HOST & EMCEES

HOST

Carol Warkoczewski, MSOLE, AIA

Founder & CVO, I-LinCP

EMCEE

Crystal Del Bosque

Business Development/Marketing |

Alamo Architects

EMCEE

Brandy Waters

President |

Sunland Group

MORNING KEYNOTE:  "Untamed - Rethinking the Unthinkable"

Taking inspiration from Glennon Doyle's, "Untamed," and how it allows readers to rethink what they have been taught in their personal lives, Katherine will discuss the softer side of our profession.

How do we work on developing Emotional Intelligence? How does one chart their career trajectory? What does mentoring look like at various stages of our careers? How do we give and accept criticism, using it to grow? Ultimately, how to do we make sure employees and teammates are fulfilled and happy at work?

The pandemic has been hard and it has taught us a lot about what we don't know about how to make ourselves and our employees happy at work. Join Katherine on a journey of discovery and learning, and you will leave feeling empowered, knowing where you can have more empathy, and knowing when you can give yourself a break. 

ABOUT KATHERINE:

Katherine brings a fresh and up-to-date perspective on the “light and health” debate, and is skilled at crafting lighting design that weaves architectural design goals with moments of light that accent the project environments. Her role is to ensure that the client receives a lighting design that suits their programmatic requirements and budget while staying true to aesthetic considerations. She is inspired by stories that set the tone for building design, and strives to capture what is unique about the architecture and client when developing the lighting design.

She is inspired by stories that set the tone for building design and strives to capture what is unique about the architecture and client when developing the lighting design.

ABOUT ROBYN:

With an unconventional background and inexhaustible passion for excellence, Robyn helps lead the Boston team in all phases of business. A graduate of the bachelor’s and master’s programs at Tufts University, Robyn brings a love of mathematics and analytics combined with a commitment to creative solutions, innovation, and sustainability in the ever-changing world of design. Robyn previously taught lighting design at the Boston Architectural College and is a current guest lecturer at the Lighting Research Center at RPI. She regularly educates the design community through AIA presentations on sustainable trends in lighting design and the WELL Building Standard, while simultaneously heading up new educational presentations for the firm.

MORNING PANEL: "It's Not What You Preach, It's What You Tolerate"

The quote “It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate” is repeated often in the book Extreme Ownership by former Navy Seals turned leadership experts Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. What leaders tolerate, especially during busy times or from high performers speaks volumes over lofty vision statements.

Let’s dive into the trenches with real people as we explore how to move beyond cat poster sentiments and into the real work of leadership. Our panel will talk candidly about how they live into their values and create high quality teams – especially when it’s not the popular thing to do. Our panel includes women of all level of experience because it’s never too early (or too late) to be the leader you are meant to be!

Moderator: Janki DePalma

Sr. Associate | Kirksey

Janki DePalma is the Director of Business Development for Kirksey Architecture, with over 20 years of experience in the architecture, engineering and construction industry.  She’s a connector at heart who believes there always is room to widen the circle and give people a sense of belonging.   Janki is a frequent speaker on topics such as networking, emotional intelligence and women in construction.  She is the president for the Society for Marketing Professional Services, a board member of ACE Mentors and AIA Austin and active with ULI.  A San Francisco native, Janki can be found rooting for the Warriors, 49ers and Giants. 

Gina Chapa joined Texas Biomed in April of 2022. Prior to joining the team Gina spent over 25 years working in the Construction Industry as a Project Manager, Sr. PM, and Project Executive. The majority of the time was spent working on Mission Critical Projects throughout Texas. As a Sr. PM, Gina also spent some time in a risk management role for a large national contractor, she covered projects in a large U.S. region spanning all states east of the Rockies but not mid-Atlantic. Gina has a daughter and son as well as several fur babies. On her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors.

What attracted Gina most about her current role with Texas Biomed was the ability to be a part of innovation at a time when the institute is undergoing a transformation and overall improvement to better serve the global community being a leader in infectious disease research.

