Women in Construction Week 2025
March 4, 2025
We are incredibly grateful for the hardworking women at Atkinson. Whether in the field or the office, these women make a lasting impact through their dedication, skill, and perseverance. Thank you for all you do to help Build What Matters, Together.
Annie Chen, Preconstruction Manager
What drew you to a career in the construction industry?
I chose to study construction management at university because I was inspired by the impressive buildings and architectural designs around me growing up. I was drawn to large-scale infrastructure projects, especially tunneling, because of their complexity and the value they add to a region's industrial capacity. The problem-solving aspect and the opportunity to develop cost-effective solutions motivated me to pursue a career in this industry and continue pushing forward.
What professional achievement are you the most proud of?
I am most proud of successfully working in heavy civil construction across three countries, each with different languages, regulations, and construction methods. For underground tunnels, every region has unique tunneling approaches based on geology and resources, making adaptation a challenge.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
My advice to women starting a career in construction, especially in heavy civil and tunneling, is to gain field experience, embrace challenges, find mentors, and build a network. It is necessary to build your expertise and always keep learning. Non-engineering skills like communications, finance, and understanding regulations are just as important as technical skills.
Courtney Dotson, Carpenter
What qualities do you need to be successful in the industry?
Be hard working, believe in yourself, problem-solve, and have the desire to complete tasks.
What is the biggest challenge of being a woman working in construction?
There are so many challenges that come with this trade, but the biggest one is being pre-judged based on appearance.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
Go for it! Never give up and prove all the people who doubt you wrong!
Dawn Abbott, Business Manager
What is your favorite project you have ever worked on and why?
The 70th Ave Project holds a special place for me! This was my first project at the field office, and the team was like family. We navigated the uncertain times of COVID together, celebrated the birth of our Project Engineer's baby, and finished the project strong.
What is the biggest challenge of being a woman working in construction?
Being a woman in any industry can be tough. You are either too little or too much, too sensitive or too aggressive. All that say, we are judged differently.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
Find your mentor, male, female, doesn't matter. Find the PERSON who represents who you want to be in your career. Listen, observe, and make room for growth.
Destaney Senftleben, Operator
What is your favorite project you have ever worked on and why?
The 210 freeway - It was a really neat project because of all of the various improvements made and new builds. New walls, roadways, bridge widening, decorative elements, overall a large project with significant improvements to the entire project.
What is the biggest challenge of being a woman working in construction?
Proving that you are just as capable as any of the boys without any special treatment. I am thankful our team has always been inclusive and supportive.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
Always be yourself, do your best work, and be proactive in educating yourself and others around you.
Elizabeth Iyall, Laborer
Describe your role at Atkinson.
I am the only woman laborer on our crew and have been with Atkinson since February 2019 I’m finishing my union apprenticeship and am almost a journeyman. I’ve been fortunate to have the same people on our labor team for about 4 years. I consider them my work family.
What is your favorite project you have ever worked on and why?
I have been on two jobs, and the 509 job I’m still on has been my favorite because it’s been a huge job that included two new bridges and also allowed me to see a cut-and-cover tunnel.
What is the biggest challenge of being a woman working in construction?
It was hard to ask for help in the beginning with bigger, heavier things…but the goal is no one gets hurt, and you know your limitations. That’s why we have a team, so knowing it’s ok to ask for help.
Erin Koecke, Laborer - Traffic Control Supervisor
What drew you to a career in the construction industry?
After serving 8 years in the military, I wanted to start a different career, and construction caught my eye, although my original choice was welding.
What is your favorite project you have ever worked on and why?
Chico Creek has been my favorite because the crews meshed well, which made work more fun!
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
Be prepared to have to work harder than everyone on the job site, but hard work does pay off.
Jesslyn Valle, Project Engineer
What drew you to a career in the construction industry?
My background is primarily in the underground mining industry. I made the switch over to construction in September of 2024, and I have loved every second of it. I made the switch because I really enjoy underground, but I wanted a new challenge, I wanted to see how much more I don't know and how much more I am able to learn.
What is your favorite project you have ever worked on and why?
The FDT-B Utility Tunnel Project is my first project in construction. I am excited to see this project in full swing. Underground is a different kind of beast and I am excited to see how it operates in the construction world.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
Be open-minded to new things, learn something new, meet a lot of new people, and don't be afraid to ask for help. It's an amazing industry, and I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to work in it.
