Meghan Calabro, Distribution Modernization Managing Director, Burns and McDonnell
Meghan Calabro
Meghan Calabro is the Distribution Modernization Managing Director at Burns & McDonnell. She has an Electrical Engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Having found a passion for her career at Burns & McDonnell, she aims to share her passion with young professionals and is a great supporter of intentional advocacy and reverse mentoring.
As a kid, Meghan did not know what she wanted to do for a career. As an 18-year old, she wanted to keep her options open. As advised by her father, she spoke with several professors at the local university to understand what career options might be for various degree programs. She realized that as an electrical engineer, she could go on to do anything. It could open the door to a career in business, politics, or even medical school. Even though math and science weren’t her best subjects, she was a hard worker and was excited about the challenges of engineering.
Don’t Settle for a Job but Look for a Career
Meghan has worked at Burns & McDonnell for 16 years. In her career, she wanted the flexibility (not necessarily climb up the ladder vertically) to work different roles within the same company. She realized early on that she was looking for a career that she was passionate about, and not just a ‘job’.
She started her career at Burns & McDonnell in 2007, working on M&E design projects for hospitals. In 2009, she moved to the T&D (Transmission and Distribution) group to help with a Department of Energy SmartGrid demonstration project. Over the next several years, she experienced a huge learning curve, but she loved it. She worked on projects poised to overhaul the distribution grid for the energy transition.
She then transitioned to a people manager and then a project manager role for a group that focuses on utility telecommunications. This group was going through a huge growth period at the time, and Meghan played a major role in the hiring and development of staff. During her time in this group, the team grew from 25 people to 200 people.
In 2018, Burns & McDonnell decided to enter the distribution infrastructure space. They saw the need that utilities were facing in overhauling and upgrading the distribution grid. While on maternity leave with her first child, the opportunity to run this new business line came out. Meghan seized the opportunity – she applied for the Business Line Lead position and interviewed for the role on her first day back from maternity leave. She is proud of the diverse, fun team that she’s helped to grow over the last five years. The group is now over 250 people!
Meghan and her team at the Distributech conference
Her Inspiration
Meghan credits her parents for some values instilled in her while growing up. Her mom told her to never work in a female dominated industry (”you’ll work twice as hard and get paid less”) and to think broadly. As for her dad, an educator, she never saw anyone love their job more than he did.
She also admires Leslie Duke, the incoming CEO of Burns & McDonnell. As Meghan puts it, “She makes the tough calls but is still relatable”. Meghan notes that as you go up the position ladder, you will have more access to the table. She is adamant about providing a voice in the room that you are in. Regardless of why you are invited to the table, you are there for a reason.
She hopes to expedite the learning process by guiding others. She is a huge fan of reverse mentoring.
Be Transparent
Meghan advises students and young professionals to have solid communication skills. Speak up if you have something to say. Never assume that people know what you are thinking or feeling. People are inherently good- natured so you need to express how you feel about a situation. Do not be afraid to advocate for yourself!
Closing Remarks
Meghan emphasizes that the work she does affects the grid on a macro scale. Upgrading the grid and making it smarter will enable more renewable technologies to be integrated into the grid. She says that we all have a bad day or experience some frustration sometimes. It is important to take a step back and realize that what we are doing is important. Remember the end goal.
Article written by:
Michelle Pais, WiRE Freelance Writer