Lunchtime Table Discussions

Mackenzie Dias
Project Manager/NAWIC LA Board Member
Precision Construction Services

Lunchtable Host

Angela Connor
Partner
Peckar & Abramson PC

Lunchtable Host

Angela Connor, a partner in Peckar & Abramson’s Houston office, is board certified in construction law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and focuses her practice on business litigation, dispute resolution, and contract negotiation. Known for her sound and practical legal advice, she routinely finds creative solutions to meet her clients’ business needs.

Angela represents a wide range of construction industry clients, including general contractors, owners, subcontractors, sureties and suppliers, and regularly handles complex construction-related matters involving mechanic’s liens, payment bonds, contract disputes, collections, delay claims, and construction defects. She is also involved in the drafting and reviewing of contract documents and regularly performs contract risk assessment and risk management for a range of construction projects.

Tenille Bettenhausen
Client Success Manager
Symetri US

Lunchtable Host

Tenille Bettenhausen boasts over two decades of invaluable experience in the AEC industry, with a diverse and dynamic career path. For the initial 15 years, Tenille was entrenched in the heart of design and construction projects, actively contributing as a talented designer and proficient project manager. For the last 8 years, Tenille transitioned into the role of a business developer and client relations strategist, where she masterfully interfaced with clients, nurturing meaningful relationships to drive success. Her dedication to the industry is exemplified by her contributions to the National Associates Committee, where she currently serves as the director of strategic partnerships.

Beyond her professional pursuits, she is a multifaceted creative force. As the host of the podcast "Death by Architecture," Tenille weaves compelling narratives within the AEC industry, captivating her audience with gripping true crime stories. Additionally, Tenille has authored two inspiring children's books, "Maybe I'll be an Architect" and "Maybe I'll be an Engineer," which encourage young minds to explore the exciting worlds of architecture and engineering.

Presently, Tenille serves as the client success manager at Symetri US, an Autodesk software partner and technology strategy provider. In this pivotal role, she ardently believes in the transformative power of architecture and design, as they elevate the human spirit. Tenille stands as a staunch advocate for fostering knowledge diversification and consensus-building within AEC firms, championing goals that propel the industry forward."

Danielle Paulson
Director of Leader Development
Mortenson

Lunchtable Host

Danielle Paulson is currently the director of leadership development for Mortenson, where she leads organizational and leadership development.

At Mortenson, Danielle spearheads the leadership and organizational development strategy, ensuring a robust approach to performance, development, and growth of the talent pipeline. Notably, she led the initiative to establish a comprehensive culture model, providing a unified language of leadership across all levels of the organization that also serves as the bedrock for leadership development programs.

Danielle leads a team of experts who design solutions and programming tailored to every team member, from formal leaders to informal influencers. While leveraging her executive coaching expertise as a form of communication and key to leading change on a daily basis. Her career spans 30 years–the last half in leadership development, organizational growth, and executive coaching, preceded by 15 years as an advertising and marketing executive. The common thread? Understanding and optimizing human behavior.

Danielle's guiding principle in life is to leave everything and everyone she encounters better than she found them—a philosophy that underscores her commitment to personal and professional growth. Her favorite mantra, credited to Maya Angelou, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better," encapsulates her continuous pursuit of excellence.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Danielle finds joy in cooking, reading, and Taylor Swift. She cherishes spending time with her husband and kids,(all six), and is currently channeling her creative energy into remodeling a cabin on the picturesque North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota, with plans to transform it into a charming ‘hygge-filled’ vacation rental experience.

Allie Sutton, SHRM-SCP
VP, HR Construction Operations
Granite

Lunchtable Host

Allie Sutton has worked in human resources for more than 15 years with over a decade of experience in the construction industry. Ms. Sutton has extensive experience in employee engagement, retention, recruitment, international HR, HR compliance, workforce planning, total rewards, and acquisitions & integrations. Ms. Sutton has a Bachelor of Science in Social Justice from Arizona State University, is a Senior Certified Professional in Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP) and completed the Executive Development Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Sutton believes strongly in professional development and has worked to implement key training initiatives aimed at preparing the future generation of construction industry leaders. She has also worked to design and implement strategies focused on recruiting, developing and retaining vital talent in the construction trades to support operational growth and further the construction industry overall. In her free time, Ms. Sutton enjoys traveling, snowboarding, hiking and camping with her husband and two children.

