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In this episode: Christi and Angela welcome Claire Reffitt of Deborah Bradley Construction in New York City, highlighting her role as executive assistant to president Deborah Bradley and her broader work as office manager supporting IT, HR, accounting, and company coordination across many projects. Claire shares that she thrives in fast-changing, “chaotic” environments, credits her math background for fitting construction’s logic, and explains how she manages a demanding workload through prioritization and daily pen-and-paper to-do lists. She describes leading the company’s technology and AI committee, running a workshop focused on using existing Microsoft tools like Copilot for note-taking, and tailoring adoption across employees with varied experience through basics and trial-and-error. Claire encourages young professionals to speak up, introduce themselves, and combine perspectives rather than compete. She also shares growing up as an only child with two deaf parents, which became a source of independence.

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In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome listeners to Women Talk Construction and announce that recent guest Libby is joining as a new guest co-host, allowing Christi to step back during a demanding season. Through questions led by Libby, they discuss recognizing when stepping back is a strategic leadership choice, with Christi sharing past health-related warning signs and her realization she wasn’t bringing her best self. The hosts explore setting boundaries, learning to say no to even good opportunities, and using priorities, mentors, and self-awareness to protect wellbeing, family, and faith. Libby describes stepping into growth by aligning choices with core values, intuition, and passions. They emphasize transparency and modeling sustainable leadership in construction by building trusted teams, sharing responsibility, and treating careers as marathons. Christi notes she’ll return periodically while supporting her family and work.

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In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome back guest Libby Mendriatta, NAWIC DC president and co-owner/EVP of Frisco Woodline, to discuss her free hands-on construction and STEM camp for girls and its immediate impact, including excitement about trades and career paths, mentorship, networking, and a returning camper who authored a construction-themed book. Libby shares how NAWIC builds confidence even for girls who may not enter construction and explains strategies for keeping a volunteer board motivated through relationship-building, fun balanced with accountability, and shared leadership. She outlines approaches to sponsorships and funding, including leveraging marketing credibility, board networks, and smaller asks, noting camp costs about $6,000 for 20 girls and NAWIC DC awards $10,000 in scholarships. Libby also highlights high-value events like coffee chats, Breakfast With a Champion, job site tours, golf workshops, and yoga, and invites listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn.

Supported by: NPK

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In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome guest Sonya Bowman, executive director of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP), to discuss mental health and suicide prevention in construction, so workers go home safe. Bowman explains CIASP’s roots in a 2015 CFMA article by Cal Beyer and Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas and the decision to form an independent 501(c)(3) in 2018 after CDC reports showed construction and extraction had the highest suicide death rates by occupation. She shares current CDC-based figures of about 1,000 fatal construction injuries versus roughly 5,000 construction-worker suicides, notes a preliminary 2024 decline of about 1.7%, and outlines warning signs as changes in behavior, performance, or life stressors. Bowman suggests immediate actions like planning for Suicide Prevention Month, sharing resources, and adding 988 and 741741 to email signatures, and directs listeners to preventconstructionsuicide.com for tools, training, and the STANDUP pathway.

Supported by: Groundbreak Carolinas

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In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome back Tonya Hicks, president and CEO of Power Solutions, an electrical contracting, facility maintenance, and domestic EV charging manufacturer she has led for 26 years. Hicks, an IBEW journeyman electrician and the first Black woman journeyman in Mississippi and first woman in Local 917, explains how unsafe EV charger locations inspired her SheEV initiative, including a planned September car club and a redesigned app using a community rating (Yelp-like) model after legal concerns about labeling “safer” stations. She discusses advocating on Capitol Hill for policy to place chargers in safer locations and notes bipartisan support in Georgia. Hicks reflects on jobsite safety challenges for women due to ill-fitting PPE and clothing, addresses workforce development and retention (including family leave and benefits), and encourages upskilling and learning AI.

Supported by: Groundbreak Carolinas

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In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome back Amy Henningfield, Director of Workforce Development at Superior Construction, a PACER award winner and champion for women in construction. Amy discusses launching Indiana’s first all-girls hands-on construction camp through Women in Roads (now expanded from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne), emphasizing female representation, jobsite exposure, mentorship, and sustained school relationships to overcome parent and educator skepticism about construction versus college. She shares how Superior’s intentionally designed women’s development program achieved a 100% promotion rate in its first cohort, with a current focus on supporting women in skilled trades through executive visibility, networking, and mentorship involving both men and women leaders. Amy also highlights the importance of construction voices on community boards and practical inclusion steps like providing properly fitting women’s PPE.

Supported by: NPK

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In this episode: Christi and Angela interview Erik Struebig, Technical Coordinator for North America at MGX Manitowoc Crane, a nine-year US Army veteran who moved from field technician roles in agriculture, Yellow Iron, and mining to overseeing technical coordination for 218 technicians. They discuss attracting more people into heavy-equipment and construction careers by showcasing the wide range of trade-adjacent roles, improving marketing and “cool” visual branding, and communicating earning potential and apprenticeship advantages without college debt. Erik emphasizes the need for clear advancement paths through regular employee reviews and leadership investment, plus ongoing technical training supported by manufacturers and partners. He describes Manitowoc’s community engagement—Touch-a-Truck events, school outreach, funding a welding program, internships across departments, scholarships, and tooling support—and his work with Crew Collaborative. He closes with mentee advice: listen, ask questions, and volunteer.

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In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner interview Kate Birds, owner of Iron Lady & Co., and a heavy civil/industrial operator, recently promoted to superintendent after previously doubting her leadership and trying to demote herself. She describes a “rebirth” of accepting her place in the industry and her femininity, and explains how Iron Lady & Co. grew from punny clothing into sponsoring women-focused events, including SheGrooms, a hands-on camp in the ski industry that expanded into lift maintenance, snowmaking, welding, and heavy equipment exposure. Kate discusses leadership dynamics on job sites, earning respect through competence, consistency, and direct communication, and navigating setbacks by seeking feedback, recognizing unhealthy work environments, and rebuilding.

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