Gabriela (Gaby) Pinto, Manager at Buildings and Grounds, reached a significant service milestone this year: 40 years. She has actually been at McGill a little longer than that, as she worked as a temporary employee while still in school, but she applied for her first permanent role, a custodian position, in 1983.
“It used to be a very male-dominated field, so I submitted my application as Gabriel, without the ‘a’ at the end. At the interview, they were very surprised to see a woman walking in and not a man. I asked to be given the opportunity to prove that I was capable to do the job,” she recalls.
Since then, she has taken on many different roles within Facilities Management and Ancillary Services (FMAS), including being a Garage Attendant, a Porter, and a District Supervisor. “I have always looked for new opportunities to develop myself and my professional career at McGill,” says Pinto. She was named Manager at Buildings and Grounds in the mid 2000’s. In this role, she assists the Director, George Lazaris, with the management and operations of the six units under its umbrella.
“Gabriela is seen as a pillar for our units. She inspires my team to be detailed, accurate and knowledgeable of policies and procedures. She always encourages us to be the best professionals we can be,” says Lazaris. “Outside the office, she is a fun and loving person. She is loyal, honest and not afraid to be herself.”
Pinto never gets bored at work. “Every day there are new challenges and I’m always learning something new,” she says. Her colleagues have been another important aspect in making her job “extremely enjoyable. I consider McGill my second family and I’m thankful that my colleagues continue to contribute to my evolution.”
Outside of her work at McGill, Pinto does not sit still either. She used to be a master of ceremony and event coordinator on the weekends and later started a beauty salon with a friend.
More recently, she bought a property in Laval which she refers to as her hobby farm. “I taught myself how to maintain the land and the fruit trees, and plant a variety of plants all around,” Pinto explains.
When she eventually does decide to retire, which is, she emphasizes, “not anytime soon”, her goal is to travel around the world to escape the cold winter months.
When asked what she would like to share with colleagues who more recently joined the team, she responds: “McGill has a lot to offer, depending on how far you want to push yourself. It is like a small city on its own, with positions ranging from a custodian to a doctor and everything in between. You have the possibility within the University to develop yourself and your professional career as far as you want to take it.”