Problem Solving and Building Dreams
as the Program Director of Redevelopment
12 AIRPORT VOICE, APRIL 2019
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
Laurie Balbo’s love for problem solving and complex
projects made her the perfect fit as the Program
Director for the LaGuardia Redevelopment Plan for
the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Throughout Balbo’s career in architecture, she
enjoyed working with talented professionals, especially
seeing the process of building plans turn into
a finished product from start to finish in real time.
She turned to a role as a project manager with the
hunger to solve even more complex problems.
Balbo enjoys the challenges that comes with her
field of work as well as the people she works with to
approach these challenges.
“Post-grad, I quickly saw how project management
tapped a wider range of skills,” said Balbo.
“Diversity coupled with the immense gratification
of working on large scale projects kept me hungry
for roles on larger, more complex projects. I am especially
attracted by opportunities to be part of stellar
teams of professionals who are creating infrastructure
that truly improves our cities and human experiences
moving through them.”
For Balbo, her initial decision to take up architecture
was simple-she liked art, and she liked
math. From then, the decision was made. She attended
school for architecture and after graduating,
she worked for a New York design firm that dealt
heavily with airport design and construction. One
of the firm’s clients at the time was the Port Authority
of NY and NJ. Years later, as Balbo’s interest in
design veered more toward project management,
she applied for a role as project manager with the
WOMEN of ACHIEVEMENT
OCCUPATION /POSITION: Program Director,
LaGuardia Redevelopment Program
EMPLOYER: Port Authority of New York & New
Jersey
HOMETOWN: Cliffside Park, NJ (childhood); Astoria,
NY (current)
MENTOR: Francis J. Lombardi, former Chief Engineer
PANYNJ
HOBBY: Knitting like a woman possessed
FAVORITE BOOKS: The Pavilion of Women, Pearl
S. Buck
FAVORITE MOVIES: Too many to list
HAPPY PLACE: Anywhere there is salty air and
seagulls
FAVORITE QUOTE OR MOTTO: Respect everyone,
fear no one
Port Authority that focused on projects dealing with
three major airports.
Throughout Balbo’s career, her method of achieving
the success she has today is a matter of simple
hard work and not being afraid to ask questions.
“A lot of people step into jobs and they don’t
want to look stupid so they don’t ask questions,”
said Balbo. “People love to talk about what they do
and help people who are coming up behind them,
in most cases, so just be open. If you don’t understand
something, ask for help; go outside your comfort
zone.”
Honors
Verdia Noel Karen Kroeppel
Laurie Balbo
Shanel Thomas
Jane Garvey Marisa Von Wieding
and all of Airport Voice’s
Women of Achievement
for this recognition
vaughn.edu | @vaughncollege | 1.866.6VAUGHN
We at the Airport Voice
Congratulate all
the Women of Achievement
and Recognize
the Valuable Contributions
All Our Women Have Made to the
Airport & Aviation Community
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