Women of Washington

In honor of women in construction week, Washington highlights its team of hardworking women. Recognizing their achievements and rigorous skills, Swinerton’s Washington division further promotes a culture of excellence and equality. Embracing our company values and beliefs, we strive to create a better workplace for everyone, sustaining and fostering an open workplace for all. Together, we are Swinerton.

Q: How did you find yourself in the construction industry?

My dad was a heavy equipment operator and I never realized there was a layer of management between the workers and the owner of the construction company. I worked as a laborer in my teens and still didn’t realize that I had a career opportunity staring me in the face. When I was 30 years old, I befriended an electrical subcontractor and he told me they were looking for project managers. I asked him how to become one of those, he said go to school. In addition to the Business Management degree, I had pursued right out of high school, I went back to school when I was 30 and got my Construction Management degree.

Gayle Roberts, Senior Project Manager

My husband told me for years to get into the construction field, that I would love the industry, That I would gain new skill sets on every project to add to my toolbox of knowledge and now I wish I would of started sooner because I have learned so much and I love the opportunities that are given.

Erin Seals, Foreman

While working on my bachelor’s in marketing I never considered the construction industry as a career choice. Not that it isn’t viable, just simply that I didn’t know about the career paths available. It wasn’t until I had my favorite coffee customer ever tell me that her company had a marketing position open that I saw the potential for marketing in the industry.

Emma Anderson, Assistant Marketing Manager

When I was 7 my parents opened a commercial masonry restoration business. As a girl, I thought it was so much fun playing “real” office at my parents’ business. Then when in high school my parents decided to go their separate ways. My Dad asked me to step up into my mother’s role. I guess you can say I was raised in construction. I love it and never looked back.

Kelly Chalmers, Senior Project Manager

My family has always worked in construction, so I grew up around it. My Aunt pulled me into the industry because there was a job opening as a receptionist with SME (electrical contractor).

Kamaile Sedeno, Senior Project Coordinator

I got my foot in the door taking on an administrative role and learning all I could from the sidelines of projects. This allowed me to have amazing opportunities to advance my career and learn more about what the industry has to offer.

Brittney Membrey, Project Assistant

My childhood dream was to become an architect. I completed my BA in Architecture just in time for the 2008 recession. My recession career was in Retail Management, and I found I enjoyed scheduling and tracking KPIs. I moved to Seattle when the building industry recovered and became a Project Designer working on Higher Education projects. When I completed my hours to test for my license, I decided I did not want to commit to a career in design and made the move to construction as a Project Coordinator. I earned my MBA in IT Management during COVID and then found an opportunity as an Assistant Scheduler. Project Controls is a great fit for me because I still get to review construction documents and get into the minutia of projects while keeping current with my software skills. I also enjoy supporting Superintendents and learning from their field experience.

Tara Augustad, Assistant Scheduler

My father has been in the construction industry for many years. He has always been an advocate for the trades/construction. With some encouragement I gave it a shot 14 years ago.

Jessica Williams, Project Engineer

I was bored working in finance. My ex-husband owns a commercial roofing company and he asked me to start working there. I started out in contract administration with an emphasis on Small Works Projects, accounting, and safety. I got exposed to it all there: being a business Owner we were tied to bonding, taxes, insurances, and banking. I was a part of all the strategic planning: benefits, labor, hiring, material selections, etc. I got to dabble in proposal work, learn from the field guys and be a quasi-boss. It started the passion fire for me to change my career and it’s still the best career decision I have made.

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

I started working at a Residential Cabinet/Millwork shop 15 years ago and fell in love with the creativity that happens in the shop from the beginning of production, starting from scratch to the end product after installation.