Kelly Piazza, Project Engineer
What drew you to a career in the construction industry?
Growing up in the Chicago area, I’ve always been fascinated by bridges and buildings, which led me to pursue a Civil Engineering major. In college, I developed an interest in the construction side of the industry, particularly in figuring out how large projects come together. That summer, I landed an internship with a contractor, which gave me valuable insight into the industry—and I haven’t looked back since!
What qualities do you need to be successful in the industry?
To be successful in the industry, you always need to be willing to learn; there's so much knowledge that you can only gain from experience on the job site. Some good advice I received from a superintended was, "The day you stop learning is the day you fall behind."
What professional achievement are you the most proud of?
I am most proud of overseeing the girder set for one of the bridges on my current project. I was responsible for both planning and executing the set, which involved girders that were 205 feet long and weighed over 262,000 pounds. Due to the challenging location, full road closure, and the size of the girders, it was a complex operation. However, it was incredibly rewarding to see the girders successfully lifted into place.
Marie Beedle, Laborer Foreman
What professional achievement are you the most proud of?
As a female laborer, I’ve held a supervisory position for the majority of my career, which is not very common in the trades. Throughout my career, I’ve received several letters of recognition for multiple projects for my dedication and high performance. I’m very proud of these acknowledgments and the positive impact I had on those jobs.
What is the biggest challenge of being a woman working in construction?
Leading people. As a Forman, there are still many people who prefer not to take direction from a woman. There are still people who are skeptical about a woman’s capabilities to do the job.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
Check out all of the trades before selecting the one that suits your interests and skills. Stand up for yourself and never be afraid to ask questions.
Megan Dunn, Project Manager
What drew you to a career in the construction industry?
I spent several summers as an intern working on the design side of things and found my favorite part of my job was site visits. I had a professor who told me if I wanted to be a great designer, I had to know how to build things first and encouraged me to try construction. The following summer, I switched my internship to Construction Management, where I got to watch a construction project every day and loved it.
What professional achievement are you the most proud of?
Not until recently did I realize I was no longer “the young engineer” and actually was one of the “experienced” engineers. During a company event talking about mentors, a few engineers mentioned me as their mentor, and I was blown away! As I’ve grown in my career, I have held my mentors in high regard, and to hear that I am a mentor to others really made me feel proud of my work.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
The ability to see your work come to life every day is unique and very rewarding. Once you get into construction, you'll see the welcoming community of builders that we are, and find a role you can help fill.
Neale Snyder, Project Manager
What drew you to a career in the construction industry?
Construction is a family business for me—my stepdad and stepsister both work as scheduling consultants for some of the largest construction projects nationwide. I visited a local underground job with my stepdad during my junior year of high school, and this kickstarted my interest in heavy/civil construction.
What is your favorite project you have ever worked on and why?
My favorite project that I worked on was the I-15/Limonite Interchange. I was able to see the job from start-up to close-out, and this was the job that kickstarted my strong & lasting relationships with our craft labor. The craft are the most critical professionals in our industry. I took every opportunity to learn more from them by asking questions about the technical aspects of their work and how I, as a young engineer, could help make their day-to-day job more successful.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
Don't let fear of bias dictate your actions or behavior. It's OK and encouraged to be 100% yourself. Stereotypical "feminine" traits such as empathy, patience, listening skills, and organization are very welcomed and appreciated in a male-dominated industry that is historically harsher and faster-paced.
Raye Gould, Regional Business Manager
What drew you to a career in the construction industry?
My father was an ironworker, and growing up, I loved how he would point out all of the projects he worked on when we were running errands or on road trips. My father, rightly so, was very proud of the projects he worked on, and that sparked my interest in construction.
What is your favorite project you have ever worked on and why?
I have two favorite projects for two different reasons: SR 91 Corridor Improvement Project and San Ysidro Land Port of Entry (SYLPOE). SR 91 was the 2nd project I worked on with Atkinson. The project was enormous, and at its peak, we had 660 craft employees, including 100 foremen, working 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. SYLPOE was my first JV project with Clark. I truly appreciated the diverse project team, as various team members were from Mexico, France, Nigeria, Canada, Egypt, and Morocco. I would hear people speaking Spanish, Arabic, French, and Navajo throughout the day.
What advice or guidance would you give to a woman looking to start a career in the construction industry?
I would advise women looking to start their careers in construction to embrace their confidence and assertiveness. It is important to assert your expertise and value confidently. Do not be afraid to speak up.
