Case Study in Leadership: Laura Yang helms one of the five boroughs’ most complex projects

300,000 square feet of new construction. Two hours just to walk the site. Specialty brick designed and shipped from overseas. Four outdoor terraces, three courtyard plazas, a gymnasium, futsal court, and multiple cafeterias – each of these with their own specialty vendors. When completed, this major K-12 development will serve 2,400 students, making it one of the largest educational campuses in all of New York City.

And Laura Yang is responsible for making sure the finished product is as perfect in reality as it is in dreams. Luckily, that’s exactly what she is good at.

“The scale is complex, so I spend a lot of time managing both the vendors and the project stakeholders to make sure all parties are aligned on a singular vision,” Laura says. “It means staying calm and positive through it all and keeping teams cohesive, collaborative, and supportive. That’s how you keep a project moving forward.”

Colleagues regularly compliment Laura for her ability to run effective project meetings, giving each voice at the table the opportunity to speak, and keeping the entire team focused on the task at hand, even in the most stressful moments. It is a hallmark of her leadership style, something both inherent to Laura, and strengthened by her background in architecture.

A native of Aachen in the west of Germany, where the country comes together with the eastern portions of Belgium and the Netherlands, Laura studied, worked, and went clubbing in Berlin before moving to New York. Her experience in managing complex new construction projects began with overseeing the development of a university building in her hometown early in her career, and – since joining DBI Projects – leading two new campus developments for KIPP NYC in the Bronx.

“My prior work in the Bronx has really benefitted me on this current project,” she says, “I’m familiar with the grounds, the public agencies, and utilities, which meant I was able to foresee challenges before they arose, and provide solutions before they became problems.”

Those that know Laura best recognize that there is no problem too complex to solve, and none too small to ignore. That confidence and intelligence rubs off on her team members, making all those around her better at their job than they were before.

Project Director Ricky Gautier, who works closely with her, said, “Laura’s positive get-it-done attitude and dedication to supporting clients throughout all phases of project execution are just two of her many great qualities that make her an effective manager and role-model for members of our team.”

Without Laura’s natural ability to bring teams together, this current project, which is over four years in the making and comprised of over 30 different vendors, would have gone a lot differently. Thankfully, the project is nearing the finishing line, with substantial completion expected this Spring. Once it’s over, Laura can’t wait to spend some more time with her kids, playing tennis, and visiting her husband’s native Taiwan for the first time as a family.