HAZARD GIRLS

Our guest today is Libby Mendiratta, the Executive Vice President at G.E. Frisco Company, a family-owned business specializing in supplying lumber and building materials across the Mid-Atlantic region. Libby has been in the construction industry for over 20 years and she oversees the entire division of the business that serves state and federal contracts. She is also the chair of the Women Building Washington Committee, an active member of the Washington Building Congress, and on the programming and stewardship committee of the Annual Women in Construction Conference in DC. Libby teaches younger generations about the construction industry and trades, and is passionate about inspiring more women to enter the construction industry and elevate to leadership positions! Tuning in, you’ll hear more about her background, how she became the CPO and what that means to her, how she believes we can increase awareness of jobs in construction for women, and approaches that can elevate women into leadership positions in the industry. For all this, and more, join us for today’s episode of Hazard Girls!

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Joining us in conversation today is Kuma Roberts, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Arrowhead Consulting. Tune in to learn the difference between ‘DEI’ and ‘D and I’, and why the focus has shifted from the latter to the former. You’ll hear why everyone has something to contribute to the conversation around diversity, and how it doesn’t begin and end with skin color. Kuma is more concerned about policy than changing hearts and minds, and believes that when the culture of an organization changes, hearts and minds will follow. Next, we discuss fears organizations experience around communicating their values around diversity, and why it is necessary to overcome this in order to become successful. Kuma unpacks the business case for diversity and inclusion and reveals that much of her wisdom in this arena stems from her own years of experience. We discuss employee perception, inclusive language, pronouns, and email signatures, before exploring the role of top leadership buy-in on a personal and company level. Kuma explains what tokenism is, how to avoid it, and why prioritizing diversity can’t be understood as ‘helping’, but goes far deeper than that. Join us today!

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A few years ago, a house in Utah was built by a team made up entirely of women. Today’s guest, Mollie Elkman, is the owner and president of Group Two, and she and her team were responsible for the sales and marketing side of the build. As the project was nearing an end, Mollie saw the potential of this story to positively impact the lives of so many women and girls, and she embarked on a journey of writing The House That She Built. The book highlights 18 of the trades that are involved in building a house, from excavators to plumbers to landscapers, and it has become an invaluable tool used to educate women and girls and other underrepresented groups about the career paths that are available to them. Tune in today to hear Mollie’s story; what led her to the construction world, what she loves about working in this industry, and how she hopes the future of the construction industry will be impacted by The House That She Built.

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The “command and control” leadership style is common within many organizations, but in today’s episode, we’re going to be discussing why a more inclusive and collaborative form of leadership holds so much value. Today’s guests are Shannon Karels and Kathy Miller, both of whom have had many years of experience leading manufacturing operations and implementing lean transformations. A lean transformation involves building an efficient, sustainable organization that is based on a foundation of respect for its people. The approaches that Kathy and Shannon have used (and the lessons they have learned) while successfully transforming businesses in this way have been documented in their book, Steel Toes and Stilettos, a must-read for any women (or men) in leadership positions!

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Architecture is a unique career that bridges the gap between the worlds of construction and art, and most architects have creative hobbies. Today’s guest made her creative hobby a full-time job when, after 15 years as an architect, she transitioned into the world of sustainable fashion in 2019. Namita Reddy is a professional architect and the founder of Samsara Sari, a sustainable clothing brand made from pre-loved saris. In today’s episode, we find out how Namita found her passion for architecture and the twists and turns of her architectural career. After being inspired by both her mother and a strong female leader at the same architecture firm, Namita shares why she never really felt limited by her gender. We also discover how Emily and Namita met and how the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator helped them both. Tune in to hear where Namita wants to take Samsara Sari in the future, how she is focusing on the sustainability aspect, and so much more in a fascinating conversation ranging from fashion to architecture and all things in between!

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One of the latest and greatest trends in business is to hire a coach to help you streamline your company and clarify your thinking. Today’s guest is Coralee Beatty, a business coach, a consultant, and a mom. Coralee was the owner of a mechanical contracting business before she moved into coaching, where her specialty is helping women leaders in construction. Join us as we find out how she found her passion for the construction industry, and why she moved from psychology to trade school, to entrepreneurship, and now to coaching! We learn what some of the biggest challenges facing women in the construction industry are, and it’s crucial to have systems in place in a business. Coralee gives some great advice on why and how you can master your thoughts and feelings, and why there is a need for women in construction. Tune in to hear the common misconceptions surrounding the construction industry, the women in it, and so much more!

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Nouchelle Hastings thought she was going to be a doctor, but when got to college she realized what she really wanted was a different kind of challenge and chose to pursue a career in business development. Today she is the holder of two prestigious accolades; Women of the Year and Most Powerful and Influential Black Professional in South Florida! In today’s episode we discuss what Nouchelle’s fascinating career path has looked like, including her 12 years in the construction management industry, working with Paul Newman, running Omega Tactical with her husband, and founding her own organization; Women Empowering Women in Development. Nouchelle also opens up about the abuse that she experienced at the hands of her ex-husband, and how took back her power and stepped into her boldness to become the influential leader that she is today!

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When Katya Echazarreta moved from Mexico to the United States at the age of seven, she couldn’t speak a word of English. Three years later she was as fluent as a native. Eight years after that she was beginning her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at UCLA, and to date, she has worked on five NASA missions (including the Mars rover) and is currently pursuing a master’s! The influence of Katya’s mother (who always encouraged her to pursue her dreams), the support from her teachers, and her strong will and passion for learning, have allowed Katya to overcome the challenges that she has faced as a woman in STEM. She has made it her goal to instill confidence in other women in STEM, and ensure that they do not feel isolated, which is a key factor that causes many to leave their chosen fields. Tune in today to hear Katya’s inspiring story!

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It’s well established that women tend not to apply for jobs if they don’t meet all of the criteria that the position requires, while men will apply when only meeting 60% of the desired skills. This needs to change, and talking to us today about this very issue is executive coach, mold-breaker, and podcaster, Claudia Miller. Tune in for a masterclass in setting up your CV for the job you want, not the job you have, the importance of preparing for an interview, and how to negotiate your contract when you inevitably succeed! Claudia talks us through her journey to career coaching, and why she changed fields so many times. We discover why everyone has transferable skills, and the importance of being particular about the company that you apply to. We answer two questions from the Hazard Girls listening in and hear some of the questions that you should be asking your interviewers. You don’t want to miss this incredible episode!

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From the age of 5, Kimberly Fiock knew she wanted to be a scientist. Today, at just 25 years old, she is working at the cutting edge of experimental pathology research, on track to receiving her PhD! This journey has not been without its hardships; on top of her mental health struggles, Kimberly has dealt with numerous people in powerful positions telling her she would never make it in her field. How wrong they were! In today’s episode Kimberly shares what drew her to the field of disease research, how she overcame the odds that were stacked against her and became a scientist, and the goals that she hopes to ultimately achieve through the research into tau proteins (which play a role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases) that she is currently conducting. Kimberly epitomizes the saying, “Never give up,” and if you’re in need of any extra motivation, you’ve come to the right place!

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