] 20 years ..read more

In efforts to boost diversity and inclusion among the construction industry, Nancy Novak, the chief officer at Compass Datacenters, and Allison Scott, Director of Customer Experience and Industry Advocacy at Autodesk, discuss ways of standing out from the rest of the construction industry. Although Scott did not take the traditional route to construction management, she found value in the different ways she can communicate and tell stories through her work. She learned early on “there was always something bigger going on than what was written on the page.” Scott strives to take bigger and abst ..read more

The Society of Women Engineers, or SWE, is a non-profit educational service organization composed of science and engineering students and graduate engineers. Nancy Novak spoke with three SWE members to learn more about their mission. Emily Peterson, Professional Relations Director, Noelle Kurien, President, and Megan Giltmier, Vice President, all from the Michigan State SWE chapter, sat down to discuss their passion for engineering and the importance of SWE.   Peterson formulated her love of mechanical engineering through Lego building as a youth. Kurien is a chemical engineering major co ..read more