Matthew Hallowell, 32

HALLOWELL

Creating safer workplaces
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colo.

As an assistant professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Matthew Hallowell teaches courses in construction engineering and management on both the graduate and undergraduate levels. He has taught more than 700 students and advised 17 graduate students in his research laboratory. He works with organizations to improve construction safety through collaborative research. He enhances safety performance through advancements in the management of knowledge, finance, risk, decision making, predictive modeling and hazard recognition. His research has affected hundreds of thousands workers at design and construction firms around the world. He also has served as a principal investigator for 11 research projects funded by agencies like the Construction Industry Institute. "When challenging the norm with new technologies, management strategies and design solutions, young professionals often face resistance because they have less experience than their co-workers," Hallowell says. "This can be overcome with strong preparation, hard work and clear communication skills." Hallowell also organizes modules for CU's High School Honors Institute and sets up week-long summer activities that educate high school students about new engineering issues.

Kelli Kelly, 37

KELLY

Ensuring opportunities for diversity
Diversity and Outreach Manager
Parsons Corp.
Denver

For the past seven years at Parsons Corp., Kelli Kelly's responsibilities have included community outreach, business development and proposal management. Through her role as diversity and outreach manager, she has also gained expertise in developing and managing strategic relationships. She oversees diversity initiatives for the $544-million Hotel and Transit Center Project at Denver International Airport. That includes working with the team's small business partners to ensure that minority- and women-owned business enterprises have more chances to bid on contracts. At DIA, she has created a weekly community bulletin that compiles information for minority businesses, increased "prime-level" opportunities for small businesses and streamlined their access to solicitations and technical workshops. "It isn't easy to achieve balance among competing business priorities," Kelly says. "The ability to remain focused but agile is key to driving successful outcomes." Kelly also volunteers her time to empower young people through education and career opportunities on the Denver Workforce Investment Board, the Conference of Minority Transportations Officials and Learning for Life, among others.

Melissa Mabe-Sabanosh, 36

MABE-SABANOSH

Furthering classical design ideas
Partner/Director of Design
Ruggles Mabe Terrell Architecture
Denver

Melissa Mabe-Sabanosh started with the Denver design firm as an intern. Eight years later, she became a principal and then a partner a year after that, in July 2013, when the firm was renamed Ruggles Mabe Terrell Architecture. In her new role as director of design, she bridges the gap between interior design and architecture. She recently completed the Newman residence in Denver, a 40,000-sq-ft home that required several years of work. She also manages projects in Denver, Aspen and Oxford, England. "It isn't easy to keep projects aligned with the firm's goals, the clients' goals and the budget," she says. "With experience, this task becomes more intuitive, but I have worked hard to stay the course without losing sight of the main objective." Mabe-Sabanosh also helped to create a new certificate in classical architecture at the University of Colorado-Denver, in partnership with the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, Rocky Mountain Chapter. She brought the academic and professional communities together, working closely with UCD staff and faculty.