Amy Sanowski, Project Cost Administrator

As I’m sure is the case with a lot of people, I kind of just fell into it. I was on a completely different career path when I started a summer job working for a utility company in the safety department, just doing administrative work. The safety guys that worked there would sometimes invite me to go on jobsite audits with them, so I’d get to escape the office for a few hours. The field work seemed a lot more exciting than the office, and I found it interesting learning all the parts and pieces of constructing something, both for line-work and natural gas distribution. I ended up doing some soul-searching and realized that maybe a business degree where I would be stuck in an office every day wasn’t the best fit for me. So, I switched my degree to Safety and Health Management, where I could work collaboratively with people in the field and be outdoors more in an environment where no two days are ever the same. I got my internship with Swinerton, quickly found that construction is where my heart belonged, and haven’t looked back!

Sierra Tribby, Safety Manager

The problem solving, fast paced environment, teamwork and tangible results all attracted me to the construction industry.

Lauren Everson, Assistant Project Manager

I grew up in a construction family. When I was little, my grandpa would take us to the rock quarries in the summer so we could see what our family did. I kept trying to go in a different direction but always found myself back in construction.

Alix Town, Senior Corporate Counsel

Q: What is one piece of advice you would give a woman entering the industry?

I would say keep an open mind, listen to others that have been in the trade, they will help you succeed with plenty of support. Never be afraid to share your ideas, keeping your conference in your abilities because your team will respect you for working hard and helping others.

Being a woman in construction is a great career to be proud of. We are leading the way to a better future!

Erin Seals, Foreman

Don’t try to be something you’re not. Be genuine and work hard, but your unique outlook as a woman will be valued in the right environment. If you don’t find that place right away, keep trying because the right company or project type will come around. If you are passionate about construction, don’t be afraid to also be feminine or quirky or loud. Don’t tamp down your personality to try to fit in with the traditional construction mold.

Gayle Roberts, Senior Project Manager

Don’t change who you are. We don’t need women in the industry to alter themselves to talk-like, walk-like, and think-like a man. We need women to bring their individuality to further advance the industry and further break down the barrier to entry for women joining the industry.

Emma Anderson, Assistant Marketing Manager

Develop confidence in yourself and trust your ability to get the job done. Break free from any stereotypes people may have about a woman in the industry and know that you deserve to be here and can perform just as well as everyone else.

Brittney Membrey, Project Assistant

Never question whether you are capable! You are capable, you can do this, you will and everybody in this industry started at the beginning and had to learn.

Kelly Chalmers, Senior Project Manager

My advice to women entering the field is to continue learning, don’t be afraid to ask questions, always challenge yourself and be confident about what you bring to the table but humble enough to learn from everyone around you.

Lauren Everson, Assistant Project Manager

Never be afraid to ask questions to anyone in your project team: Owners, Architects, Engineers, Architects. As I work closely with field staff, I have learned a great deal by listening, observing, and asking questions.

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

Never stop learning and be open to learning. There’s so much knowledge to be gained from the various pool of people who’s been in the industry. I like to rely on the shoulders of giants to show me what’s worked for them and what hasn’t. You must humble yourself and listen to the wisdom of their advice and learn from their experience.

Judith Helt, Project Engineer

Be confident in being yourself. People will trust you more if you trust yourself.

Alix Town, Senior Corporate Counsel

You are no different than any male in the industry. Being female does not make you less capable of working in the construction industry. Conduct yourself with confidence, ask questions, do your job to the best of your abilities and be humble and you will gain respect. And honestly, the perceived stigma that women don’t belong in this industry really doesn’t have much of a hold anymore that I’ve noticed, so you’re entering at a great time!

Sierra Tribby, Safety Manager

Learn everything you can, no matter if it’s in your “job description” or not. It’s so much fun knowing wood species, when you’re looking at quality products and the true meaning of “well built”, being able to read blueprints. I started in the industry as an Office Manager. Some of these things were definitely not in my job description.

Amy Sanowski, Project Cost Administrator

Q: What is the biggest lesson your construction career has taught you so far?

You ALWAYS have to do the right thing, even when it’s hard.

Kelly Chalmers, Senior Project Manager

Problem Solving. Bad news doesn’t get any easier; you just have to rip off the band-aid so you can collaborate to come up with a solution. Communicating to the Owners, Architects Engineers can be tricky so learning how to propose solutions is key to problem solving.

