Female builders who have a built a name for themselves in the industry

While National Association of Women in Construction members know full well that there are many talented female builders within the construction industry, not everyone does. The number of women employed in the construction industry has grown over the years, currently at around 10% of the workforce. However, the number of construction women working on jobsites is much lower at only one for every 100 employees in the field. To highlight the work of construction women around the industry, we’re sharing the stories of a few female builders who are out to prove that women can not only lead projects and own construction companies but take matters into their own hands on the jobsite as well.

Jennifer Todd – LMS General Contractors
Quickly making a name for herself among female builders in the industry, Jennifer Todd became the youngest black woman to receive a General Engineering license (CSLB (A)) in California. Outside of her accomplishments at her firm, which focuses in the areas of environmental, disaster recovery, and demolition work, Jennifer has been featured in several prominent publications for female builders. This includes being one of Construction Business Owner’s Outstanding Women in Construction in 2020 in addition to being the first black woman to be featured on that same publication’s magazine cover as well.

Ashton White – “That Masonry Girl”
According to an interview with RenoRun.com, Ashton White has felt very fortunate to always be treated equally be her male colleagues and never felt like an outsider as a female mason. With a growing following on social media, Ashton has noted in previous publications that she hopes to inspire the next generation of female builders and encourage women to consider traditionally male-dominated specialties like masonry through her influence. Ashton has been able to break through the stereotypes of females in construction by winning national bricklaying competitions – one of which she won in 2008 while still in high school.

Brittany Bailey – “Pretty Handy Girl”
With nearly 30,000 followers on Instagram, it’s safe to say that Brittany Bailey is highly regarded as one of the most popular female builders online for DIY projects. Brittany started her construction career as a general contractor but also as someone who wanted to be a part of all aspects of a project – from graphic and web design to photography as well. Now a DIY tutorial guru, Brittany helps to inspire other women to hone their building skills for projects big and small.

Rachel Street – HGTV personality and show host
Rachel Street was recently profiled in a Washington Post article highlighting the next generation of female builders – a big deal for any individual but an even more surreal feature for someone who was on the brink of an opera career. After illnesses led her to leave a singing career behind, Rachel turned her creative spirit towards carpentry and DIY projects. She soon applied for her contracting and real estate licenses and began working on flipping homes full-time. Her story caught the attention of HGTV production executives and Rachel has since been featured on two network shows, “Philly Revival,” and, “Philly Street Flippin’.” In her Washington Post feature, Rachel noted how grateful she is able to provide a safe and comfortable space for women and LGBTQ individuals sometimes made uncomfortable by men in the construction industry.

How NAWIC is working to inspire the next generation of female builders
The National Association of Women in Construction now has over 117 local chapters across the United States, which makes it very easy for female builders to connect with our network of professionals. Membership is open to all construction women and NAWIC is able to provide members with amazing resources to help them gain confidence in their abilities and develop more leadership skills.
The National Association of Women in Construction now has over 117 local chapters across the United States, which makes it very easy for female builders to connect with our network of professionals. Membership is open to all construction women and NAWIC is able to provide members with amazing resources to help them gain confidence in their abilities and develop more leadership skills. Any female builders interested in becoming a NAWIC member can apply for membership by using either the online form or downloadable application to fill out and mail in – both of which are available on the NAWIC website. There are also several membership options available with flexible pricing and membership terms. To learn more about the female builders and powerful construction women involved in NAWIC or if you have any questions about membership, contact us through our social media pages.