Charisse Rota
Milton,MA
Summary
Expert in construction contract administration and claims analysis with a proven track record of financial oversight and compliance. Skilled in evaluating claims, managing project budgets, and enhancing stakeholder communication to streamline processes and deliver substantial financial recoveries in high-stakes environments.
Overview
42
42
years of professional experience
Work History
Program / Contract Administrator
Keville Enterprises, Inc.
Boston, USA
06.2009 - 03.2026
- Independently managed construction project documentation, client invoicing, project budgeting, and contract compliance within the Project Controls unit.
- Supported MassDOT claims management and district offices in analyzing construction claims, change orders, requests for additional compensation, time extensions, and unforeseen-condition submissions.
- Reviewed contracts, change orders, specifications, schedules, labor, material, and equipment costs to evaluate claim merit and contractual alignment.
- Prepared detailed claim reports documenting findings, recommendations, justifications, and approval or denial rationale.
- Interpreted contract terms to validate scope changes, cost adjustments, labor-hour justifications, and documentation requirements.
- Developed the Extra Work Order Pricing template adopted for contractor proposal submissions and published to the MassDOT Highway Construction site.
- Contributed to the Construction Field Inspection Report and supported revisions to Division I Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges.
- Conducted 10-week audit of contractor payment documentation, identifying missing or inconsistent invoicing information that facilitated $1 million MBTA credit.
- Administered SharePoint sites, user permissions, usage reporting, event reviews, account cleanup, site configuration, and environment audits.
- Managed cooperative education training program for Keville and MassDOT operations, overseeing 41 students and enhancing workforce development.
- Assigned to MassDOT statewide project controls and highway programs, including Contract 113546 Statewide Program and Project Controls Services, Contract 81286 Districts 4 and 6 Implementation of Scheduling and Cost Controls, and Contract 57510 for MassDOT Highway Division’s $3 billion Accelerated Bridge Program.
Field Contract Administrator
Keville Enterprises, Inc.
Boston, USA
01.2001 - 01.2008
- Managed contract administration for the $14.8 billion Central Artery/Tunnel Project.
- Supported contract administration for the $14.8 billion Central Artery/Tunnel Project, including review of change orders, claims documentation, contract correspondence, and compliance with drawings and specifications.
- Administered multiple contracts valued from $6 million to $527 million and helped ensure change orders were evaluated and paid in accordance with contract requirements.
- Established, estimated, negotiated, and documented cost and time adjustments for construction claims totaling $250,000.
- Delivered claims support for six contracts, contributing to Claims and Changes Task Force that reduced backlog by approximately 80%.
- Facilitated $19 million negotiation for Cut and Cover Tunnel Plug Superplug, evaluating over 200 contractor and subcontractor proposals for merit, compensable time, and cost.
Telecommunications Supervisor
Bechtel Corporation
Boston, USA
01.1998 - 01.2001
- Managed and coordinated engineering, procurement, installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of communications systems and equipment for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project.
- Maintained fiber optic systems, AM HAR radio, and tunnel emergency radio systems to ensure operational reliability.
- Controlled and forecasted telecommunications, construction, and ATO/IST budgets over $3.8 million, managing maintenance/service agreements exceeding $1.8 million annually to ensure financial accountability.
- Prepared scopes of services, staffing plans, budgets, and provided contract-negotiation support, enhancing telecommunications agency operations.
- Managed and coordinated engineering, procurement, installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of communications systems and equipment for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project.
Telecommunications Specialist
The Bechtel Corporation
Boston, USA
01.1997 - 01.1998
- Renegotiated an MOU with the Massachusetts State Police, reducing user fees for more than 400 radios and generating annual cost savings exceeding $62,000.
- Developed specifications and RFPs for PBX systems, implementing an IT-supported billing reconciliation tool that streamlined phone-bill reconciliation process by 95%.
- Coordinated telecommunications equipment allocation for project teams, ensuring timely access and functionality.
Senior Project Administrator
The Bechtel Corporation
Boston, USA
01.1989 - 01.1997
- Forecasted and managed department budgets of $5.2 million, ensuring alignment with financial goals and resource allocation.
- Managed administrative oversight of 45+ contracts, tracking status of open, closed, and upcoming contract activity to ensure compliance and timely execution.
- Trained construction administration personnel on project software and administrative procedures to enhance operational effectiveness.
Executive Administrator, Integrated Project Control Systems
Bechtel Corporation
Boston, USA
01.1987 - 01.1989
- Managed executive schedules and coordinated meetings for senior leadership.
- Organized travel arrangements and itineraries for international business trips.
- Prepared and distributed internal communications and corporate documents.
- Assisted Department Manager and coordinated efforts of 20+ technical personnel to streamline project workflows.
- Conducted research and prepared construction reports, ensuring timely delivery aligned with project schedules.
Office Manager, Train Annunciation and Intrusion Alarm Systems
Bechtel Civil
Boston, USA
01.1984 - 01.1987
- Conducted subway-station walkdowns for signaling, train annunciation, and intrusion alarm systems to ensure operational readiness.
- Collected and analyzed testing data, distributing actionable reports to project team members for informed decision-making.
- Coordinated collaboration between department manager and team members to enhance task efficiency.
Education
Certificate - Real Estate
Quincy Junior College
Quincy, MA01-1986
Skills
- Construction claims analysis
- Change order management
- Claim evaluation
- Contract compliance
- Contract analysis
- Contract negotiation
- Financial oversight
- Financial planning
- Financial analysis
- Budget planning
- Cost estimation
- Invoice management
- Records management
- Project controls
- Risk assessment
- Dispute resolution
- Stakeholder management
- Proposal evaluation
- Requests for information
- Procurement
- Contract modifications
- Compliance enforcement
- Microsoft Office proficiency
- SharePoint management
- Effective communication
- Oral and written communication
- Written communication
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Interpersonal skills
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Interpersonal skills
Professional Development
- Practical Construction Contract Schedule Management, Parts 1 and 2, Pinnacle One, Boston, MA, 01/01/03
- The Mediation Process, Eric Green, Boston, MA, 01/01/03
- Labor Productivity on Construction Claims, Boston, MA, 01/01/02
- Labor Relations Orientation, Boston, MA, 01/01/02
- Records Retention Training, Boston, MA, 01/01/04
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey Training, Boston, MA, 01/01/00
- Electronic Accountability Training, Boston, MA, 01/01/99
- International Writing Institute, Boston, MA, 01/01/93
- Facilities Safety Training, Boston, MA, 01/01/93
- Inter Contract Issues, Boston, MA, 01/01/93
- Certificate in Real Estate, Quincy Junior College, 01/01/86
Timeline
Program / Contract Administrator
Keville Enterprises, Inc.
06.2009 - 03.2026
Field Contract Administrator
Keville Enterprises, Inc.
01.2001 - 01.2008
Telecommunications Supervisor
Bechtel Corporation
01.1998 - 01.2001
Telecommunications Specialist
The Bechtel Corporation
01.1997 - 01.1998
Senior Project Administrator
The Bechtel Corporation
01.1989 - 01.1997
Executive Administrator, Integrated Project Control Systems
Bechtel Corporation
01.1987 - 01.1989
Office Manager, Train Annunciation and Intrusion Alarm Systems
Bechtel Civil
01.1984 - 01.1987
Certificate - Real Estate
Quincy Junior College