Done Deals: Southern California Female Construction Executives Begin Professional Organization for Women in Construction Operations

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Southern California Female Construction Executives Begin Professional Organization for Women in Construction Operations

(Pictured Left to Right, Front to Back)

Lia Tatevosian, Michelle Garcia, Shaabini Alford , Lucy Villanueva, Sammi Maya, Elle Navarro,, Kasie Bowden, Amanda Corbet, Holly Cindell, Kathlynn Smith, LaDrena Dansby, Sarah Creighton, Jessica Drake, Nancy Goldman

Newport Beach, CA (Feb. 21, 2013) – Sarah Creighton and Holly Cindell of McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. of Newport Beach are among a group of pioneering women from Southern California construction, architecture and engineering companies to begin WiOPS—a new professional organization geared specifically toward women in construction operations.

Holly Cindell

Creighton and Cindell were named co-chairman for the new organization which aims at mentoring women working in the operations side of construction.

“Women make up less than 10% of the construction workforce with an even smaller number in professional and managerial positions,” said Sarah Creighton, vice president operations, education services for McCarthy Building Companies of Newport Beach.

“There are other industry organizations out there for women in construction, but none of them are tailored to women in construction operations roles. We started WiOPS to fill that gap.”

This past summer, Creighton and Cindell joined with 13 other women in likeminded careers to set up a board and establish goals and a mission for WiOPS. As a result, the group determined their primary goal will be to facilitate mentorship of up and coming women in the construction, architecture and engineering professions.

Sarah Carr Creighton

The WiOPS founding board members include: Co-chairmen, Holly Cindell and Sarah Creighton, McCarthy; Vice Chairman, Nancy Goldman, Jezowski & Markel; Secretary, Kasie Bowden, Hensel Phelps Construction Co.; Treasurers, Lia Tatevosian, Swinerton Builders and Lucy Villanueva, McCarthy; Membership, Amanda Corbet, McCarthy and Events Coordinator, Shaabini Alford, Murray Company.

Other WiOPS members instrumental to the group’s founding include: Bernadette Reyes, Clark Construction Group; LaDrena Dansby, USC Capital Construction Development; Elle Navarro and Michelle Garcia, Hensel Phelps Construction Co.; Sammi Maya, McCarthy; Jessica Drake, Swinerton Builders and Kathlynn Smith, Hunt Ortman and founder of SmartGirls and SmartGirls’ Guide to Construction Law.

WiOPS membership is open to women and men in construction, architecture and engineering industries serving in operations, managerial, estimating, engineering and design career paths.