In 2013, a friend told Darvadra Huffman that her sister was looking to hire at a great company.
Darvadra, who had an affinity for numbers and previously held roles ranging from teller to assistant branch manager at a local bank, was looking for a new career path and was told by her friend’s sister that if she could just get her foot in the door at Kleinfelder, she would eventually land a role that fit with her experience, education, and professional interests.
This friend’s sister was Area Administrative Manager Julie Cabral, who’s been integral in keeping the Kleinfelder operations in Massachusetts and Connecticut running for the past 10 years. Julie nominated Darvadra for this spotlight because “she was dedicated from day one, applied herself, and took a leap of faith.”
In remembering back to when Darvadra was first brought on board, Julie says, “I learned she was having a tough time landing a career where she could flourish and combine her strengths and appetite for success.”
Initially, Darvadra was hired for the administrative specialist position, but after describing her background and passion for numbers – including serving as the chair of her church’s financial board – during the interview process, she learned of the project controls specialist position and knew that’s where she was headed.
“With support from my team leader and mentor, Julie Cabral, I came up with a plan,” Darvadra said.
During her first two years in an administrative position, Darvadra also provided support to the project controls team while working the front desk, balancing her time between both positions. Eventually, she moved to the project controls team full time and then became a team leader for the Massachusetts/Connecticut Area Project Controls Team, where she supports transportation and water projects today.
Julie said that through her own experience being hired as an administrative specialist, and with support of her mentors, she cultivated a desire to help others and knew that with opportunity and mentoring, Darvadra would thrive here, too.
“I wanted to give her the same chance and experience that I was given,” Julie said. “In addition, I was the only woman of color at the time in the Boston office; therefore, hiring her was strategic on my part. Opening the door for her was my way of paying it forward.
“Everything I learned from attending CAM, PM, and business meetings about how the business worked and what it took to be successful at Kleinfelder, I shared with her,” Julie continued. “She was a perfect mentee and followed the plan.”
Darvadra says that her favorite part of the job is supporting her internal clients – project managers. “I enjoy working with and learning from the more experienced PMs and look forward to supporting new PMs and mentoring and training some of our young professionals.”
Darvadra also noted that this role can sometimes be a difficult balance. “I want to give everything and everyone my attention, and at times that can be a challenge,” she said.
For anyone just starting out, or hoping to move into a similar role, her advice is to be willing to put yourself out there.
“This job requires you to work across different departments, so developing a strong network is priceless. In the end, exercising patience, my love for numbers, and problem-solving experience allowed me to build a portfolio and maintain a consistent workload.”
Julie said that Darvadra has been promoted several times and is now a team leader who is paying it forward to others.
“It’s the perfect story and I love sharing it,” she said.
Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm. Kleinfelder employs more than 3,000 professionals and operates from over 100 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California. Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base. Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.