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

Q: How do you believe a construction firm could cater/appeal better to the female audience?

The world of work is different than it was 20 years ago, or even 2 years ago. Construction firms must catch up and start to offer true work/life balance options. There is no reason that two people couldn’t do a job share and both work 25 hours a week. There need to be options for taking sabbaticals or working ¾ time instead of the 50-60 hour a week grind. There’s a worker shortage right now, but the more flexibility that is built into our work will be very appealing to all candidates, but especially women. Women tend to be the caregivers and household managers. Trying to juggle a very demanding career, small children, elderly parents, chronic health conditions, or anything else could take someone out of the work force when they could be contributing in a reduced capacity.

Gayle Roberts, Senior Project Manager

I feel like we should advertise the different aspects of the construction industry. Putting on a tool belt may interest some women, but we also should shine light on the administrative side of construction as well.

Kamaile Sedeno, Senior Project Coordinator

Change the ratio and hire more females in all roles, level the jobsite. Entertain more females in leadership and executive positions. Women bring a passion and perspective to the discussion that a man doesn’t, and it is a viewpoint that should always be part of the discussion.

Kelly Chalmers, Senior Project Manager

Give women the opportunity to be a part of the discussions at every level. This is all encompassing: project specific, personnel, department strategies, division collaboration, etc. When you ask a woman “what do you think about this approach?” it shows that our feedback matters, and this consideration is empowering.

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

Q: What was your view of the industry before entering vs. now?

Before: Construction was only for men.

Now: While I work in a city that is still perceived by men and women as “the good old boys club,” I have only faced a couple of issues where men have treated me not as an equal. With Swinerton, I have never been more empowered to make a difference. While women only make up 10% of the workforce nationally, I believe this percentage will only increase over time.

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

When I entered the industry 10 years ago there was three women in the office and two ladies that were electricians. Now you see way more women out in the field and in the office. It’s truly spectacular to see.

Kamaile Sedeno, Senior Project Coordinator

Before: I never ever considered that I would work in the construction industry. My education and work experience are in a totally different area. I pivoted to Construction after raising children.

After: I love that it uses the whole brain! Every day, we creatively solve problems, work through unexpected situations and challenges. We also focus on very specific exacting details that need to be correct. We work in teams, on project-based work which increases the exposure to different types of work and people. In can be incredibly fun and rewarding, especially if you land a cool project with a good team.

Rachel Adamian, Project Engineer

When I first started in the industry, it was and still is a very male dominated field. One of the main reasons I wanted to learn and have the knowledge was because I felt that it gave me the respect of my male co-workers. The men were confident in the fact that I knew what I was talking about, knew what I was looking at and could give an educated response when asked a question. 15 years later, I think men are not as quick to judge that just because you’re a girl, you don’t know to use power tools.

Amy Sanowski, Project Cost Administrator

Q: How can we stand tall in the face of old-school industry stereotypes/stigma?

Change takes time. What women can do is support each other, advocate for each other, mentor and hire each other. People in leadership create the culture and attitudes of a company, if you are in one of those roles, use your position to ensure progress continues towards inclusion and advocacy for all groups, not just women.

Rachel Adamian, Project Engineer

The women before us had the rewards of being “the firsts” and getting the accolades as the “first” leaders. But the work isn’t done. There are still the everyday stereotypes and stigmas that haven’t changed. Women and men still need to support women in the industry. For example, when a woman is talked over in a meeting, come back to her and say, “I’d like to know what you were thinking.” The more we demonstrate that each one of us has value, the more we will create the equal workplace that helps all of us succeed.

Alix Town, Senior Corporate Counsel

By using our voice. If we don’t say something, nothing can be changed… or considered as an issue. Also, by supporting each other. We need to band together versus putting each other down (we are so critical/opinionated).

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

Confidence. Be confident in your knowledge and abilities. Know what you’re talking about. Know what you’re doing. This is the same as in any industry, but because of the old school mentality that is still existent in this particular industry, stand up and show what you’re capable of.

Amy Sanowski, Project Cost Administrator

Q: What are the advantages of being a woman in this industry?

