Leah FitzGerald
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting some of our inspiring WLI members and getting their thoughts on leadership.
First up is Leah Fitzgerald, Managing Director of CBRE.
Please summarize your current role within ULI and explain why WLI is important to you?
I have been fortunate to be involved with many different areas within ULI. Most recently I volunteered with REDi (Real Estate Diversity Initiative). I currently serve as a member of the Advisory Committee and Chair of Membership Committee. WLI is important to me because until we started WLI-KC, I was a fairly inactive member. WLI gave me the courage and confidence to become much more involved, and now in addition to my local participation, I serve on a National Product Council.
What is your expertise? What services do you provide? What leads do you look for?
My background is in development, particularly on the execution side, so that involves everything from initial design concept to completion of a development project — due diligence, entitlement, design, and construction management. Currently I manage the office of CBRE KC which has led me to the brokerage, valuation, property, and project management side of the business. In terms of leads, I enjoy networking and connecting various people to solve problems. I see myself as a problem solver who strives to help others seek solutions to their real estate initiatives.
Please summarize your CRE career, and explain why you decided to work in the built environment.
From a young age I wanted to be an architect, before I really understood what that was. As I studied architecture in college, I realized that my skills where more suited to management and the business side of real estate rather than pure design in the traditional sense. This led me to a career in corporate real estate for the Disney Company, construction management with a local contractor, development with VanTrust Real Estate and, ultimately, now with CBRE. Other than an internship with BBA Architects while in college, I have never worked in the traditional sense as an architect, but the problem solving and creative critical thinking skills I learned in college have shaped my approach to the work I do and have helped me to succeed along the way.
Do you consider yourself a female leader? Please explain why.
My first reaction is No, but I think that is what defines many of us as women. We are humble, we are rarely satisfied with our own performance, and we tend to seek perfection, partly because we are driven by the reality of needing to be twice as good to get half as far. We are wired from an early age not to rest, not to accept success, and not to see ourselves as finished or we will be left behind.
Who is a female leader you admire and why?
Mary Anne Tighe — She is a real estate broker in NYC. She had everything stacked against her when she began, having a degree in English and art history, her background did not justify her career choice. She didn’t become a broker until she was 36, which often is a recipe for disaster even among the best of men. She also started in the mid-80’s in a male-dominated, tough city like New York when there was no support for female leadership. Yet she prevailed and has earned a long list of accolades and accomplishments, such as being named as one of the most connected women in New York and elected as Chairman of REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) after being the first women member in it’s 114-year history. Most impressive to me is that when you talk to her, you would never know — she breaks every stereotype one thinks of when you hear New York real estate broker, and at 72 she is still working!
Describe what you do to remain visible in your career.
As outlined in a previous question, I don’t rest on the past or look backward, instead I look forward to what’s next. There is always something I haven’t learned about or experienced. That is what drives me.
Describe a pivotal moment in your career. What makes it stand out?
I was given the opportunity to move overseas to work on a cruise ship. I had no experience and did not speak the language, and most of my peers at the time hid in their offices to avoid being called on. The project was known to be in trouble financially and was severely behind schedule. I jumped at the chance, immediately began to take lessons to learn the language, and prepared to move to a foreign country for a three-month assignment. Two years later, we delivered two cruise ships and I had gained a lifetime of memories, experiences, and friendships with people who have supported me both personally and professionally throughout my career.
What advice can you give to others on how to identify and maneuver through similar experiences?
Don’t be afraid of jumping off a cliff into a new area. I have done it several times, and it has always made me stronger and smarter as a professional. The satisfaction of completing tough assignments has become something I feed off of, and it gives me energy and motivation to continue to be better and keep learning.