Shaabini Alford
Director
Maxim Consulting Group

Lunchtable Host

Giovanna Brasfield
CEO and Principal Consultant
Brasfield & Associates LLC

Lunchtable Host

Giovanna Brasfield (Dr. G) is an accomplished diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) advocate with over 18 years of experience in construction focusing on leadership and DEI program development, training, education and outreach for the construction industry and construction-related trades. Dr. G drives organizations to go beyond DEI talk by taking actionable steps to create culturally diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces.

A longtime consultant and advocate for DEI education, workforce issues and small businesses, Dr. G is a passionate change agent across the construction industry. Recognition for her work includes being named a 2021 Inspirational Women finalist by the Los Angeles Times, a 2021 LA County Impact Maker by Stratiscope, 2020 Mujer del Año (Woman of the Year) by the Regional Hispanic Institute, and Rising Star Award finalist, Los Angeles Business Journal, and named a Game Changer by Diversity Professional Magazine. She’s also a DEI social influencer whom Autodesk industry bloggers called a “Top 50 Construction Influencer” across the United States in 2020 and 2019.

At heart, Dr. G is a DEI strategist and educator committed to transforming the industry through transformative and capacity-building program development and implementation. She also knows that organizations that embrace and implement DEI strategies outperform their peers.

Dr. G holds dual doctorate degrees from the University of La Verne, a doctorate in public administration, and an EdD in organizational leadership.

Valerie Roberts
Chief Operating Officer
Longview Fusion Energy Systems

Speaker

Valerie Roberts is Chief Operating Officer of Longview Fusion Energy Systems, which is working with Fluor Corp. to design the world's first commercial laser fusion power plant, set to operate within a decade based on historic breakthroughs at the U.S. Energy Dept. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) where energy gain was proven in a 2022 groundbreaking fusion energy milestone after years of pursuit.

With over 30 years of experience in engineering, project management and corporate management, she has played a pivotal role in numerous first- of-a-kind projects worldwide with delivery responsibility for over $10 billion of projects.One of her notable positions was as a Project Manager for NIF—the world's largest and most powerful laser. During her tenure as a senior vice president at Jacobs, a global engineering firm, she oversaw Critical Mission Solutions strategy and corporate risk management. Valerie also serves on the board of the Project Leadership Institute. She has received several prestigious awards, including the NAWIC Outstanding Woman in Construction, the Del E. Webb School of Construction Distinguished Graduate and the Project Management Institute Project of the Year.

Stacey Yee
Director of Design and Construction
U.S. General Services Administration

Speaker

Stacey Yee is the Director of Design and Construction at the U.S. General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service, in San Francisco-based Region 9. She leads a team of architects, engineers, and subject matter experts to deliver capital design and construction projects in federal office buildings, courthouses and land ports of entries in California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands. Her team currently plays a crucial role in delivering projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act totaling approximately $1.2B. Stacey has 16 years of experience in project delivery for the federal government. She is a registered Architect in the state of California and is a LEED BD+C Accredited Professional.

Randy Goruk
CEO
The Randall Wade Group, LLC

Speaker

Randy Goruk, former president of Trus Joist Canada, and now CEO of LeadersEdge360.com — The Randall Wade Group, is known for his ability to develop and refine the skills of a broad range of leaders. After starting as an entry level design technician, Goruk grew into key leadership positions across North America with Trus Joist Corp., a $750 million business unit — now a Weyerhaeuser business. During his time of leading various multi-million-dollar business units through many challenging times of strategic growth, product development, acquisitions and a joint venture partnership, Goruk became an expert in creating teams and leaders that achieve quantifiable results. Goruk’s leadership background and extensive executive management experience provide a unique backdrop for the training and coaching aspiring leaders as he shares real experience to get real results

Christine Merdon
CEO/President
Merdon Strategies

Lunchtable Host

Christine Merdon is the CEO/President of Merdon Strategies, LLC, a woman owned small business providing consulting to organizations for project management, strategy, and leadership. Ms. Merdon had a leadership role for 9 years at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) as the former acting architect of the Capitol and chief operating officer. She was responsible for organizational leadership, strategic planning, construction, facilities maintenance and operation of the historic U.S. Capitol building, the care and improvement of more than 570 acres of grounds and the operation and maintenance of 18.4 million square feet of buildings including: the House and Senate Congressional Office Buildings, the Capitol Visitor Center, the Library of Congress Buildings, the U.S. Supreme Court Building and U.S. Botanic Gardens. As Acting Architect of the Capitol, she was a member of the Capitol Police Board, and the President's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Before joining the AOC, she worked in private industry as COO and senior vice president of program and construction management with McKissack & McKissack. Her private industry experience also included time spent as a project manager and site superintendent for Clark Construction. She began her career with the U.S. Navy for a total of 17 years, which included an assignment to White House Military Office as a project manager for projects at the White House and Camp David. She has a BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Maryland. In addition, she a member of the National Academy of Construction.

