Gilbane Builds Chicago
Gilbane brings more than 150 years of Gilbane company leadership and proven expertise across the country to our work in Chicago, a city we have called home for more than four decades. We live here; we work here; we build here. We are creating economic opportunity and forging meaningful relationships – one hospital, one school, and one community-based project at a time. But it's not just the buildings that set Gilbane Chicago apart—it's the people. In our new profile series, Gilbane Builds Chicago, we look behind the curtain and share stories from the talented and diverse team that make it possible for us to build more than buildings.
Meet Mariella Ochoa, Project Engineer
Growing with Gilbane: Intern to Project Engineer
For Mariella Ochoa, the construction business is in her blood.
“My mom, dad, and brother are all civil engineers.”
Originally from Venezuela, Mariella decided to follow in her family’s footsteps and forge a career for herself in the industry. After obtaining her bachelor's degree in architecture at Universidad José Antonio Páez, she wanted to pursue a graduate degree that would be useful in her family’s construction company in Venezuela.
This pursuit led Mariella to move to the United States and attend Northwestern University, where she completed her master’s degree in Project Management. While at Northwestern, Mariella learned about Gilbane’s internship opportunities and connected with a former executive giving a presentation on campus. The connection paid off, and Mariella landed a summer internship.
That internship later turned into a full-time Project Engineer position at Gilbane Chicago. When Mariella told her family back home about her new position at Gilbane, they could not have been happier. Like her family’s construction company, Gilbane is also family-owned, something that impressed both Mariella and her father.
“The way Gilbane operates, it really feels like a family,” she said.
Mariella has been on the Gilbane team for three years. She has worked on many different projects, including several notable builds in the healthcare sector, such as Northwestern Hospital and Prentice Women’s Hospital.
“When you go to university, you learn the basics. But it doesn’t mean anything other than how you might do it. When you go to the real job, that’s when you really start learning.”
That was especially true when she started working on-site at Prentice Women’s Hospital. The facility needed work but had to stay fully operational, limiting noise, dust, and any disruption for the patients, families, and healthcare professionals working there daily. Mariella describes this site as being one that is helping her learn and continue to grow as a Project Engineer.
“Everything needs to look like you’re not on a job site,” she explained.
In this leadership role on a complex site, Mariella has found her voice, and the company has evolved in kind. She was on an all-male team as an intern but today works for a much more diverse Gilbane team. When asked how the next generation can continue to strengthen the team and find their place in the industry, Mariella says diving into the work, asking questions, and showing your willingness to learn is crucial.
“Go to a company where you can be involved on the job site. Start from there and keep growing.”
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