Claire Stein

I try to practice compassion before jumping to conclusions.

How did you get involved/started in construction/your role?

I have had great opportunities to learn and grow across multiple companies and positions. Having attended UC Berkeley for architecture, I started my career in design, and got exposure to multiple project types and phases. Through this experience, I quickly was able to narrow down my focus to healthcare, which became a passion for me. At the same time, I began to see that there were other opportunities along my career path, outside of classic design roles. I worked on an IPD/BIM project at that time. When evaluating whether to get a master’s degree in architecture, I ended up finding and attending the Construction Engineering and Management program at Stanford – in a quest to better understand buildings and the construction process. I was also exposed to technology and innovation at Stanford.

It was my passion for healthcare and construction that landed me on the build team for 4 hospital projects over the course of the following 11 years. I was excited about learning and applying technical knowledge of building sciences and planning, with an understanding of architecture history and design from my undergraduate studies.

In 2019, I was fortunate enough to join VueOps, a subsidiary of DPR Construction, as the Operations Leader. VueOps is focused on technology for facility management. Created out of an idea to use data beyond the build, our software platform gives clients easy access to specific data about their assets. I oversee all aspects of operations for an international software start up – finance, people practices, software onboarding, and internal systems/processes.

This might seem like a jump from architecture and construction – in fact, I’m equally excited about complex façade systems on a hospital, establishing workflows with multinational cross-functional teams, or developing business infrastructure! I am passionate about delivering best in class solutions to building owners and operators, ultimately pushing the envelope on the lifecycle support of our built environment.

In my free time, I swim in the San Francisco Bay as a member of the South End Rowing Club, having successfully swam from Alcatraz. I graduated from two Bay Area universities, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California Berkeley College of Environmental Design, and a Masters in Construction Engineering and Management from Stanford University.

What do you see as the biggest value in being a member of WiOPS?

I love this industry and I would hate for the next generation of girls to miss out on this career path because we’ve missed the opportunity to develop female role models for them. Having industry groups such as WiOps are important not only to create learning and development opportunities for women, but also to further the conversation about diversity and belonging in the industry.

As a co-lead of DPR’s company-wide Employee Resource Group, this is an important topic for me.

What is the best part of your job?

Whether it’s working on finance, overseeing customer deliverables and projects, working on developing my fellow team members, I get to support a great team and see an exciting idea come to life.

What advice would you give a young woman entering the industry?

Do your diligence and come to the table with solutions, but don’t be afraid to speak up if you need help. Be confident – you don’t have to know all the answers – it’s not about knowing everything, it’s about how to get answers from others. Practice confidence even if you don’t feel it. It took me years of practice to feel confident.

What makes you proud of working in the construction industry?

Most of the people I know in this industry are here because they love it. I think that sets it aside from other professions. I’m proud that I have been a part of creating our communities, places we work, live and play. Now, I get to support the longevity and sustainability of those important places.