Three Questions With: Tarja McGrail, Sr. Project Manager
Q: As a Senior Project Manager in the Land Use business line, what are your favorite aspects of what you do?
I work on a mix of residential projects, commercial, and municipal projects – I like the variety. The projects that I enjoy the most are the ones that are aimed at developing affordable housing, which is a big issue on the Cape and in Massachusetts. Those are the kind of projects that give you a good feeling once they are finished.
Q: How do you collaborate with other professionals, such as clients, contractors, or government officials, to achieve your goals?
Communication is key. I put a lot of effort into planning before the project really gets started to make sure that everyone understands the goals of the project, and which are achievable from the regulatory perspective. As a project manager, I handle most of the meetings with the client. In addition to outlining the scope, I also typically meet with the town or the specific regulatory agency to present our firm, myself, and the project. Then, I will lay out what the solution is to achieve those goals.
Q: How do you incorporate sustainability and environmental responsibility into your work?
I think the biggest thing is truly understanding the regulatory codes and the goals of those codes. We are often dealing with flood zone implications, but also with water quality as it relates to stormwater and wastewater management. We’re always looking for ways to incorporate alternative practices that are more environmentally friendly for water quality.
Stormwater has a strong emphasis on incorporating low impact development and trying to improve water quality. As far as flood zones go, there are certain implications with site design. On the Cape, it’s especially important to understand what kind of risks are associated with different flood zones as we develop our solution.