“ Mentorship without advocacy by people with influence is a recipe for preparing women and minorities for an unattainable career path .”
In addition to her role as a thought leader at the cutting edge of the data centre industry ’ s ongoing evolution , Novak is herself working to embody the kind of advocacy that is required to foster true , lasting diversity in the industry .
She is a member of the iMason ’ s advisory council and is actively involved in numerous organisations dedicated to advocating for the advancement of women and minorities in the data centre sector , including Above the Glass Ceiling , Women in Government Relations ( WGE ), Women Construction Owners and Executives ( WCOE ), The World Trade Center Initiative , Fortune Media ’ s Most Powerful Women and the National Women ’ s Party .
Prior to joining Compass Datacenters , Novak held a number of roles as a construction executive at Balfour Beatty and Hensel Phelps , during which time she worked on renovations and construction projects for airports , hospitals and even the Pentagon , before retiring at the age of forty seven .
She came out of retirement three years later , joining Compass Datacentres in 2017 , and has since driven the adoption of cutting edge technology , lean practices , and fostered an innovative culture through diversity of thought at the company .
In October of 2020 , Novak was also recognised by Capacity Media at the 2020 Global Women in Telco and Tech awards , receiving the title of the year ’ s “ Best Woman in Data Centre ”.
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