Kathleen Jircik

Kathleen Jircik, Executive Vice President and Senior Project Manager at Kirksey is passionate about renovation, project management and keeping Kirksey a great place to work. With 30 years of experience as a licensed architect, Kathleen has handled a diverse range of project types and managed all project assignments from design through completion. She joined Kirksey in 1998 and has since worked as a Project Manager for over $800 million of renovation and new construction projects. Kathleen enjoys the complexity of bringing old buildings new life, and integrating program constraints to influence form, budget and schedule of revitalized structures. She specializes in the management of complex projects.

Abigail Soto

As Pre-Construction Manager at Butler-Cohen Design+Build based in Houston, Abigail Soto oversees a diverse array of activities and people with the goal of exceeding her clients’ expectations and setting her projects up for success once they hit the ground, from due diligence investigations and conceptual budgeting to managing design and estimating teams to navigating the permitting and procurement process. She specializes in alternative delivery methods for Butler-Cohen’s key verticals, including education, justice, and commercial construction.

She prides herself on her attention to detail, collaborative process, and creative problem-solving abilities. She has served in several roles during her career, including administrative support, project management, estimating, and pre-construction. Aby is passionate about promoting and increasing opportunities for women across the construction industry. She has been an active member of the National Association of Women in Construction for four years, including two terms on the board.

MORNING WORKSHOP:  "From Burned Out to Fired Up!"

Angela Cotie

I was sick. I had no idea why. Life events and a stressful job put me in a whirlwind that was out of my control. As a busy working mom who also chaired a charity, helped with my kids’ events, and never said no; I was certain I had everything under control. It could not be possible that I made myself sick, but it was.

"From Burned Out to Fired Up" is how I rebounded, found strength, made changes and now I am the VP of a top GC in Texas. We will cover it all, from identifying the signs of burnout, both emotional and physical, finding your path back, and ways of helping ourselves, other leaders, our peers, and employees understand and support what many do not see until it’s too late.

Let’s talk about our health frankly and honestly to help each other move forward and not lean out of the industry.

ABOUT ANGELA:

As the VP of Operations for Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, Angela is responsible for East Texas. For over 24 years she has built high-profile projects that have received multiple awards. Angela was an ENR Texas/Louisiana Top 20 under 40 and is a 2022 STEAM Role Model for Houston Women’s Chamber. She started the AGC Houston’s Women in Construction initiative, is ACE Mentor Houston’s Past Chairman and she serves on a committee for the American Institute of Steel Construction. An active board member for the Houston Area Parkinson's Society, she is also a member of 5 CTE advisory panels.

LUNCH KEYNOTE:  "Closing the Gap"

Allie Perez

Retention of workforce is a key component in the Design and Construction Industry - Do you know how to get them? Do you know how to keep them? 

Join Allie as she applies her years of experience in skilled trades to help us better understand how to attract and retain women and young people - where to find them, how to communicate with them, and how to close the gap in your workforce.

ABOUT ALLIE:

Allie Perez is a graduate of New York University and became a marketing executive shortly after. Through marketing she discovered the skills trade industry. She's run plumbing and HVAC companies for the past ten years. She also founded Texas Women in Trades to bring more women, minorities and young people to the skilled trades and manufacturing industries. Currently, Allie lives in San Antonio with her fiancée, daughter, dog and bunny.

CONCURRENT BREAKOUTS:

Amy Lewis

Assistant Professor | Oklahoma State University

“From Gender Bias to Gender Equality”

The construction industry in projected to grow over the coming years and the demand for qualified workers will increase. Historically, the industry has failed to recruit and retain women, who account for less than 10% of the construction workforce. Federal policies and industry strategies for fostering the inclusion of women have been ineffective and have perpetuated the culture of sexism and discrimination and fueled negative stereotypes of women as qualified workers. Understanding women's experiences of these gender biases in the construction workplace are essential to improve their representation in the industry. This study aimed to determine the extent to which five types of implicit gender bias (prove-it-again, tightrope, maternal wall, tug-of-war, and isolation) occur within the construction workplace by comparing reports of perceived experiences from both men and women currently working in the industry. Participants responded to a quantitative survey measuring agreement with statements related to the five types of implicit gender bias and workplace processes. Results indicated that a greater proportion of women than men agreed with these statements, demonstrating that each of the five types of bias were present in the construction industry and that prove-it-again bias was found to be the most common type of implicit gender bias experienced by women. Women reported stronger agreement with statements measuring bias than men and multivariate linear regression showed that gender was a significant predictor of bias after controlling for confounders including race, disability status, family care responsibilities, role, and typical jobsite.

