Whitney Henion is an Assistant Project Manager for Construction Services Group (CSG).

 

A Henion family Easter

How long have you worked for ESD 112 and what does your job entail?
I’ve been here for 15 months, working with the CSG team. We work with School Districts all over the state of WA on a variety of planning and construction services. Pre-bond planning, Facility assessment, Construction administration, State funding navigation, building commissioning, and Value Engineering. As an Assistant Project Manager, I help the team with pretty much any task that needs to be completed.

What do you like best about your job?
I love leading people through the process of construction projects. Construction is a foreign world for most people but what a great example of watching your hard work come to fruition! It is an amazing feeling to stand inside a project that you helped create. I love knowing that I can make a difference in kids’ lives where they spend 40 hours a week and maybe even introduce them to the field of Architecture.

What do you find most challenging about your job?
Not being in control of the budget. Meaning, it’s difficult to see a district with a long list of dilapidated facilities that are crippling the functionality of the student learning needs and teaching ability to expand their skills, when they can only fund a small portion of what is needed. I wish I could give more money for school construction to every school district!

Single? Married? Kids? Pets?
Married to a fantastically talented and funny, middle school band teacher and percussionist. (We met at music camp – I’m not kidding!)  We have two lovely girls (12, 10) who are both learning the craft of music (Flute/Sax and Piano/Voice) and each focus on a sport; English Horse-riding and soccer. We also have two black cats with lots of personality.

What do you enjoy doing with your free time?
Most frequently found on stage (or under it). I’m a musician – Viola is my main instrument but I also play the violin. I got a minor in music along with my Architecture degrees from WSU and I currently keep my skills up playing with the Clark College (and Community) Orchestra with 3 concerts a year – come see us play! Lots of great classical music to hear and it’s FREE!!  I’ve also joined the Astoria Nutcracker Ballet for a weekend of live performances in December and occasionally play for Christmas or Easter at our Church in Portland. When I’m not playing, I’m typically driving our kids to rehearsals, performances, practices and games. For the second year in a row, our youngest will participate in the Portland Christmas Revels – Nordic Lights Show. The 12 performances are open to the public and a great way to spend the holiday season with your family – Ask me for details!  In the summer, our family gets outside and spends time camping in tents or sharing rental houses with friends for the weekends. We love adventuring around the beautiful NW.

If you could speak another language, which would it be and why?
Italian – because AWESOME!!! Also because music is typically written in Italian, I love Italy and have only visited once but can’t wait to go back. Plus, it’s a gorgeous language to speak and listen too.

If you could play one instrument you aren’t able to now, what would it be and why?
Harp. They are so beautiful to play and listen too. My youngest daughter played it for 1 year and I loved it! It was like having angles in your living room while I made dinner. Unfortunately, she stopped after that and I don’t miss the delicate temperament of instrument care that is required to play it. (Constant tuning is required!) I’m hopeful that she will start again at some point in the future. It’s a great income and scholarship opportunity too!

Would you rather live in the city or the woods? Why?
I would prefer to live in the city but have a cabin in the woods. I love being near a city and participating in so many cultural activities but spending time in nature lets me recharge. I love the smell of trees and, in the NW, looking at all the varieties of green moss in the forest. There is nothing better than sitting by a stream and listening to the water while the wind moves through the trees. It’s not often I get to experience the quiet with my active family, but I sure do appreciate it when I do!

What did you want to be when you were little?
I was in 3rd Grade and I knew I wanted to be an Architect. I would rake the grass clippings into floor plans and play in them for days! Surprisingly easy to “renovate” the walls in that construction material. My parents decided to let me spend the morning with a friend who had his own Architectural office in the Smith tower building in Seattle. He was surrounded by so many different types of colored pens, pencils, erasers and lots of specialty papers and got to color and draw all day! He would answer the phone and have discussions with authority (even though I didn’t understand what he was talking about). I figured that if I got to color all day and tell people what to do, that was the perfect job for me!

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever lived?
I spent a summer living with friends in LA during college while I was an Architectural Intern. Although, I like the weather I didn’t like the commute on five freeways 1.5 hrs one way.

What future events are you looking forward to?
Spending Thanksgiving with our cousins at a rental house in Galveston, TX. I’m hopeful that the area will be recovered from Harvey by then.