I Am AIA:

Laura Ovsak AIA

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Laura is an Architect and a Project Manager at GLY Construction with 11 years of combined experience in Design and Construction Management. Her multilingual and cultural backgrounds have helped ground her beliefs in connecting people and the importance of staying true to your values. An East Coast transplant, Laura aims to bridge the gap between what it means to be a maker of space and a builder.

A native of upstate New York, Laura is an Architect working as a Project Manager with GLY Construction. She has a combined 11 years of experience in architecture/design and construction management. The transition from design to construction management happened organically from wanting to spend more time in the field interacting with subtrades observing onsite work. She’s most passionate about building meaningful relationships and advancing the knowledge of the greater group. Laura holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Philadelphia University (now Thomas Jefferson University) and has been living in the Seattle region for 10 years. Outside of work, she is active within the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and ACE Mentoring.

HAS YOUR CAREER TAKEN YOU ANYWHERE YOU DIDN’T EXPECT?

Like many of us, I’ve known I wanted to be an Architect since I was a child. I was introduced to structure design in elementary school, with a basic exercise involving glue and macaroni. I followed a more traditional path, getting an accredited degree and taking my licensure exams. Several years into my Architecture career, I was working closely with the Contractor side and felt a strong desire to spend more time in the field engaged with subcontractors and laborers. A career in construction was not something I had any information about as a child, at least besides the traditional swinging hammers sense. Now there are programs like ACE in place, where there is a broader exposure to the various branches of the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering fields. I’m excited to see more and more women joining our teams and look forward to what the future will bring.

WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?

I’m currently working on a number of projects within our Internal Special Projects group at GLY Construction. I’m working with a number of design partners involved with AIA Seattle and it’s pleasant to encounter a lot of the same team members involved in projects I’m working on as well as on task forces and groups within AIA.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE FROM YOUR WORK?

I hope to offer a varied perspective. Having been raised by two immigrant parents from very different countries in a very rural area of upstate New York, my upbringing and background is different from many in our urban Seattle area. Just as the others serving on AIA boards and committees have experiences we can learn from, I hope to learn from my peers and always keep an open mind.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING?

I work as a liaison to deliver construction projects that meet the design intent of the Design team while being a steward of the Client’s construction budget and schedule. Working as a trained Architect on the General Contracting side, I learn something new from our field nearly every single day. Construction technology is evolving rapidly and it’s our responsibility to stay current and to ask the right questions to advance the greater group.

WHERE IS THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, OR CONSTRUCTION HEADED?

More recently, our industries are closely tied together, and in the Seattle region, we encounter a lot of the same individuals across different companies as careers evolve. I believe our Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industries are headed more and more towards early design and preconstruction, requiring an alignment of mutual goals rather than working in separate silos. It’s been so exciting to see what can be accomplished when our teams put our heads together – we each have such unique perspectives and viewpoints to offer.

IF YOU COULD SUM UP YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE IN A BUMPER STICKER, WHAT WOULD IT SAY?

In a world full of hate, be a light.