DBI Projects Passport: Sarah Braginsky Guides Projects to Success Around the World

Those are just some of the places where DBI Project Manager Sarah Braginsky is currently managing projects with the team for DBI’s longstanding client, the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). The largest and oldest nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization in the United States, CIEE maintains a network of over 40 worldwide sites in partnership with over 350 colleges and universities, facilitating 50,000 exchange experiences for people each year. DBI Projects manages capital projects for CIEE, in addition to serving as the organization’s asset manager worldwide.

“The work CIEE is doing, creating these incredible opportunities for students around the world to immerse themselves in different cultures and communities, is a mission we are more than thrilled and very proud to support,” said DBI Partner Mariela Abreu, “And the steady-hand Sarah brings to the management process is a consistent factor in the portfolio’s success.”

Sarah’s initiation to the portfolio was equivalent to drinking from a firehose. “I joined the DBI asset management team in 2020 and my work with CIEE started as COVID response management, negotiating leases and mitigating the organization’s exposure across its worldwide portfolio,” Sarah said, detailing the drastic drop in demand for exchange programs as lockdown measures were implemented at home and abroad. “But CIEE has overcome significant challenges since the pandemic and is now flourishing and ramping back up to meet the rising demand of students abroad.”

Sarah plays a lead role in the strategic expansion plan for CIEE study center facilities and administrative operations. In Amsterdam, she successfully managed the search for a new space, oversaw the lease transaction, engaged and led the design team and oversaw construction. She delivered the space on time and under budget for student arrivals in May of this year. In Sydney, a new site has been procured and its design is well underway for immediate construction. And in Dublin, following a successful site search, lease negotiation and change of use process, Sarah is leading efforts to move the organization’s operations into their own standalone building.

“Establishing strong relationships with local Center Directors, brokers, architects, engineers, attorneys and other consultants is essential to the success of our projects.”

Key to Sarah’s role is understanding local procedures, planning for varying approval timelines, and ensuring that all team members and subconsultants know what their responsibilities are and are delivering on them.

“Each project presents unique challenges, however, our ability to swiftly adapt to local regulatory and market conditions allows us to lead successful execution of projects.” Regardless of the project’s location, managing stakeholder objectives is what it comes down to, so projects are run according to the client’s expectations. “Guiding a concise process and providing clear information is an essential part of my job. I ensure all stakeholders are aligned and enable them to make timely decisions which are vital to meeting schedules and budgets across all markets.”

“I am proud of the work we do for CIEE and appreciate all the care and effort my fellow DBI team members put into ensuring that the portfolio and the client are successful.”

Since joining DBI in 2020, Sarah has overseen projects in 17 different locations around the world. Sarah is also Co-Chair of DBI’s Impact Council, the company’s philanthropic and volunteer initiative, organizing volunteer events, donation drives, and collaborative service projects that align with our mission.