BOSTON– Maggie Drouineaud, Chief Diversity Officer for Compliance on Capital Projects for the University of Massachusetts Building Authority, known as UMBA, gives voice to voiceless. She leverages her experience to succeed and embraces her fear as an opportunity to embrace the unknown.
“I enjoy collaborating with others to promote social change,” says Ms. Drouineaud. “As a woman of color, I must use my influence to help others succeed and give voice to the voiceless.”
Ms. Drouineaud will be honored as the Outstanding Women of Commercial Real Estate 2024 by the Boston Real Estate Times on Feb. 22, 2024 at its Annual Awards gala at the Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, MA. To register for the gala, please click here.
Ms. Drouineaud has been with UMBA since 2016 and is responsible for ensuring UMBA’s construction projects meet and exceed UMBA’s and the State’s diversity standards for construction. Massachusetts has diversity goals for all of its public construction projects. These goals apply to the ownership of contractors, ensuring MBE and WBE opportunities, and they apply to the workforce, ensuring women and people of color trades workers are hired.
“I ensure these standards are communicated and institutionalized across all of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority Capital Projects, and I oversee the monitoring of compliance on construction projects on the UMass campuses,” says Ms. Drouineaud.
Using a format of monthly Access and Opportunity Committee meetings that include the general contractor/construction manager, subcontractors, labor and community groups. Ms. Drouineaud works closely with them, and establishes clear expectations from the beginning of each project, and building relationships to ensure the various stakeholders work together efficiently towards meeting the MBE/WBE and workforce compliance goals.
“I help contractors succeed in meeting goals by holding pre-construction meetings that clearly set expectations as well as share best practices and reporting forms. In addition, I have developed a system of corrective action meetings, escalating if needed, to quickly address any shortcomings in meeting hiring goals,” says Ms. Drouineaud.
Under her leadership, compliance results on the University of Massachusetts’ construction projects are at their highest level in UMBA’s history and achieve the highest diversity performance of all of the state agencies and departments.
UMBA is an independent body politic and corporate and an authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Authority is separate and independent from the University of Massachusetts (the University), but provides dormitories, dining commons and other buildings and structures for the use of the University, its students, staff and their dependents and certain approved organizations. The mission of the Authority is to aid and contribute to the performance of the educational and other purposes of the University by providing high quality buildings and infrastructure that make a difference to the University community and that meet and exceed the University’s needs. New facilities constructed by the Authority as a part of any of its projects are owned by the Authority, but operated and maintained by the University.
Here is a list of some of UMBA construction projects:
- North Village Family Housing – University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Substructure Demolition & Quadrangle Development – University of Massachusetts Boston
- New Educational and Research Building – University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
- EHS Renovations of Gossman – University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Computer Science Laboratories – University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Goodell Renovations – University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Undergraduate & Graduate Housing – University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Here is a Q/A with Ms. Drouineaud:
Boston Real Estate Times: What do you enjoy most about your work?
Maggie Drouineaud: I enjoy sharing my knowledge, and experience or whatever I can of myself to help others in any capacity to promote and include Women and Minority Businesses and workers on the University of Massachusetts Building Authority (UMBA) construction projects.
BRET: What do success and failure mean to you?
MD: Success is the ability to create positive changes to thrive and survive. Failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. It is essential to use failure as a learning tool, utilizing the experience to reflect on what went wrong and identify the areas where one can improve.
BRET: What is the one thing you attribute your success to?
MD: I attribute my success to using my many years of experience to grow and use fear as an opportunity to embrace the unknown. I enjoy collaborating with others to promote social change. As a woman of color, I must use my influence to help others succeed and give voice to the voiceless.
BRET: To which charitable, community and professional groups do you belong and why?
MD: I currently run a Massachusetts Regional Chapter of “Fanmi Pitit Manman Mari Foundation” to help impoverished communities in Haiti build schools, health centers, churches, and work with the youth.
I am also a member of the “Redefine Our Community” (ROC), a neighborhood watch group to ensure our streets are safe and drug-free. We collaborate with local police for surveillance and support to ensure our community is safe. To create opportunities for women and minorities in the construction trades, I also belong to various professional groups like the Policy Group in Tradeswomen Issues (PGTI), MA Girls in Trades Advisory Board and Access and Opportunity Committees to create opportunities for women and minorities in the construction trades.
BRET: In what way do you feel you have most positively influenced or served the local community, your company organization or professional field?
MD: Our compliance program at the University of Massachusetts Building Authority (UMBA) is being used as a “model” by other state and federal agencies and organizations to enforce compliance requirements on their construction projects and ensure that women and minorities are given the opportunity for employment. I work with various community organizations, vocational/technical schools, other state agencies, pre-aprenticeship programs to help create the pipeline into the construction trades to generate employment opportunities for people in the community and pledging our unwavering commitment to diversity and increase demand for women and minorities in construction and ensuring goals are met on UMass Building Authority projects.
BRET: Is there any aptitude, gift or talent that not many people know about you?
MD: I am always thinking of new ways to improve the lives of people in my community. When I put my mind to something, I persevere until I see results. I am a go-getter, compassionate, and kind. I lead with my gut instincts. I am a strong advocate for those who are underserved and I pride myself in getting results.
BRET: What are your hobbies and interests?
MD: I enjoy spending time with my loved ones. I love to travel to foreign countries and meet the local people. I love to go to the beach and read a good book. I love jazz and going to the theater especially in the summer- time.
BRET: Your favorite books?
MD: One of my favorite books is “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. Her message resonates with me because, as a black woman, I have had to create my path and the importance of finding my voice amidst a career dominated by men. Her story encourages me to embrace my own style and uniqueness to be me.
Another favorite is “The Way of Integrity” by Martha Beck, a self-help book that allows one to find true value and self-worth. The book teaches us how to align our actions with our values, communicate honestly and stay true to ourselves.
BRET: Your favorite quotes?
MD: My two favorite quotes are from Nelson Mandela
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived in. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others” – Nelson Mandela
“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and succeed if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do” – Nelson Mandela
BRET: The one person you would like to meet and why?
MD: I would have loved to meet Nelson Mandela to talk about how he became such a humble person after all the injustice he endured. He was not bitter and found the courage to forgive and continue to rise against injustice and end his life as a modern hero.
BRET: What are the core values you try to live by?
MD: Some of the core values I live by are Justice and Equity. This includes addressing systemic inequalities and working towards a more just society where everyone is treated fairly. As a Black woman in a male-dominated field, I must emphasize the importance of understanding inclusion and diversity. I believe, we need to empower people with tools and resources to help them overcome challenges and take control of their own lives.
BRET: What inspires you?
MD: I am inspired by following the footsteps of many great men and women who came before me. I find strength in knowing that my work is making a difference in the lives of people who do not have the opportunity or social capital to gain access to resources to change their living conditions.
