La Shawn Harrison

La Shawn Harrison is first and foremost, an advocate for the human experience who believes that a well-designed workspace should serve as a natural extension of its intended function—enabling people to do their best work with ease and comfort.

“When a facility falls short of supporting the individuals who occupy it, it misses its true purpose. If a facility fails to meet compliance requirements, especially regarding ADA and TAS accessibility standards, this ignites me to take action,” she explained.

She’s built a career defined by adaptability, problem-solving, and elevating the role of facilities management.

Now a facility manager/project manager, she began her career architecture before switching to interior design, later working in Dallas on space planning and tenant development projects alongside facility and construction managers. About 18 years ago, she moved to Austin, where her space planning and property management background naturally led her into facilities management—a field that combined both disciplines in daily practice.

Her global real estate and facilities career has spanned high-profile organizations. She created a major manufacturing facility’s first business continuity plan, redefining workplace team roles during emergencies to ensure manufacturing never stopped.

Her current focus is on post-occupancy project management, helping optimize spaces for conference rooms, flexible work areas, and evolving workplace needs as employees return to offices.

Crisis management has been a recurring theme. During a citywide boil notice in Austin, La Shawn and her small team of 10 had to manage 1,200 employees in a facility without safe water. With bottled water supplies dwindling and grocery stores emptied, she led efforts to post warnings on all machines, communicate safety protocols, and coordinate with essential staff to keep operations running. Despite her efforts, some folks insisted on using tap water to make coffee, which La Shawn had to diplomatically shut down.

She’s candid about the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry. In one manufacturing role, she was the only woman onsite, often facing assumptions about her knowledge and experience. When colleagues asked her for advice on lactation room design simply because she was female, she had to remind them, “Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I’ve had children—but I can research it for you.” For her, moments like that underscore the importance of breaking down stereotypes.

La Shawn is equally committed to strengthening the pipeline of talent in facilities management. As a board member of Women in Facilities Management (WIFM) and an active member of IFMA Austin, she mentors others by reminding them that their skills—whether in construction, administration, or trade work—are valuable in facilities. “Most people are experts in what they do without realizing it,” she said. “Those abilities are critical in this field, and every day you’re not using them in facilities is a day a building may be missing exactly what you bring.”

To La Shawn, facilities management is simple to explain but powerful in impact: “If you work or go to school, you’re inside a building—and we’re the ones who make sure it runs. The work is essential to business operations, even if it’s often thankless.”

From solving small problems like restroom privacy gaps with a clever low-cost fix, to designing strategies that keep global operations moving, La Shawn’s career reflects the versatility and resilience at the heart of facilities management.

Facilities Management (FM) is a dynamic field that thrives on problem-solving, leadership, and innovation; qualities women bring in abundance. By stepping into FM, women can shape workplaces that are not only efficient but also inclusive, sustainable, and people focused.

This career path offers the opportunity to oversee impactful projects, from creating healthier, greener work environments to driving operational excellence.

“As the industry continues to evolve with technology and sustainability at its core, women have a chance to lead teams, influence design, and set new standards for the future. Pursuing a career in FM is not just about managing buildings, it’s about building a legacy,” said La Shawn.