Brigitte Perera
Senior Associate
Exponent

Lunchtable Host

Brigitte Perera is a member of Exponent's Construction Consulting practice with experience in the construction and utility industries, supporting all stages of the project lifecycle — from inception to closeout. She has led risk mitigation initiatives for a large electric distribution program that manages an extensive network of assets. Ms. Perera leverages both her business and technical background to develop effective strategies for the organization's needs. Her ability to effectively communicate, research, measure, and analyze has led to strong results that provide longstanding value to her clients. Ms. Perera worked for five years in the field - managing subcontractors and overseeing building construction in Greater Boston. She pursued a full-time business degree during the pandemic where she developed teamwork and leadership skills in both a remote and hybrid environment. Recently, Ms. Perera has successfully led two Bay Area-based teams from Massachusetts for a California- based client.

Lynne Lees
Communications Manager
KYA

Lunchtable Host

Lynne Lees is an experienced Communications Manager at KYA, an industry established facilities modernization company. She has been in the Public Works market for the last 10 years and is highly active in CASH, CASBO, CSBA, ACSA, CCFC, CPRS and A4LE. She presents annually at multiple conferences, workshops and symposiums and currently sits on the CASH board of directors and the A4LE SoCal Board as Past President. Lynne holds a BA from Ohio Wesleyan University and has completed over 560 hours of CEU Credits. Her passion is people and it has been her privilege to help drive change in this industry.

Nikki Ellenwood
Industry Solution Executive, Engineering & Construction
Oracle

Lunchtable Host

Nikki Ellenwood works as an advisor to help guide companies in strategic business transformation, through aligning technology solutions to short and long term strategy.

Cassy Smith
Project Manager
The PENTA Building Group

Lunchtable Host

Cassy Smith is a project manager at The PENTA Building Group in Las Vegas, where she works with project owners and teams to identify and implement needs of successful construction projects. Formerly, she held the role of first ever female superintendent at PENTA, bringing a unique level of insight to her industry peers. She also serves as a mentor for high school programs, educating prospective young women who are interested in exploring future careers in AEC.

Cassy earned a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from Arizona State University and her MBA at Mississippi State University. She lives in Nevada with her family and is the mother of two children. She is also an alumni GWIC speaker, advocating for women’s issues in the workplace, specifically for the construction industry.

Kara Boyles, Ph.D., P.E.
City Engineer
City of South Bend, Indiana

Dr. Kara Boyles serves as the City Engineer for South Bend, where she is responsible for overseeing the design, construction, and inspection of all public works projects. A registered professional engineer in Indiana, Kara brings a wealth of expertise to her role, having earned her doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Notre Dame. She also holds both a Master’s and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Bradley University, alongside a recent MBA from Indiana University South Bend. With her extensive educational background and practical experience, Dr. Boyles is passionately committed to advancing opportunities for women in engineering and construction.

Caryn Maxfield
Senior Vice President
American Global

Lunchtable Host

Caryn Maxfield is an experienced attorney and corporate executive with 16 years in the construction and surety industry. Prior to joining American Global, Caryn spent over nine years at the Walsh Group, where she served as vice president of strategic projects. In her role, she led and managed the transactional legal team and worked closely in joint venture partnerships with many of the most reputable contractors throughout the U.S. Caryn and her team were responsible for alternative delivery project pursuits, as well as the analysis, underwriting and negotiation of complex construction and development contracts, including public-private partnerships and various related partnership agreements. Caryn’s experience in the construction industry began in 2007 with Safeco Surety (now Liberty Mutual Surety) handling surety claims as senior surety counsel in the Chicago office. Caryn also brings years of commercial litigation experience gained at two national law firms in New York and Chicago, primarily in contracts, business and insurance law, which enhances her ability to support and connect with our clients and the insurance and surety markets globally.

