Columbia People: Katiana Anglade

WHO SHE IS: Director, Manhattanville Development Projects

YEARS AT COLUMBIA: 3

WHAT SHE DOES: Anglade helps manage Columbia's expansion into Manhattanville, monitoring and reviewing the University's public commitments and supporting clean construction efforts. These include measures to enforce public and environmental health. She also works closely with contractors and fellow Facilities team members to support the University's goals of working with businesses owned by minorities, women and local residents.

Anglade's job requires her to navigate quickly among a number of different tasks. "There are many experts here whom I am humbled to work with, and there are a lot of activities to learn from," she says.

BEST PART OF THE JOB: Working with student interns and watching them evolve. "I enjoy mentoring them and seeing their dedication. The kids are enthusiastic about learning and visualizing themselves in our roles in the next 10 years." Anglade still keeps in touch with students in Columbia's 2009 Manhattanville ACE Mentor Program for high school students seeking careers in the field of design and construction.

BEFORE COLUMBIA: Anglade chose the construction field early. In high school, she participated in an intensive, semester-long program in New York City, in which she studied economics, architecture and public policy. "I think it's really a curiosity about New York, its neighborhoods and how communities are constantly evolving that led me to this work," she says.

With two master's degrees--one in urban planning from New York University and another in construction administration from Columbia--Anglade spent years overseeing affordable housing and mixed-use projects as a project manager at the Abyssinian Development Corporation. After attending a community board meeting for Harlem residents like herself, she decided she wanted to join the University's Manhattanville team.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS: Helping others succeed.

In 2009, Anglade joined employees across the University to help organize a job fair for the West Harlem community. "A lot of people came out and were truly happy about what we were doing. People were welcoming to us and made it a great experience."

Anglade provides assistance to the University's Small Business Services mentorship program for minority, women and local entrepreneurs. The program provides small business owners in construction trades with classroom training, technical assistance and opportunities to compete for jobs at Columbia and across the city. Anglade supports the program's outreach and recruitment of firms.

"It is challenging to be a small business owner, and I have been fortunate to assist them through this program. While construction is still primarily a male-dominated field, that is changing. There are a lot of women interested in entering the field and growing opportunities for them, as I found out with the mentorship program."

IN HER SPARE TIME: "I like to be outdoors. I also love to travel. Next stop-Thailand!