Emani Majors, CQCM

Yes. To this day, I communicate regularly with the employee who shared the scholarship opportunity with me. The conversations range from simple check-ins to career advice.

I would encourage them to sit with the question being asked. I’d tell them not to fluff their essay but to craft it genuinely, and it’ll take them far.

I’ve worked in this industry for seven years, starting at an architecture firm specializing in historic preservation. From there, I transferred to energy efficiency and then construction management (CM). I began my CM journey in Baltimore, Maryland, working on the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing project, a renovation, demolition, and addition to the existing building.

I then worked on the $1 billion Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum renovation, which was challenging to renovate the building one-half at a time while keeping the other side fully operational and open to the public. I managed numerous subcontracts under this renovation, totaling $250 million.

The company culture is what originally attracted me to GFT and is also why I’m still here. My team members are genuinely good people who want to improve their communities through their work.

Leadership has always encouraged me to chase the next certification to help me further my professional development in construction services. Beyond that, I’ve found that I am not limited to the job description of my work title, which is very important to me. If there is an internal sideline project that I am interested in, leadership has been supportive in allowing me to take on that additional load.

I serve as a steering committee member for the Communities of Color and Future Generations ERGs, and I’m also the chair of GFT’s newly formed AI Working Group.

Under the leadership of Construction Management Assistant Director Ken Guttman, we created an innovative site map application. The tool serves as a resource to make sure job sites are compliant by having an approved health and safety plan.

“Pull back the titles and encourage the mission.” I heard this while attending the White House Champions of Change Event for Young Women Empowering Communities. To me, this means you don’t have to have a specific title to contribute significantly. The main focus should be the goal at hand, and everything else will fall into place.

Diversity makes space for different perspectives. If we all think the same, then there’s no room for growth. Outside of asking questions and listening to the next employee’s experience, AEC firms could work on acknowledging minority-centered holidays with the same enthusiasm as the more commercial holidays. This would help to foster more inclusive work environments, create a sense of community, and encourage employees’ learning.

Riding horses and playing basketball.

My family is huge. My great-grandmother had eight children, and my relatives and I are all close. My favorite tradition is getting together for holidays because we always have a great time.

I am extremely invested in physical and mental wellness. Instead of a coffee or tea bag station, I have an herbal station where I make my own tea every day.