We often approach problems from a different perspective. We can contribute something entirely different that our male counterparts would not have necessarily seen.

Alix Town, Senior Corporate Counsel

The industry gives me a feeling of achievement. What we do changes a community, our skyline and is a part of bring more services and businesses to the place we call home.

Kelly Chalmers, Senior Project Manager

Our presence in the industry is increasing. I am seeing more and more women in the trades: Architects, Engineers, Owners Reps, GC and Subcontractor workforce. We are learning to band together and support each other and that is super cool.

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

On site, I often know about things going on in the worker’s lives that they won’t share with the “dudes”. Maybe it looks like that carpenter is not focused, but I know that his wife is sick or expecting a baby any day. Having that more nurturing presence can break through barriers that exist.

The older I get the more I can employ the “mom” look and get what I need without getting upset or yelling.

Gayle Roberts, Senior Project Manager

Q: Who is your inspiration and how does that impact your current role?

All the women I’ve had the pleasure of working with and have met in the construction industry are inspiration to me. I see them lead, teach, work in the field carrying heavy loads, hanging off the side of buildings! These women are changing the face of construction and seeing them work side by side with men not only defies the traditional roles of men and women in this industry, but these women inspire me to excel beyond my role.

Judith Helt, Project Engineer

My Aunt is my biggest inspiration in life and especially my career. From a young age she’s showed me what a strong work ethic looks like. She’s worked in construction for 28 years and has always held her own in a male dominated industry. If it wasn’t for her pushing me to take the interview with Swinerton I probably wouldn’t be here. She told me to spread my wings and take a leap of faith. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Kamaile Sedeno, Senior Project Coordinator

Senator Maurine Neuberger. She was Oregon’s first female senator. She performed a “show and tell” for the Oregon house to show how long and difficult it was to transform margarine from white to yellow using a color additive to convince the state to repeal the ban on pre-colored margarine. She also fought against women being forced to pay for marketing packaging for perfume. She focused on the simple things that made every day easier. In my job, things can get complicated fast, but if you focus on the simple, easy steps, usually any problem can be solved.

Alix Town, Senior Corporate Counsel

Susan Jones, FAIA – Atelier Jones. She built the first CLT home in Seattle and lead the effort for building code changes. She’s a vanguard in mass timber and has published her research. Here at Swinerton, I will be working on her Heartwood project breaking ground in my own neighborhood! Working on mass timber projects is my career goal; it’s exciting to be working with this innovative construction type in my current role.

Tara Augustad, Assistant Scheduler

Q: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing women in the industry?

Most women aren’t great at being their own advocate. It is important to find a person or persons in our organizations that can be our mentors and our cheerleader to those higher up in our organizations so they know what we are capable of and what we can bring to the organization.

Kelly Chalmers, Senior Project Manager

Spending every day being different. In many meetings, you will be the only woman in the room and that difference is marked.

Alix Town, Senior Corporate Counsel

I think the biggest challenge that I will see being a woman in the industry is when I choose to have children and must balance being a mother and having a successful career. With the lack of female representation in construction, I don’t think the need for flexibility or accommodations have been discussed much in the industry. Working moms can be your best employees, they have something pushing them to be their best every single day and to provide for their children. I will be interested to see how my company supports those roles.

Brittney Membrey, Project Assistant

The traditional pathway into Construction PM work is via the PE role and in the field it’s through assistant Forman. These roles both have an expectation of long hours on a jobsite, with little flexibility for working from home or timing of work.

If a woman has small children, or other family care needs, the traditional demands of these entrance roles prevent access to many talented women who could be an asset to a company in the long term.

Rachel Adamian, Project Engineer

Q: What trait would you say is most needed to succeed in the industry?

Confidence. Be confident with everything you do. Even if it means being confident when you feel like you are asking the most no-brainer question that you should already know the answer to. Be confident in your strengths and be confident when being transparent about your weaknesses. No one will ever master everything, specially right out of school. So, don’t let that make you question your worth, your place, or your passion for the industry.

