I was named PSEG Long Island’s managing director and vice president of Construction and Operations Services in April 2019.

In this role, I coordinate shared Operation Services functions, acting as a primary point of contact internally and for the Long Island Power Authority.

I also oversee the planning and operations of PSEG Long Island’s Projects and Construction functions, Materials and Logistics Management, Fleet / Transportation Management, Safety, Health and Wellness, Environmental Management and Compliance and Facilities Management.

Previously, I served PSEG Long Island as director-project, responsible for managing the $729 million Public Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Authority.

In this role, I oversaw the important work of hardening priority mainline circuits, strengthening storm-damaged transmission lines and upgrading the existing control and communication systems.

I joined PSE&G in 1999, holding a number of positions including senior project manager-RTEP and Interconnection Process, project controls manager and contracting manager.

I have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rutgers University and an MBA from Excelsior College.

What are the most significant challenges you have as a woman in your industry?

One of the most significant challenges that I have as a female leader in my industry is the reaction that I receive when I assert my positional authority.

Throughout my career, there has always been a strong reaction and managing that reaction while conducting business takes a lot of energy, emotional intelligence and personal steel.

Strong women are not easy for everyone in society to like. As women, we have a natural affinity to negotiate, collaborate, be empathetic and supportive, but good leadership is primarily judged by its masculine traits; integrity, drive, resilience, and confidence.

As female leaders, we are often penalized for violating the gender norm and displaying those more masculine qualities.

Personally, I work hard to moderate that reaction by developing coalitions of support, investing time in relationships with resistive individuals, being as prepared as possible, thinking through the potential perception of my comments and sometimes softening them.