Nancy Schnee
Senior Vice President
American Global

Lunchtable Host

Nancy Schnee brings over 35 years’ experience working in the construction industry, where she has been responsible for establishing, managing and growing a broad range of surety bond programs. She has provided valuable insights and facilitated critical performance security solutions for global, regional and local companies. She is a trusted advisor who clients turn to for their most challenging questions on bonding and credit programs. She has developed deep experience in alternative project delivery methods including P3, gap financing, and large design-build projects. Nancy also builds out surety programs for commercial clients and is experienced in subcontractor default insurance.

Nancy has earned CPCU and AFSB professional insurance & surety designations. Additionally, she is proud to be a founding board member of Women in Surety (WIS), where she currently serves as President.

When not at work, Nancy enjoys many outdoor activities including skiing, tennis, hiking, biking and traveling. She has been married to her husband Scott for 33 years and has 3 children, Emily (29), Brian(26) & Kevin (24).

Karina Delcourt
Strategic Initiatives Manager
ETRO Construction Ltd

Lunchtable Host

Karina is the strategic initiatives manager at ETRO Construction in Vancouver, BC Canada, where she oversees the implementation of digital solutions for both the office and field in order to provide ETRO with the best ways to deliver construction projects for our clients.

With a scholarly foundation in architecture, and roles in urban planning, architecture and interior design, Karina discovered her passion lay in the “how” of building projects and measuring the outcomes over the form and function, and challenged this curiosity for improving systems and processes throughout her career.

Jennifer Harris
Partner, D.C. Office
Peckar & Abramson P.C.

Jennifer Harris is a partner in Peckar & Abramson’s Washington, DC office. Her primary areas of practice are construction law, complex commercial litigation, and real estate litigation. Jennifer’s experience includes contract litigation and negotiations, landlord and tenant matters, land-use litigation and the enforceability of land covenants. She provides counsel to clients in contract litigation, tax sale foreclosure actions, negotiations and business disputes, and matters concerning Minority/Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (M/W/DBE), among other matters.

Over the course of her career, Jennifer has been involved in all aspects of the litigation process including jury trials, district and circuit court cases, and she has specific experience in pre-trial and trial practice, motion practice, fact and expert discovery, witness preparation and settlement negotiations. Jennifer also has experience in appellate briefing and has argued before the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.

Prior to joining Peckar & Abramson, Jennifer was a litigation attorney with a regional Maryland firm. Jennifer also clerked for the Honorable Mickey J. Norman in the Third Judicial Circuit of Maryland. Jennifer holds a JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude and was a member of the Heuisler Honor Society. Throughout law school, Jennifer was an active member on the Executive Board of the University of Baltimore Law Review, the National Labor Law Moot Court Team, and served as a Rule 16 Attorney for the Civil Advocacy Clinic. Jennifer is admitted to practice in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Sarah Buchner, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO
Trunk Tools

Dr. Sarah Buchner is the founder & CEO of Trunk Tools, a construction technology startup that exploded on the scene in 2023 with the launch of two products. TrunkText is a game-changing, patent-pending, text message-based AI tool designed to transform the way construction professionals access critical project information. TrunkPerform is a tool that improves project time, budget and safety outcomes by incentivizing workers to complete project goals.

With deep roots in construction, Dr. Buchner spent her young life as a carpenter in her native Austriaa, advancing through various roles, including superintendent, and project manager of increasingly large and complex construction projects. She led the BIM efforts on the first ever as-built BIM project in Europe (a €300 million construction site). During this time, Dr. Buchner developed a health and safety app, which kick-started her career in applied construction technology.

Dr. Buchner is an ENR California Top Young Professionals award winner and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. She has earned several graduate degrees in conjunction with her full-time construction career, including an MS in civil engineering, a Ph.D. in data science / civil engineering (with a focus on applying data science and AI in construction), and an MBA from Stanford.

Jen Cooper
Project Manager
DPR Construction

Lunchtable Host

Jennifer Cooper is a construction professional with nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, however her most important role is that of a mother and being a champion for people seeking to live an authentic life. Jennifer is a project manager with DPR construction based out of Newport Beach, California. At DPR, Jennifer works in the Special Services Group on a variety of projects, is on the steering committee for the Womans Employee Resource Group and has recently started to work with the Taking Care of People Group as a course facilitator.

Stephanie McDonald
Senior Human Resources Manager
Precision Construction Services

Lunchtable Host