Facilities in Focus

What does it really mean to keep students safe in schools? In this candid conversation, host Mackenna Moralez talks with Alishia Jolivette, chief of facilities and maintenance operations for Houston Independent School District on how safety is about more than just securing doors, it’s about creating an environment where students feel protected, comfortable and able to learn. Alishia shares how her team goes beyond locks and alarms to focus on everything from air and water quality to hurricane preparedness and mental health. With insights into student-led initiatives and the constant behind-the-scenes work that keeps campuses, Alishia shows how facilities shape not just safety, but learning itself.  

“Safety is broad. It’s not just doors and locks—it’s roofs, air quality, water quality, and the mental well-being of our students and staff,” Alishia says. 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The third season will cover education facilities. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Connect with Mackenna on LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/mackennamoralez

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Accessibility on college campuses goes far beyond code compliance, it’s about dignity, independence and creating a true sense of belonging. In this episode of Facilities in Focus, host Mackenna Moralez talks with Lawrence Group leaders Mike Flynn and Javier Esteban about the art and complexity of retrofitting for accessibility. With examples ranging from residence halls to libraries, they explain how facilities leaders can design spaces that serve students of every ability—today and in the future. 

“Accessibility cannot be an afterthought. It has to be part of the process,” Javier says.  

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The third season will cover education facilities. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Connect with Mackenna on LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/mackennamoralez

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

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Deferred maintenance is a reality for every facility manager, but what happens when the stakes are thousands of students’ health and safety? In this episode of Facilities in Focus, host Mackenna Moralez sits down with Machion Jackson, deputy superintendent of operations for Detroit Public Schools Community District about how transparency, creativity and community engagement have helped her team prioritize critical repairs and reinvest in Detroit’s schools. Her insights offer practical strategies and inspiration for facility managers everywhere.  

“School buildings are stabilizers of neighborhoods—they’re the beacons of communities,” Machion says. “If left unattended, deferred maintenance doesn’t just affect classrooms, it affects families, teachers, and the future of entire neighborhoods.” 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The third season will cover education facilities. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Read Machion’s BOM cover story here: https://www.facilitiesnet.com/facilitiesmanagement/article/From-Teaching-to-Facilities-Management-How-Machion-Jackson-Found-Her-Calling--19928 

Connect with Mackenna on LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/mackennamoralez

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What does campus construction have to do with student success? In this episode of Facilities in Focus, host Mackenna Moralez speaks with Gretchen Catlin, chief facilities and general services officer for the University of Maine System how strategic facilities planning impacts everything from housing shortages to collaborative learning spaces. She also offers unique insights into construction trends that currently surround education facilities. Packed with real-world examples, creative solutions and even a few surprising stories from behind the scenes, this conversation sheds light on why facilities management is at the heart of higher education’s future. 

“If you build it, they will come — and that’s what excites me most about facilities: creating safe, engaging spaces that truly shape the student experience,” Catlin says. 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The third season will cover education facilities. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Connect with Mackenna on Linkedin:

linkedin.com/in/mackennamoralez

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

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How does one of the largest school districts in the country transform its facilities operations to meet the highest standards of health and sustainability? In this episode of Facilities in Focus, host Mackenna Moralez sits down with Sara Porter of Healthy Schools Campaign and Chicago Public Schools leaders Rob Christlieb and Brian Martin to discuss how the district made history by being the first in the nation to achieve Gold Certification under the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges Standard. Porter, Christlieb and Martin share how they reached this milestone, what it means for students and staff and how sustainable practices create healthier, more effective learning environments.  

“This is not a one-and-done award—it’s about creating healthier, safer schools every single day,” Christlieb says.  

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The third season will cover education facilities. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Connect with Mackenna on LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/MackennaMoralez

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

Facilities in Focus is back with an exciting previous of season three! Mackenna Moralez kicks things off solo this week, with a sneak peak of the upcoming season covering education facilities. While all facilities bring on unique challenges, there is also a wild, weird and unexpected side of facilities management when it comes to overseeing schools. From taxidermy animals to pipes flooding the hallways, Alishia Jolivette, Gretchen Catlin, John Rimer and Machion Jackson share their downright bizarre stories from the field. 

Stay tuned for more important topics on the horizon this season. Bi-weekly episodes premier Sept. 30. 

the wild, weird and unexpected side of facilities management.  

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The third season will cover education facilities. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Connect with Mackenna on LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/mackennamoralez

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

Welcome back to a special bonus episode of Facilities in Focus! Mackenna Moralez sits down with the king of NFMT himself, John Rimer of FM360, to talk all things NFMT Remix. With nearly 30 years in facilities management, John shares stories from the field, insights of the industry’s future and why shows like NFMT Remix are essential for personal and professional growth. Whether you’re a seasoned FM or just getting started, this episode is filled with actionable advice and laughs you won’t want to miss. 

Ready to be inspired, connect with peers and return to work energized? Register for NFMT Remix at www.nfmt.com/remix. You’re facilities future starts here. 

The third season of Facilities in Focus will premier in September and publish bi-weekly. The third season will focus on education facilities.  

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

Connect with Mackenna on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mackennamoralez 

Welcome to the season finale of the second season of Facilities in Focus!

If you’re still thinking that IoT is just a buzzword, Greg Christensen, host of the CMMSRadio podcast is sure to change your mind. In this episode of Facilities in Focus, Mackenna Moralez talks with Christensen as they break down how smart sensors and connected systems are changing the way facility managers work every day. Filled with “aha!” moments that make you think, “why aren’t we doing that yet?” This episode is for every facility professional who wants to stay ahead in the technology game. 

“Technology is not a magic silver bullet,” Christensen says during the episode. “You still have to manage it, scrutinize the data and make sure it’s doing what it’s supposed to do. Otherwise, you’re just firefighting with fancier tools.” 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The second season will cover technology within the facilities management space. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

There has been a rise in workplace violence incidents within the healthcare industry since the pandemic first began in 2020. Duke University Health recently installed weapon detection systems at all of their locations to ensure the safety of their buildings. In this episode of Facilities in Focus, Mackenna Moralez talks with Mary Martin, chief operating officer for Duke University Health about what lead to the installation of the weapon detection systems and why more hospitals should implement safety precautions. With candid stories, expert insight and a heartfelt discussion on workplace violence prevention, this episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned with the future of hospital safety and the wellbeing of frontline medical workers. 

“It was a scary realization for us that we had that many people in our walls that had guns, even if they weren’t intending to do harm at any point in time,” Martin says during the episode.  

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The second season will cover technology within the facilities management space. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

Five years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic first sent people packing their desks to work from home. In recent weeks, more companies – and even the federal government – have mandated that employees return to the office full-time. Mackenna Moralez sits down with Alex Carlson, vice president of facilities management services, Fine Tune Expense Management on how facilities managers are being tasked with incentivizing employees to return to the office with new technology. Whether you work in-office, hybrid or remote, the conversation will have you thinking differently about the spaces where we work – and who makes them work.  

"We need to stop talking about technology as job replacement—and start talking about it as a tool to make people’s lives better. If we lead with that, we’ll get a lot more buy-in," Carlson says. 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The second season will cover technology within the facilities management space. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT