I've always had a love for design, engineering, and architecture. In my sophomore year of high school, I began taking drafting classes, where my passion for the industry started. Prior to finishing my engineering degree, I pursued a degree in design and drafting from ITT Tech, which led to my first position at Matern Professional Engineering. I was immediately immersed in the AEC industry and my skillset grew; this inspired me to complete my engineering degree, while doing mechanical design work. 

My love for solving problems keeps me coming back to the table to design. I enjoy the strategy of designing efficient systems, but I also appreciate the collaboration with our other engineering and architect partners to build something from the ground up. 

Unfortunately, there are still underlying stereotypes that weigh heavily on our industry. To this day when I walk on a jobsite with a man, the contractors assume the male is the one with more knowledge. I believe this stereotype will take more time to break the mold; however, we are slowly moving towards reshaping the narrative to empower women in leadership roles and bring a diverse skill set in the AEC industry. Being assertive, confident in my knowledge, and having a fantastic team of males who have my back has helped with the challenges of stereotypes of females in construction. 

My advice for women coming into our industry: Be humble enough to use every interaction, meeting, and project as an opportunity to absorb as much knowledge of the other trades in addition to your discipline. The more global understanding you have of the building industry, the more excellent you will become at your discipline and the more respect you will gain from others.