2020 GWIC Agenda

4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Yosemite

Registration – badge pick-up

7:30 am - 8:25 am
Yosemite
Grand Ballroom A

Registration

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

8:25 am - 8:35 am
Grand Ballroom B

Program Welcome & Introduction

Janice L. Tuchman, Editor-in-Chief, Engineering News Record
Melinda Gentile, Partner, Peckar & Abramson P.C.

8:35 am - 8:40 am
Grand Ballroom B

Safety Moment

8:40 am - 9:30 am
Grand Ballroom B

Keynote: Advocating for Diversity at Target—and Beyond!

Two leaders of retailer Target Corp.’s U.S. construction program will share their stories of leadership, navigating change and fostering industry diversity and inclusion. They also will provide attendees with an overview of the company’s current construction projects nationwide.

9:30 am - 10:30 am
Grand Ballroom B

Panel:

The Director’s Chair: Why Women’s Board Voices Matter
More women are gaining a leadership voice as board directors—whether for their own firms or others—at a time when changing industry dynamics and competitiveness make oversight more critical than ever. This panel will explore gender differences in board interactions and company oversight, particularly in communication style, decision making and expectations. What strengths do women bring to boards? What are the key risks they face? Experienced women directors of AEC firms will share what’s critical today in effective board service and how it can be a career booster.

Moderator: Kristina Veaco, Founder and CEO, corporate governance consultant Veaco Group

Panel:

Karen Colonias, CEO, Simpson Strong-Tie and Simpson Manufacturing
Danielle Dy Buncio, Co-Founder & CEO, technology firm VIATechnik and director, Ryan Cos. and J.F. Brennan

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Grand Ballroom A

Networking, Refreshments & Exhibits

11:00 am - 11:55 pm - Breakout Sessions
Grand Ballroom B, Imperial A, Imperial B

Track 1 Panel
Grand Ballroom B

Women Supporting Women: How “Ally-Ship” Promotes Teambuilding

For years, as women have competed in male-dominated professions, some have pushed down gender peers to succeed. But that paradigm is changing with the rise of a new kind of female leader—one who lifts others up as they climb. Panelists will discuss how to build teams with “ally-ship”—encouraging each other’s successes but also holding each other accountable. In this session, construction sector professionals will discuss how to recruit women to a team, build networks of successful women across organizations, and develop, train, and promote their success.

Moderator: Andrea Rutledge, CEO, Construction Management Association of America

Panel:
Jessica Ostoyich, Project Executive, Mortenson
Lindsay Johnson, Project Executive, Katerra
Angie Simon, CEO, Western Allied Mechanical and Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Assn President

Track 2
Imperial A

Surviving and Thriving in Construction: New Research on Women and Persistance

Practitioner-researcher shares study results that women who persist in construction do differ from non-persisters in level of occupational commitment and perceived ability to navigate in their organization’s culture.

Amy Lewis, Construction Project Manager and PhD candidate, Oklahoma State University, former PM for Brown & Root, Sundt and Satterfield and Pontikes

Track 3
Imperial B

Work Boots to Business Suits

One of Fluor Corp.’s most senior women in field management will share details of her progression to a key corporate role on one of the firm’s emerging megaprojects, the $14-billion Canada LNG, and how it has informed new company career development efforts to accelerate female talent for business leadership. Women now represent 14% of the project’s site management and craft workforce.

Amanda McCarthy, Fluor Civil Construction Manager, LNG Canada, Kitimat, B.C.

12:00 pm - 1:20 pm
Yosemite

Luncheon

Optional Facilitated Conversation Tables
Facilitators will host tables on 15-20 topics of interest

1:30 pm - 2:25 pm - Breakout Sessions
Grand Ballroom B, Imperial A, Imperial B

Track 1 Panel
Grand Ballroom B

Broaden Your Influence Beyond The Project

Changemakers are revolutionizing collaboration among stakeholders in delivery of projects and more broadly to practitioners and clients beyond the project with similar challenges. This session will present a wide view of what is possible in an AEC career as we stretch beyond “project centric” to become true influencers in the industry.

Panel:
Alicia Wachtel, Executive Director, Cedars Sinai Health System
Barbara Wagner, Senior Vice President, Clark Construction
Carol Warkoczewski, Senior Architect, City of San Antonio and Founder, Institute for leadership in Capital Projects

2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Grand Ballroom B

The Diversity Spectrum

In three rapid-fire keynotes, speakers will address their diverse backgrounds and obstacles they broke through to become successful construction role models. They will explain how their individual perspectives inform their decisionmaking processes and leadership approaches, with compelling stories that will inspire you to mobilize your own personal story to advance in the industry.

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Grand Ballroom A

Networking, Refreshments & Exhibits

4:00 pm - 4:50 pm
Grand Ballroom B

Panel Discussion:

Confronting Gender Pay Equity Issues

Laws and politicies are shifting to demand that employers strive to balance the gender pay gap. This panel will provide perspective on how the imbalance is defined by more deep-rooted gender differences than just equal pay for equal work and how leaders approach compensation with transparency and data driven decision-making.

4:50 pm - 5:30 pm
Grand Ballroom B

Closing Keynote:

What Works for Women at Work

Joan Williams, Distinguished Professor of Law and Founder, Center for Work-Life Law, University of California-Berkeley

Described as having close to “rock star status” in the field of work-family studies and modern workplace flexibility policies and one of the field’s 10 most cited experts, Joan has played a central role in reshaping the conversation about work, gender, and class over the past quarter century. A noted researcher and prolific author, she collaborated with the Society of Women Engineers on a seminal study of race and bias issues among 3,000 engineers, while her book What Works for Women at Work was praised in one review as a “how-to primer for ambitious women.” Don’t miss Joan’s incredible insight on what’s ahead for women in the workplace in this new decade!

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Grand Ballroom A

Reception, Networking & Exhibits

7:30 am - 8:30 am
Grand Ballroom A

Registration

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

8:30 am - 8:35 am
Grand Ballroom B

Program Introduction - Second Day

Janice L. Tuchman, Editor-in-Chief, Engineering News Record
Melinda Gentile, Partner, Peckar & Abramson P.C.

8:35 am - 8:40 am
Grand Ballroom B

Safety Moment

8:40 am - 9:40 am
Grand Ballroom B

Opening Keynote Q&A

Romila Singh, PhD, Associate Professor, Lubar School of Business, Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

9:40 am - 10:30 am
Grand Ballroom B

Panel Discussion:

Creating Psychological Safety in Your Workspace

A recent Google study found that of five key dynamics found in winning teams, psychological safety beat dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, and impact as most critical. It also concluded that the team whose members perceived they could take risks in front of their peers, had each other’s trust and felt safe without judgment were most successful. Panelists will share insights into what it takes to create psychological safety in a work environment.

10:30 am - 11:15 am
Grand Ballroom B

Closing Panel

A Wakeup Call about Unconscious Bias

It’s easy to recognize biases expressed by others, yet how often do we take a step back and admit our own? In the workplace, bias can limit people’s understanding, empathy, and negatively impact individuals, teams and cultures. This panel will explore the importance of unconscious bias awareness and discuss strategies to assess workplace dynamics with candor, counteract biases, develop training that works and create equal opportunities.

Kelley Cowan, Project Executive, XL Construction