Emma Anderson, Assistant Marketing Manager

You need to be hardworking and communicative. If you are lazy, or struggle with effective communication, you will not last in this industry.

Sierra Tribby, Safety Manager

I think that your ability to work well with others is one of the most needed traits to succeed in the industry. It’s supportive and I don’t think this type of soft skill is easily acquired or learned than technical skills but by having this trait allows people working together find best solution.

Judith Helt, Project Engineer

Q: What makes you proud of your work?

I work primarily in healthcare, and I get to see the fruits of my labor. There is an incredible amount of pride when I see patients receiving needed and necessary procedures and care and can heal and recover in the spaces we build.

Kelly Chalmers, Senior Project Manager

Q: What are the perks of working in construction?

Working in construction opens the doors to such a variety of opportunities to learn from. You learn about what goes into an entire project from the foundation to the finishing touches. If you’ve been involved in the in-wall bracket installation before drywall goes up but that’s gotten boring and mundane, and you need some more excitement, go talk to the carpenters and learn how to install cabinets. Better yet, go talk to the engineer that’s figuring out it’s all going to go together.

Amy Sanowski, Project Cost Administrator

So many perks with commercial construction! No two days are ever the same, which is what appealed to me most. You could be working in an operating room in an occupied hospital, or building a mid-rise in downtown Seattle, or supporting a hotel build overlooking Sequim Bay. You get to work with so many different trades, learning a little bit about each scope of work that contributes to the finished product we turn over to the client. It’s a constant learning environment, making each day different from the last. Plus, you get to have access to spaces the public can’t, so sometimes you can see some pretty cool stuff.

Sierra Tribby, Safety Manager

The perk of construction is that you get to see so many things, continually learn, and watch the progress of your projects.

Jessica Williams, Project Engineer

We get to build cool things that last. I can walk through Portland and point to things that my grandfather built, that my mother and uncles built, and that I built.

Alix Town, Senior Corporate Counsel

There are plenty of opportunities for advancement in the industry. This career offers stability and financial growth. If you stick with it, you can go anywhere you want if you work hard.

Brittney Membrey, Project Assistant

The perks for working in construction are it provides endless opportunities, room for career growth, build something tangible, and it is work that you can be proud of.

Lauren Everson, Assistant Project Manager

Q: As a woman in construction, what is your ultimate career goal?

My ultimate career goal is to work in industry innovation. I believe this path is in project controls, business intelligence and preconstruction management. Who knows? I like to believe my dream job doesn’t exist yet.

Tara Augustad, Assistant Scheduler

Q: What do you like about the construction culture most?

The comradery of a jobsite. You become so familiar with the people that you work with. They truly become your family. Everyone on a jobsite has a common goal and your personal contribution helps bring an entire project together, whether it’s a bar in a casino or the construction of the entire casino itself.

Amy Sanowski, Project Cost Administrator

I like that people are willing to work hard and not give up when things are difficult. In the end, we have to work together to succeed so it makes for a collaborative, team-based culture which – when its healthy – is awesome.

Rachel Adamian, Project Engineer

Q: Biggest pro and con to being a woman in the industry?

Con: Still perceived as “inferior” workforce. However, even though this is the biggest con, it is the continual motivation to overcome this perception.

Pro: Being able to effect change in our local communities with our building practices and the finished product: new and better spaces to live, work and play!

Kathryn Piraino, Assistant Project Manager

Biggest pro – Being in safety, I often must be assertive in the field to address safety issues. I feel as though the “burly construction guys” take a safety correction from a female a little better, and usually have the respect to not yell or get upset, while they may be a little more hard-headed or defensive if another male were to approach them with a correction.

Biggest con – While the stigma is almost gone, it is still there sometimes. So occasionally you do get stereotypical or inappropriate comments made towards you, or some workers just won’t give you the respect you deserve. A thick skin will serve you well in this industry. And a desire to prove them wrong helps too! Have confidence in your abilities to perform your job and don’t doubt yourself.

Sierra Tribby, Safety Manager