At the Groundbreaking Women in Construction conference held earlier this month in San Diego, women were urged to transfer the determination and confidence to solve their own labor crises to take the risks necessary to deal with the growing economic, project and workforce complexities across the industry.
“How we conduct ourselves ultimately determines how we will change this industry, through self-limiting beliefs … fear of criticism or judgment from others, moments of permission that no one gives us, and … despite the voice in our own head,” said Emily Cohen, CEO of United Contractors, one of California’s largest and most influential contractor groups, sharing her attendance at the event.
“I had to be willing to overcome the fear of failure by my side the whole journey,” said the head of the trade group with more than 800 union contractors and associate members representing 40,000 employees who was elevated to CEO last year. “The key is knowing how to hide it, when to overcome it, and when to use that fear as fuel to take the big risks. That fear management lesson has been as much a part of my leadership journey as anything else.”
Industry veteran C-suite members said the industry’s leadership needs are driving change. “Leadership in the industry has really transcended the stereotypes and all the bravado,” said Bob Clark, executive chairman of contractor Clayco. “Leaving into technology is really, really critical and it’s going to level the playing field, absolutely.” Developing and maintaining the right culture is key.
“Really strong culture allows people to not only be who they are, but also who they want to be, and for me that’s been very empowering,” said Krista Twesme, senior vice president at Mortenson. “It’s taken some time for construction to really discover that culture isn’t programmatic, it’s lived.”
Three C-suite heads—Dina Kimble, president and CEO of Royal Electric Co., Mary Teichert, CEO of Teichert Inc. and Staci Woolsey, CFO of Granite Construction, recalled that overcoming setbacks in their leadership journeys has led them to smooth and widen paths for the next generation of women. Teichert said he urged company executives to focus on people, not just numbers.
“What I learned is how to use my agency, starting small in areas or departments that I could influence, he said. “If you lead people and take care of people, the numbers will come.”
Anya Freeman, who lived in Miami, knew the impacts of rising seas and climate change well, so her motivation for a solution was clear in a career change from government prosecutor to founder and CEO of Kind Designs, a tech startup that is installing its own 3D-printed “living walls” in many coastal locations across the US, with growing customer and investor acceptance.
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Noting the cost savings of installing a live dike compared to a traditional one, he said the company finished its first year in 2025 with revenue of $1 million and a pipeline of work of nearly $150 million.
Freeman said her push for seed funding benefited from access to “a lot of VCs and competitions that invest specifically in women founders of tech companies. “I’ve really been able to leverage a lot of that to bring in bigger investors.” She said. Freeman moved her first project into construction by convincing the contractor to invest in the company. “No one wanted to be the guinea pig, now, Freeman said.” She noted: “We’re working on something so great and so transformative, and I’m able to transfer that excitement to my team and attract the best of the best.”
Expansion of leadership niches
Aiming to breed the next generation of women tech and business innovators, construction law firm Peckar and Abramson, for which ENR produces GWIC, announced the annual Melinda S. Gentile Future Groundbreaker Scholarship, recognizing her retired partner who launched the conference nearly a quarter century ago and has been a key orchestrator of its content and execution ever since.
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We know we won’t change the industry by ourselves.
It’s a team effort.
— Amy Henningfield, DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, Superior Construction
Financial awards will be given to a student, high school teacher and mentor who help inspire future industry professionals selected by the ACE Mentor of America program to support education and attend the GWIC conference. The program pairs high school students with design and construction industry experts to encourage career exploration.
Academic and business leaders also focused on how students and emerging professionals are using artificial intelligence.
“I encourage our students to really use AI not just as a tool, but as a collaborator. It’s really important that students and the future workforce understand that they need to be able to think critically about AI,” said Doris Espiritu, dean of engineering for the entire City Colleges of Chicago district. “Otherwise, you’re going to have bridges collapsing if we just believe in AI.”
Lucy M. Labruzzo, CEO of San Diego-based Engineering Partners Inc., added, “We can solve technical problems in a day, but managing stakeholders, communicating and collaborating takes months, and that’s really where we’re focusing our team. We use AI, but that doesn’t mean we lose positions, it’s about creating opportunities for more growth.”
Using artificial intelligence for technical tasks like data management “allows our people to get into the field, learn to build and connect,” said Emily Kay, managing director of Balfour Beatty’s California operations.
The panelists also focused on the industry’s new approaches to diversity, such as keeping career opportunities open for those with neurodiversity challenges such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Meredith Adragna, director of talent acquisition at The Haskell Co., said her company evaluates applicants’ job descriptions, leadership leads and how they talk about neurodivergence.
“You get support at every level, you master every level and then you move on. You feel your wins and the team sees it,” he said. Added Shana Francesca, founder of Concennate, which partners with organizations to promote neurodiversity inclusion. “There’s a lot of power in that, and [the AEC industry can] do the uncomfortable work it will require.”
Expansion of leadership niches
Speakers also praised efforts to expand women’s leadership in key niches. Through the Women Building Airports initiative at Los Angeles International Airport, “It’s important to get important information out there about women of influence in your organization … whenever there’s an opportunity,” said Amy Imamura, director of capital program outreach and engagement at LAX’s owning agency Los Angeles World Airports.
The initiative sponsors events where women can share successes and meet peers in the industry, with some hosting more than 300 attendees, she said. The group also sponsors a formal mentoring program that pairs newer employees with more experienced professionals.
Amy Henningfield and Lizabeth Howard, rising executives at Superior Construction, are developing women craftsmen and others into future company leaders, emphasizing intentional skill development, cross-functional understanding, and strong peer support systems. Now in its third year, the program has 70% participants from the field and focuses on bridging the gaps between roles.
“If someone needs to understand who to call, why to call, or be an advocate, then you have a group around you,” Henningfield said. With the current labor shortage and women a key source. Support is crucial to the future of the industry “We know we’re not going to change the industry by ourselves,” said Howard. “It’s a team effort.”
Valeria Wright, project manager for contractor JA Watts and immediate past president of the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction, stressed to attendees the importance of “owning” your wins and seeking the recognition you deserve.
“Your work cannot speak for itself,” he told the audience. “You have to give it a voice. Advocate for your successes… and make sure your contributions shine in any environment.”
