Tenacious and passionate, Deirdre Anne Shanahan Harvey has become an invaluable member of the New York City Transit team. She joined the group as a construction manager in 1991 and quickly realized she had found her niche. Over the years, her responsibilities have come to include overseeing and influencing projects and guiding staff members, who appreciate her conflict resolution skills and her willingness to be open and communicative. She is currently working on a flood mitigation project in Coney Island, New York.
Ms. Harvey considers the highlight of her career to be participating in the development of a ventilation plant. They finished two months ahead of time, which was fortunate because there was a smoke condition in the subway. The ventilation plant was activated to clear the smoke out, and it did such a good job that the situation didn’t even make the news. In Ms. Harvey’s eyes, when the job is done right, the general public shouldn’t even know; it should be all behind the scenes.
To prepare for her endeavors, Ms. Harvey earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the New York Institute of Technology in 1991. She also became involved with the Construction Management Association’s Public Owners Caucus and the Constructors’ Administrative Professionals Forum. If she could offer some advice to the younger generations, it would be to develop a knack for listening and communication early, since it’s these soft skills that really make things happen.
When Ms. Harvey isn’t working, she enjoys researching her family genealogy and coaching soccer. Additionally, she is active with Toastmasters International; she was even asked to give the District 46E international speech.