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 fnpodcast@tradepress.com.

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

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