“The Art of Unlearning”

Daryl Estill

Project Manager | TDIndustries

“The Art of Unlearning”

Historically women have been confined to societal "boxes" of how we need to show up professionally. This creates roadblocks for growth, reaching our financial potential, and taking up space our experience and expertise demands.

Evidence shows that there are still gaps in promotion, pay, and leadership rates between men and women. I’d like to share the statistics and present practical/meaningful tools we can implement to unlearn previous expectations, biases, perceptions, etc. and start to break free of the so-called boxes to pave the way for a RELEARNING.

I want us to climb down from the old “corporate ladders” we have previously been presented with - littered with obstacles, hardships, stress, and tearing others and ourselves down – so that we can build new ones, made from stronger stuff and that lead to more equitable, accessible, and freeing places. I also want to replace the old metaphor of opportunity being a pie, of which everyone is made to feel like taking a slice or having someone else taking a slice is detrimental – aka there is less pie. We are producers, creators, tradeswomen, etc. we will build more damn “bakeries” where everyone not only has a seat at the table but a ladder of their own agency in how they show up, with no more old"boxes."

About Daryl

Daryl started in the construction industry at just 19 years old. She quickly advanced from administration to more project-facing roles like Project coordinator and APM. In 2011 she was recruited into a specialized process mechanical team at TDIndustries, operating full-time at Samsung. Over the next 7 years she was promoted into Project Management, leading various projects across Texas as well as being integral to yearly strategic planning and team growth. In 2019 she moved into commercial HVAC and plumbing, leading work in Special Projects and owner-direct Service Projects. 2 years later she went into the Multifamily Division, running $5-$8 million of work per year with a team of two APMs.

Daryl is a cross-functional team influencer and a collaborative, interpersonal servant-leader who prioritizes supporting and mentoring others. With over 600 hours of leadership and technical training, paired with her diverse experience, she excels at combining people-focused goals with Project + Business + Client objectives.

Mark Joseph

Director of Inclusion | TDIndustries

Kristen Davis

Director, Talent Aquisitions | Ardith Rademacher & Associates

AFTERNOON WORKSHOP:

Amy House, M.Ed

Owner/CEO | Growin’ Out Loud Darlin’

“Time to Get Loud -

Using Influencer Marketing Tactics as Leverage in Your Career or Business”

Influencer marketing and personal branding aren't new...they are just new "tools" women can utilize to build business. It isn't about the shoes...it is about the expertise we all have and need to share.

ABOUT AMY:

Amy House, M.Ed. is a business success coach & business consultant. She is regularly featured in publications such as: Women On Business, All Business, StartUPNation and many others. She is the founder and CEO of Growin' Out Loud Darlin'. With over 20+ years of marketing and business development in Corporate America and a successful track record as an entrepreneur...she knows a little "something-something" about what it takes to Grow Out Loud!

CLOSING KEYNOTE:

LisaBeth Thomas

Schmoozer | Bandy Constructors

"Outwitting Fear"

Fear motivates us. Fear drives us. But in many ways, fear can be a great inhibitor. If we allow it to dominate us, it can keep us from achieving our goals or the higher purpose we want to achieve.

LB has worked with audiences around the world to find freedom from fear and to live their best life now.

ABOUT LISABETH:

For over 30 years, LisaBeth "LB" Thomas, has created successful advertising and public relation campaigns. She is an award-winning producer, Founding President of Texas Women in Business and is regarded as one of the most respected women in her field.

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Opening Keynote

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